STANFORD — A Lincoln County father shot and killed his son in what may have been self-defense during a domestic dispute at a home on Meadowbrook Road north of Stanford.
Michael Henson, 42, was shot in the torso late Saturday night during a firefight with his father involving multiple guns, Lincoln County Coroner Farris Marcum said.
"There was a lot of gunfire that was exchanged in the house," Marcum said. "There were several guns in the house."
Henson's father, 75-year-old Ray Henson, is being interviewed by state police detectives but no charges had been filed as of this morning.
Michael Henson was transported to Fort Logan Hospital after sustaining the .22-caliber gunshot wound, but died at the hospital.
Marcum said he hasn't yet determined what damage the bullet did to cause Michael Henson's death.
"A .22 is a light-velocity bullet that sometimes does more damage than a high-velocity bullet," he said. "There's no exit wound so it stayed inside."
Marcum said it may be tricky to determine in the midst of such a chaotic situation whether Ray Henson was shooting in self-defense, but a justified shooting is entirely possible.
"He didn't look like he would hurt a flea, but something escalated," he said.
An autopsy being conducted in Frankfort today could help shed some light on what went down.
"He (Ray Henson) was the shooter; he was the one that pulled the trigger," Marcum said. "Was it self-defense? I think we'll find out more today at the autopsy."
State police spokesman Trooper Paul Blanton said a case against Henson will likely be presented to a grand jury whether detectives determine it was self-defense or not.
"Seeing as how the detectives did not make an arrest, they're probably leaning toward self-defense," Blanton said.
Marcum said the Hensons lived together in their Meadowbrook Road home, along with a female resident. Marcum and KSP were unable to confirm the identity of the female as of Monday morning.
