Gulfport Brother Accused Of Accidentally Killing Twin In Shooting

GULFPORT, FL — Gulfport Police are investigating an accidental shooting in which a man is accused of shooting and killing his twin brother.

At 7:08 p.m. Sunday, officers were called to the scene of a shooting inside a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder parked at 5632 25th Ave. S.

Twin brothers Mathias and Thomas Parkinson-Freeman, 23, and a friend were sitting in the Pathfinder, which was parked at their home, talking and joking. There was no indication of any sort of conflict.

At one point, Mathias Parkinson-Freeman pulled out a concealed handgun and pointed it at his brother. Thomas Parkinson-Freeman responded by producing his own handgun, pointing it at his brother and pulling the trigger.

Mathias Parkinson-Freeman was mortally wounded after being struck in the face when the gun discharged.

At the time of the shooting, Thomas Parkinson-Freeman was wearing a gun belt that he had left over from his former employment as a security officer for Dunbar. He had apparently been wearing the belt with a personally owned firearm to show it off to the others.

Officers did find a pipe with marijuana residue in the vehicle. At this point, it is unknown if any of the men were under the influence.

Detectives concluded that Thomas Parkinson-Freeman was not acting in self-defense when he drew and fired his gun because he told detectives that he was not in fear and that he did not believe his brother had any intention of shooting him. He said he reacted automatically based on training and that he does not know why he did so.

He has been charged with second-degree felony manslaughter and is being held at the Pinellas County Jail.