On the evening of Saturday, August 12, 2017, 17-year-old Zackary Thomas ’Zac’ DePung was fatally wounded at his home in the 1900 block of Iditarod Trail in Festus, Missouri. Earlier that day he and a friend had found an unattended firearm in a city park and brought it to DePung’s residence. While the two teenagers were handling the weapon inside the house it discharged; DePung collapsed into his parents’ arms. His parents, Laurie and Thomas DePung, attempted CPR and emergency responders airlifted him to a St. Louis hospital, but he died the next morning, Sunday, August 13, 2017.

The Festus Police Department investigated and determined the shooting was accidental. The tragedy was cited by local safety advocates as an example of the dangers of unsecured firearms.

If anyone knew Zackary, his friend, or has information about the firearm found that day, please share what is known.