Central Florida family grieves man's shooting death; father advocating for gun education
Dad advocating for gun education after son's death
One family in Central Florida is grieving the death of a son, and his father is calling for more gun education. Chase Koepke, 26, was shot and killed on Dec. 30. The Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said the shooter was an acquaintance who was drunk at the time.
MARION COUNTY, Fla. - One family in Central Florida is grieving the death of a son, and his father is calling for more gun education.
Chase Koepke, 26, was shot and killed on Dec. 30. The Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said the shooter was an acquaintance who was drunk at the time.
Garrett Koepke, the victim's father, said his son was a veteran and was studying to become a nurse.
"Chase was the best," Koepke said. "He had the biggest smile and would do anything."
Deputies said Chase Koepke and two friends were at his house in Ocala painting a room. The report shows one of them picking up Koepke's gun and starting to play with it. Abraham Bordas, 22, admitted to pulling the trigger not knowing the safety was off and that he was drunk at the time, according to deputies.
"It was totally devastating because I knew my son," Koepke said. "I would've never ever expected this to happen to him."
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Koepke said he hoped the shooting, which is still under investigation, was an accident.
"I would just want to know why he would even bother picking it up," Koepke said. "He can't give me an answer as to why he shot my son because he doesn't know himself why he shot him."
Bordas is charged with negligent manslaughter with a firearm. He bonded out of jail the day after he was booked. Koepke says Bordas hasn't reached out to apologize.
"I would have a very hard time accepting anything right now," Koepke said. "Our hearts are broken. Our hearts are going to be broken for the rest of our lives, but if you do something you own up."
Koepke said he's pushing for justice and gun education in his son's honor.
"I don't want [Bordas] to go to jail for 30 years unless they prove other than accidental," Koepke said. "I do want him to serve some time or make it mandatory that he attends, so many things about gun safety and teaches other people [about gun safety]."
Chase had a twin sister. Their birthday was Saturday, Jan. 13, just two weeks after the shooting. Their father said celebrating was hard on the entire family as they grieved Chase's death.
The MCSO is still investigating.