Tampa Police: Father accidently shoots daughter

Tampa, Florida - Tampa Police responded to 4710 North Willis Street on Saturday at 12:25 p.m.  Detectives say 32-year-old Melissa Kupferberg had just returned from a local gun range with her father, 65-year-old Stephen Kupferberg. 

Stephen Kupferberg was visiting Melissa. He lives in Middletown, Maryland, according to detectives.

The two started cleaning the weapons when Melissa started having problems disassembling her weapon. She handed off the Glock 34 to her father. As Stephen tried to tear down the weapon, a single shot was fired.

Detectives say Glock pistols require that the trigger be depressed in order to perform field stripping.

Melissa was hit in the upper body. She was conscious and  breathing, but died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Stephen Kupferberg had planned to fly back to Maryland Saturday afternoon.

Investigators say he has been co-operative throughout the incident and they say there was no sign that the incident was anything but a tragic accident.  The Glock 34 and a Glock 19 were taken by the Tampa Police Department.