William Han Strom Greening, an 18-year-old male, died on February 14, 2017, at his father's home in Eugene, Oregon. He was a senior at Marist High School where he was a member of the cross country and track teams, as well as the chess team. Born in Vietnam on September 7, 1998, he was adopted by his American parents at the age of 11 months.
His death was ruled a suicide. In the days leading up to his death, he had been ill with influenza.
The cause of death involved a firearm.
Following his death, there were no arrests made or suspects identified in a criminal investigation. However, a significant legal battle ensued. William's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his father, Glenn Greening, who was a Lane County Parole and Probation officer, as well as Lane County itself. The lawsuit alleged negligence, stating that his father had left his loaded service weapon unsecured and readily accessible in the living room of the home.
The civil trial began in March 2022. The case centered on whether the father's and the county's actions constituted a failure to securely store a firearm, leading to William's death. Ultimately, a jury returned a verdict in favor of the defendants, finding them not liable in the civil case. There is no information in the public record to suggest that any criminal charges were ever filed in relation to the incident.
