Evan John Warsecke

Deadly force

According to police, 4-year-old Evan John Warsecke Jr. climbed up a 7-foot-tall armoire and took a .32-caliber pistol that his father, Traverse City officer Evan Warsecke, had hidden. The gun was reportedly a service pistol, but may have been a backup and not his primary weapon. Evan Jr. apparently took the gun to his bedroom and was playing with it. At around 9:14 p.m., Evan Jr.'s 8-year-old sister heard a noise and and found him injured. His parents were in the basement and didn't hear the shot, police said. Evan Jr. died the next day at the hospital. His death was ruled an accident.