British Graduate Shot Dead by Father in Texas: Coroner Calls Act 'Reckless' Amid Alcohol Use

A British graduate, 23-year-old Lucy Harrison, was shot dead by her father, Kris Harrison, during a visit to his home in Prosper, Texas, when he pointed a loaded Glock 9mm pistol at her chest as a 'tease,' a coroner ruled in a hearing on Tuesday. The incident occurred on January 10, 2025, just days before Lucy was set to return home to the UK following a post-Christmas break. Her father, a 54-year-old executive at a fibre optics firm, had consumed 500ml of white wine that morning and was described as a 'functioning alcoholic' by the coroner, who ruled his actions were 'reckless' and 'reprehensible.'

Kris Harrison initially claimed that Lucy had asked to see his gun, which he had not been trained to use, and that it 'just went off' as he removed it from its locked case. However, coroner Jacqueline Devonish rejected this explanation, stating that shooting Lucy through the chest from across a bedroom required deliberate action. 'To shoot her through the chest while she was standing would have required him to have been pointing the gun at his daughter, without checking for bullets, and pulling the trigger,' she said. The coroner noted that while Harrison did not realize the gun was loaded, his failure to secure it properly and his lack of firearms training were key factors in the tragedy.

Lucy's mother, Jane Coates, described her daughter as 'sensitive, energetic, intelligent, funny, and a really great human being.' She expressed shock that her daughter, who was 'categorically anti-gun,' was killed in Texas, a place she believed should have been safe. The coroner emphasized that Harrison's actions amounted to 'gross negligence manslaughter' under English law and were 'aggravated' by his alcohol consumption. Police in Texas had failed to test Harrison for alcohol despite smelling it on his breath, a point the coroner criticized as a lapse in procedure.

Lucy's boyfriend, Sam Littler, testified that the pair had argued about Donald Trump with Harrison on the morning of the incident. As they prepared to leave for the airport, Harrison took Lucy by the hand and led her to a bedroom where the gun was kept. Within 15 seconds, Littler heard a loud bang and found Lucy collapsed on the floor. He insisted she would not have been interested in seeing the weapon, describing the house as an environment with 'a lot of very opinionated people.'

Harrison's defense team, which included lawyers hired to challenge the coroner's findings, argued that the coroner was 'biased' against him. However, Devonish rejected the motion to remove her from the case. In a statement read to the court, Harrison expressed remorse, calling Lucy 'the light of my life' and vowing to honor her memory by being a better father to his daughters. His lawyers noted that he had suffered an 'alcoholic seizure' in 2023, which left him in an induced coma.

The coroner's ruling marked a shift from an initial US investigation that had classified the death as accidental. Jane Coates had called that determination 'baffling' and 'beyond comprehension,' arguing that Texas gun laws failed to protect her daughter. She praised the coroner for 'giving her daughter's voice back' after a year of 'deep shock, grief, and fight.' Lucy's mother also criticized the lack of rigor in the US investigation, stating it fell short of what would be expected in the UK.

In the aftermath, Victoria Cox of HCC Solicitors, who assisted Lucy's family, noted the challenges of dealing with a tragedy abroad. 'Part of the problem at an inquest is that a witness who lives abroad cannot be compelled to give a statement or be questioned by the Coroner on what happened if they choose not to be,' she said. Despite the coroner's findings, the family now faces the reality that Lucy's death could have been avoided, a truth they will carry for the rest of their lives.

Lucy's stepmother and sisters, who were present at the inquest, described her as a 'hero' to her younger siblings and a source of joy in their home. Harrison's statement acknowledged the devastation caused by his actions, stating, 'I cannot undo what happened, but I can honour Lucy by being the best father I can be to her sisters.' The tragedy has left a lasting mark on the Harrison family, whose lives will forever be shaped by the loss of a beloved daughter and sister.