Kyle Storm Lee, a 16-year-old boy from Marion, North Carolina, tragically lost his life on July 27, 2018. Kyle, who was visiting the home of Roger and Kimberly Cable, was handling a firearm when he accidentally shot himself in the head. The incident occurred in the early morning hours while Kyle was at the Cable residence, spending time with their son. The firearm involved was a .44-caliber revolver that belonged to the Cables.
Following the incident, both Roger and Kimberly Cable faced charges of involuntary manslaughter and failure to store a firearm to protect a minor. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office reported that numerous firearms were found in the Cable home, many of which were loaded and unsecured. Detective Paul Alkire of the McDowell County Sheriff's Office emphasized that the juveniles had easy access to the guns, which was deemed negligent on the part of the Cables and ultimately led to Kyle's death.
The trial for Kimberly Cable began on April 25, 2022, with her husband Roger Cable scheduled to be tried in July of the same year. During the trial, it was revealed that Kyle and the Cable's son were playing with the firearm when the tragic accident occurred. Ariel Hoyle, an 18-year-old witness, testified that she had been facetiming with the Cable's son at the time of the incident and was aware that the boys were handling the weapon. She recounted that Kyle had the gun in his hand and mentioned playing Russian Roulette moments before the fatal shot was fired.
The prosecution argued that the Cables' failure to properly store their firearms and ensure they were inaccessible to minors directly contributed to Kyle's death. The defense, however, contended that the gun was not loaded when the boys initially retrieved it and that the incident was a tragic accident. The case highlighted the importance of safe firearm storage and the potential consequences of negligence in this regard.
