On the evening of Saturday, August 12, 2017, a tragic incident unfolded in Festus, Missouri, involving 17-year-old male Zackary Thomas 'Zac' DePung. Earlier that day, DePung and a friend of the same age had discovered an unattended firearm in a local city park. Rather than turning the weapon over to authorities, the two teenagers took the gun back to DePung's residence located in the 1900 block of Iditarod Trail. While the pair were in the home, the firearm was being handled when it discharged, striking DePung.
DePung’s parents, Laurie and Thomas DePung, were upstairs at the time of the discharge and rushed to their son's aid. They attempted to administer CPR after he collapsed into their arms, but he never regained consciousness. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and airlifted the teenager to a hospital in St. Louis for critical care. Despite medical efforts, DePung succumbed to his injuries the following morning, Sunday, August 13, 2017.
The Festus Police Department conducted an investigation into the shooting and determined it to be accidental. The friend who was handling the gun at the time of the discharge was identified as the individual who fired the fatal shot, though authorities described the event as unintentional. Due to the accidental nature of the tragedy and the age of the individuals involved, public records do not indicate that the friend faced formal charges or arrest in connection with the death. The case was widely cited by local safety advocates as a devastating example of the dangers of unsecured firearms.
