Father accused of shooting his son in Delhi

DELHI, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced County Deputies are investigating a shocking murder. A father is accused of shooting his own son.

Saturday's shooting is the first homicide of the year for Merced County sheriff's deputies. It happened at a home on Griffith near Harding in Delhi.

Two people who were at the home tell Action News a father shot his son after an argument went too far.

"Did you ever think it would get to this point?"

"No I didn't no. I don't believe another man would shoot his own kids," Curtis Tipton, the victim's friend said.

Curtis Tipton is still in shock, just one day after his best friend, 46-year-old Donald McDonald was allegedly murdered by own his father.

Merced County investigators aren't saying much about the case.

But, Tipton, who was at Donald's Delhi home Saturday night tells Action News, Donald and his dad, Danny, started arguing.

Tipton says he and Donald's wife eventually stepped outside, and within minutes, they heard a gunshot.

"What I heard was a boom that sounded like a firecracker and I said, oh my god he shot him."

Tipton claims he tried to go back in the house to help, but turned around after Donald's dad threatened to kill him.

"I got close enough to where I could see inside and Donald was standing there with the gun pointed at me."

Friends say the father and son lived at this home together and that their relationship has been strained mostly because of Danny's drinking.

But, Kevin Tipton, who was on his way to the house last night when he got the call, says no one could have predicted this.

"They had trouble before, but you know, I don't think Donald ever thought he was gonna shoot him. He would have never gone in the house," Kevin Tipton, the victim's friend said.

Friends say they'll remember Donald as a caring person who worked as a mechanic and who always went out of his way to help people

And while they're beginning to accept the loss, they say, they'll never understand it.

"It's just crazy. Just crazy how a dad can do this to his kid."

The suspect remains in the Merced County jail.

Meanwhile, family members who live out of town are on their way to Delhi to start making funeral arrangements.

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