Mum calls on police to 'step up' over US shooting

The mother of a British woman who was shot and killed by her father in Texas is calling on her local police force to "step up" and "engage" with their counterparts in the US.

A UK coroner found Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington, was unlawfully killed when she was shot in the chest on 10 January 2025 in Prosper, Dallas.

But no criminal case has been brought against her father Kris Harrison in the US after a grand jury in Collin County declined to indict him.

Lucy's mother Jane Coates has written to Cheshire Police urging them to "gather evidence" here locally, and then "liaise" with Prosper Police. The force said it was reviewing the letter and would "respond in due course".

A spokesperson added: "Our thoughts remain with Lucy's family and friends."

Coates said she did not meet any Cheshire Police officers until about five weeks after her daughter's death, when they told her they could not help as it was "not our jurisdiction", which she found "quite frustrating".

The grand jury decided there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges after Kris Harrison said the Glock handgun discharged accidentally while he was showing it to his daughter.

In February, a coroner in England concluded Lucy had been unlawfully killed, finding that her father's actions amounted to gross negligence manslaughter under UK law.

Police in Texas have, however, said they will not reopen the investigation.

Coates' lawyer, Radd Seiger, said he and Coates had written to Cheshire Police calling on them to "step up and fulfil their function under this international framework that exists just for this sort of case".

"Obviously, they can't go and do the investigation themselves but they can support it, they can gather evidence here locally," he said.

"We know there is a toxic relationship between Lucy and her dad.

"That's important context, to be taking statements from mum, from boyfriend, from best friends and then they can liaise with the Prosper police and engage with them."

Coates flew to Texas last month in a bid to meet the district attorney in Collin County and to call on him to reinstate the investigation but was told he would not speak to her.

Coates said: "The fact that they couldn't just sit down and give a bereaved mum the courtesy of that opportunity for me to ask more questions because... Lucy's inquest... did throw up more questions than answers once I'd seen all of the evidence from the US."

She said that not being able to meet the district attorney was "incredibly disappointing" but it had left her with "even more resolve" and "determination to continue to fight".

"Lucy deserves it - she deserves a proper investigation and we're not going to stop until we get the investigation reopened," she added.

Seiger said the fact that Coates had not been able to meet the district attorney had helped their campaign, saying "this poor woman has flown half way round the world and they refused to meet her and that's only made the residents in Texas angry".

He said they would continue to put pressure on the district attorney "until they change their minds".

Coates said she received "so much support" from people in Texas during her visit and they "have been horrified by what's happened".

A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we have received a letter on behalf of Jane Coates, which relates to the death of her daughter Lucy Harrison in Texas in January 2025.

"We are currently reviewing the letter and will respond in due course.

"Our thoughts remain with Lucy's family and friends."

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