Reports indicate that Duane “Bounty Hunter” Chapman’s son-in-law, Gregory Zecca, has been placed under psychiatric observation after unintentionally shooting and killing his 13-year-old son, Anthony, over the weekend in Naples, Florida.
Zecca, who is experiencing profound grief, is under close watch due to concerns he might consider self-harm, as reported by TMZ. He is also being treated with heavy sedation during this time.
Under the Baker Act, individuals exhibiting severe mental illness can be involuntarily assessed if there’s a risk of harming themselves or others.
It remains unclear if Zecca is undergoing this monitoring voluntarily or against his will.
Chapman, who married Zecca’s mother, Franci Freen, in 2021 after both lost their spouses to cancer, has blended their families into a tight-knit community centered around their shared beliefs and interests, including the bounty hunting lifestyle.
According to an Instagram post, Zecca had introduced Anthony to the family’s bounty hunting activities, allowing him to practice shooting at gun ranges.
The family has described the incident as a “tragic accident,” with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office labeling it an “isolated incident” without further details on any ongoing inquiries.
In a statement, Chapman and his family representative expressed their sorrow, stating, “We are grieving as a family over this mysterious and tragic accident and are hoping to continue praying as we mourn the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony.”
Chapman has a total of 13 children from six relationships, four of whom are from his previous marriage.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the shooting.
