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Father shot in Bowie, police say likely self-defense

Monday, Oct. 3, 2005

This story has been corrected from a previous version. For the full correction text, click here

A man was killed in Bowie Oct. 2 when his son returned fire after he shot at the son and his daughter-in-law.

The son and daughter-in-law were admitted to Med Star hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The man, Michael Snoots Sr., was pronounced dead at the scene.

At 10:39 p.m., police believe the man, who traveled from Tennessee, entered his son’s house, on the 8000 block of Chestnut Avenue by breaking out a rear window glass door.

A witness said he saw Snoots walking up the stairs in the house with a shotgun, according to police reports.

Then Snoots fired a gun in the bedroom where his son and daughter-in-law were located.

The witness told Snoots, ‘‘Don’t do this” and Snoots pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at the witness and said ‘‘do you want to get shot?”

The witness said he believes it was at this point that Michael Snoots Jr. fired a gun of his own and struck his father.

At first, police were worried that the wife of Michael Snoots Sr. was already killed in Tennessee. Lt. John Hipps of District 2 Police Station said that she has since been reported to be in West Virginia.

The case is being investigated by the county’s homicide unit. Lt. Hipps said that the case will probably be categorized as self-defense.

‘‘I personally don’t think they will be charged,” Hipps said.

This is the second homicide in Bowie this year.

Correction, Oct. 5, 2005:The original version of this story reported information supplied by the Prince George’s county police that the man had a history of domestic violence. After The Gazette/Star checked with authorities in Tennessee it was revealed that this was erroneous. The story has been corrected.