In a tragic incident on a Sunday evening, 36-year-old Keith McMillen of Chino Valley, Arizona, lost his life due to a gunshot wound. The event unfolded at a residence in the 1400 block of Granite Creek Lane, where McMillen was visiting a friend. Emergency services were dispatched to the home around 6:28 p.m. following a report of an unconscious man. First responders from a Central Arizona Fire and Medical crew were the first to arrive on the scene.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Keith McMillen on the back porch of the home, suffering from a severe gunshot wound to his face. He was immediately transported to a local hospital for medical attention, but tragically, he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. The Chino Valley Police Department promptly began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, which was quickly determined to be the result of a negligent discharge of a firearm.
The investigation revealed that 24-year-old Clayton Nored, a resident of the home, had been performing a function test on his weapon inside his master closet. During this test, the firearm accidentally discharged. The bullet traveled from the closet and struck McMillen. After the gun went off, Nored reported that he ran to the kitchen to check on his wife and McMillen. Upon seeing McMillen bleeding, he and his wife immediately began to administer first aid.
Following the investigation, Clayton Nored was arrested and taken into custody. He was subsequently booked into the Yavapai County Jail. The charges filed against him included negligent homicide, endangerment, and the discharge of a firearm within a residential structure. Nored admitted to the police that he was handling the weapon when it accidentally fired, leading to the fatal injury of his friend.
