Niamh Shackleton
Dog the Bounty Hunter's 13-year-old step-grandson was killed by his father during an accidental shooting.
Duane Chapman, who rose to fame on his TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter, married Francie Chapman in 2021.
In a heartbreaking event that unfolded over the weekend, Francie's son, Gregory Zecca, is said to have fatally shot his teenage son, Anthony.
According to reports, the shooting, which the family says was an accident, took place in a Naples, Florida, apartment on July 19. Police confirmed that a shooting took place around 8pm on the day in question and described it as an 'isolated incident', TMZ reports.
Addressing the heartbreaking ordeal, Chapman's representative told TMZ: "We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony."
The investigation is ongoing and there isn't thought to have been any arrests made yet.
UNILAD have approached Chapman's rep for additional comment.
Anthony's father, Gregory, is Francie's son from a previous marriage. She and Chapman connected with one another while both grieving the loss of their respective spouses.
Chapman's wife of 13 years Beth passed away in June 2019 from cancer. Francie's late husband Bob died of cancer as well, six months before Beth's passing.
Speaking about how their grief united them, Francie told Entertainment Tonight in 2020: "We understood the pain that the other one was feeling and [in] those tough days and moments, we helped each other stand up.
"We could cry with each other and talk about what we were feeling. We were able to walk alongside each other through the pain and heartbreak and it brought us together in this amazing way."
Francie continued to say of their late spouses: "We're never going to leave Bob and Beth behind [or] forget about them. They'll always be a part of us. We thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives with them and that's not what happened and we were dealt a really hard hand."
Chapman has been married six times and has fathered 13 kids whom he shares with his ex wives.
In 2023, he announced that he had a secret son named Jon, bringing his total number of children to 13.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.