A South Carolina man who shot an employee at a Myrtle Beach haunted house over the weekend told police he thought the gun used was a prop.
Keal Brown, 39, of North Charleston, was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for giving his teenage son the gun after the incident took place and could face additional charges pending a further investigation, the Post and Courier reports.
Brown told investigators he was walking with his family through the haunted house portion of the Hollywood Wax Museum on Saturday (April 16) when the group was approached by a performer dressed as a zombie.
A person in the group fell to the ground before the gun slid across the floor and struck Brown's foot during a scramble.
Brown told investigators he thought the gun was a haunted house prop when he picked it up and fired two shots. The zombie-dressed employee was struck once in their shoulder and received treatment at a local hospital before being released.
Brown is accused of then giving the gun to his 15-year-old son as they left the area of the Hollywood Max Museum.
The 39-year-old later fled to the Charleston area before being arrested with assistance from the U.S. Marshal Task Force on Monday (April 18) and returned to Myrtle Beach on Tuesday (April 19).
Police are still working to determine the source of the gun as part of the investigation into the incident.
Brown was released on a $25,000 bond.