Teen brain-dead after shooting self

A Willows teenager is brain dead, police said, after apparently shooting himself in the head Wednesday night.

Randy Dalson, 19, was pronounced brain dead at a Chico hospital a few hours after he reportedly shot himself with a .22 caliber pistol, said Willows police Chief Bill Spears.

Dalson was still in a coma Thursday morning, according to his father, Andy Dalson.

Witnesses said Dalson arrived at a house party on the 1100 block of Southgate Drive sometime after 9 p.m. The incident was reported at 9:31 p.m.

"He came over here drunk and was waving (the gun) around, messing with it," said Victor Martin of Willows, a family acquaintance and eyewitness.

Martin said Dalson was sitting in a chair in the kitchen when he pulled the gun out, placed it against his temple and pulled the trigger.

"He did it twice," Martin said. "The first time he was messing with it and had the clip out. That scared me, so I was like, ‘Give me (the gun).'"

Martin said several people asked Dalson to give the gun up, but he refused after promising to calm down.

"Then he did the same thing, but the clip was in and it just kind of popped out and a little trickle of blood ran down his cheek," Martin said.

"His eyes started rolling around crazy and then his head went over, but he stayed in the chair."

Police discovered Dalson sitting in the chair with the gun still in his hand, Spears said.

He was flown to Enloe Medical Center in Chico by helicopter after paramedics stabilized him at the home.

Friends and family members stood anxiously outside the home after the shooting, including an inconsolable 16-yearold Carmen Garcia.

"Please don't take him from me," she sobbed repeatedly while lying prone in a neighbor's driveway.

Witnesses told police that Dalson pointed the gun at several people, asking, "Do you want me to do it?" Spears said.

"It appears he was just screwing around with the gun," Spears said.

Spears said it is unknown if the incident was accidental or attempted suicide.

"Intoxication is a big factor," Spears said. "He made no suicidal statements beforehand, but he is the one that put the gun to his own head."

Dalson attended Willows Community High School, but dropped out after the 2006-07 school year when he turned 18, school officials said.

Mike Rutherglen, Community High School principal, said he last saw Dalson about 10 days ago.

"He came over shook my hand and asked how things were going," Rutherglen said. "He was basically a good kid who sort of kept to himself and did his work."

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.