Pennsylvania woman allegedly told police she shot her husband to ‘show him a lesson’ after he refused to move his gun off the coffee table

Dawn Freeman is in custody after she allegedly shot and killed her husband during a dispute over firearm safety in their Pennsylvania home. The 44-year-old woman was booked on Monday and faces charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and recklessly endangering another person. Dawn Freeman has allegedly admitted to the shooting in interviews with investigators, as reported by People.

Pennsylvania State Police arrived at the Adams Township residence Sunday evening. The authorities were dispatched after the couple’s son placed a 911 call to report the situation. Officers discovered 40-year-old Bradley Freeman dead from an apparent gunshot wound, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun was located in the living room. According to the criminal complaint, she stated that she had frequently warned her husband about leaving firearms easily accessible throughout their house.

The pair reportedly argued over this issue before the shooting. She allegedly told investigators that she pointed the handgun at her husband and pulled the trigger to “show him a lesson.” Dawn Freeman allegedly said in a voluntary interview that she had “begged” her husband for at least two years to stop leaving his handgun unsecured. She told investigators she feared for the safety of her two children, as the weapon was allegedly left in places they could reach.

She allegedly told police she had begged him for years to lock the gun away

According to the affidavit, she came home on Sunday to find the gun lying on the living room coffee table and asked her husband to move it somewhere safe. The documents, however, state that Bradley Freeman refused. Dawn Freeman allegedly became angry, picked up the gun, pointed it toward him, and pulled the trigger. She told police she screamed and threw the firearm across the room after her husband fell to the floor.

Life-saving measures were attempted while emergency crews were on the way, but Bradley Freeman was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy by Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees found that he died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. Police described the shooting as the result of a verbal argument between the couple and said there was no active threat to the public. Adams Township police and a state police forensic services unit processed the scene.

The Cambria County District Attorney’s Office approved the charges against Dawn Freeman. Criminal homicide is a broad charge in Pennsylvania that covers both murder and manslaughter. Dawn Freeman could face a lengthy sentence if convicted, as a murder conviction in the state can carry life in prison. It remains unclear whether she has entered a plea, as the case is still in its early stages.

The Cambria County Public Defender’s Office has been contacted for comment. However, it has not yet provided a statement. Jail records show that Dawn Freeman is being held without bail as she awaits her next court appearance. That hearing is currently scheduled for October 15.