Lucy Katherin Harrison, a 23-year-old from Warrington, Cheshire, was shot in the chest on Jan. 10, 2025, while visiting her father’s home in Prosper, Texas. A British coroner, Jacqueline Devonish, presiding over Cheshire Coroner’s Court, ruled this week that her death constituted an “unlawful killing,” following an inquest examining the circumstances.

The inquest heard that Harrison had arrived in the U.S. on Dec. 27, 2024, to visit her younger siblings and was scheduled to return to the U.K. the day she was killed. Her father, Kris Harrison, a British-born U.S. citizen, had recently purchased a Glock handgun for home protection. Evidence presented in court indicated the firearm discharged while being shown to Lucy during a political argument regarding the upcoming inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Family members initially believed Harrison had suffered a medical episode and only realized she had been shot when emergency responders discovered the chest wound. She received CPR at the scene but was pronounced dead at Baylor Medical Center in McKinney at 3:45 p.m. The Collin County Medical Examiner confirmed her death as a gunshot wound to the chest and listed it as a homicide.

The inquest’s “unlawful killing” verdict contrasts with Kris Harrison’s statement that the shooting was accidental. Court testimony noted the gun was pointed in Lucy’s direction at chest height when it discharged. The father acknowledged having consumed roughly 17 fluid ounces of white wine that day and described experiencing emotional stress and a brief relapse.

Texas authorities, including the Prosper Police Department and Collin County District Attorney’s Office, participated in the cross-border investigation. A Collin County grand jury previously declined to indict Kris Harrison. U.K. authorities opened the inquest to formally examine the circumstances, which is now adjourned pending formal conclusions.

Harrison’s family described her as “thriving in life” and remembered her adventurous spirit and affectionate personality, calling her loss “utterly heartbreaking.” The case highlights the complex cross-jurisdictional nature of deaths abroad and the ongoing legal distinctions between U.K. and Texas investigations.