A Lowndes County man charged in the murder of his son this weekend claims the pistol that fired the fatal shot went off because his son grabbed it during an argument, according to court documents.
Joshua Kyzer, 26, was arguing with his father, Randall Kyzer, 55, in the front yard of their home in the 600 block of Mike Parra Road on Saturday evening. Randall Kyzer went inside his home and got a .22-caliber revolver. He later told authorities his intention was to threaten Joshua Kyzer to leave the property, according to an affidavit filed Monday in Lowndes County Justice Court.
Joshua Kyzer grabbed the firearm while it was in Randall Kyzer’s hand, and the weapon fired, according to the affidavit. Joshua Kyzer, struck with a bullet, was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to Greg Merchant, the coroner of Lowndes County.
Merchant declined to say how many times Joshua Kyzer was struck. An autopsy is scheduled for today.
Kyzer was an Airman 1st class stationed at the Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, according to Columbus Air Force Base 2nd Lt. Lauren Woods.
An Air Force spokesperson said Kyzer was an air crew flight equipment apprentice with the 479th Operation Support Squadron. He joined the Air Force in January 2013.
Randall Kyzer was arrested Saturday evening. On Monday, he was formally charged with murder. His bond was set at $100,000. He remains in the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center.
The affidavit filed in the case states both father and son were intoxicated at the time of the Saturday incident.
Dispatch news editor Sam Luvisi and Dispatch reporter Alex Holloway contributed to this report.
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