Wareham man charged with using ghost gun to kill his father

WAREHAM, Mass. — Twenty-six-year-old Robert Gomes the Third appeared in Wareham District Court on Tuesday, charged with the shooting death of his father, Robert Gomes Jr., at the apartment they shared.

Authorities allege Gomes used an untraceable ghost gun that he recently bought on the internet to shoot his father.

The shooting took place at 3:30 p.m. Monday.

A prosecutor said the deadly chain of events began when the son asked the father to unlock a shed so that he could take a picture for a friend of a power washer.

“He stated his father then turned around walked back toward him, pointed a finger, and yelled, ‘I’m going to kill you!’” prosecutor Lindsay Smith told the court. “The defendant then retrieved his firearm from his backpack, pointed it at his father, and shot him.”

Authorities say when they interviewed Gomes he told police his father was not holding a weapon.

Family members left the courthouse, distraught, without speaking to reporters.

Authorities say this case is still under investigation. And one thing that has still not come to light, is a possible motive.

“It appears to be something that was absolutely so unnecessary. Over nothing. Now we have one man gone,” said Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

Ashleigh Novak lives next door to the scene of the crime and says she may have heard the fatal shots.

She says the facts of the case are unnerving.

“To just end someone’s life. Someone that you love, or maybe loved at some point, and raised you, is really scary,” Novak said.

Plymouth County DA Tim Cruz says he hopes this tragic shooting shines a light on the issue of ghost guns.

“Ghost guns, unfortunately, are all around us,” DA Cruz said. “And we have to actively go after them and make sure we get them off the streets. We have to get them registered and we have to get together on that.”

Robert Gomes is ordered held without bail.

He will return to Wareham District Court for a probable cause hearing on December 27.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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