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Former Chicago homicide detective, James Griffin, 77, shot and killed his son, Michael Griffin, 48, after mistaking him for an intruder in their Northwest Side home, reports the Chicago Tribune.

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According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, Michael was shot once in the face and his death was ruled a homicide. The elder Griffin was rushed to the hospital with chest pains following the incident.

The Tribune reports:

Stephen Griffin said his brother had been watching television with his father when he went outside. Michael Griffin was shot when he came back into the apartment.

“They were watching television together and they fell asleep, and my brother went out of the house and my dad assumed he was home, sleeping,’’ Stephen Griffin said.

He said another brother called him in the middle of the night and told him “something happened at dad’s house, that he shot an intruder,” Stephen Griffin said.

“At that time he didn’t know who he shot. Then he called me back and told me the bad news,’’ said Griffin, whose mother died in 1999. “I’m just glad my mom wasn’t around to see this.

“It’s a tragedy,’’ said Griffin, 47. “I’m still in shock.”

Michael Griffin had been kicked out of his apartment recently after losing a custodial job downtown and had moved in with his father just days ago, according to Stephen Griffin.

“The landlord locked him out of his apartment because he owned him rent,” Griffin said. “He’d been staying there for a couple of days.’’

Stephen Griffin said his father and Michael were “close” and their dad was concerned over Michael losing his job.

Stephen speculated that his father’s age may have had something to do with the incident.

This is the second incident in recent news that a father mistakenly killed his son. As previously reported by NewsOne, Jeffrey Giuliano killed his 15-year-old son, Tyler Giuliano, after mistaking him for an intruder outside of his aunt’s home. Guiliano responded to his sister’s concern that their was an intruder lurking outside of her home, which is right next door. Upon inspection, Giuliano discovered a man wearing a black mask who allegedly lunged at him with a knife.

When he realized that it was son, it is reported that Giuliano, who is a popular 5th grade teacher in his Connecticut town, slid to his knees in the grass and was still there when police arrived.

To date, charges have not been filed against either father in these tragic cases.

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