LIBERTY TWP, MI - Michigan State Police believe a 3-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself to death this week was able to get a hold of his father's gun by getting to the top of a bedroom dresser.

"The dresser was believed to be out of reach of the children," said Michigan State Police 1st Lt. Michael Krumm, commander of the Jackson post.

Krumm said state police completed their investigation on Friday, March 8, and concluded Michael Easter's death was accidental.

"There is nothing at all in this incident that would lead us to have any suspicion of anything else," Krumm said and called the case "tragic."

Michael, the son of Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Easter, died Saturday. Police were called about 5:30 p.m. to the family home on S. Jackson Road.

The loaded handgun was registered to Mark Easter, Krumm said, and the weapon sat at the back of the top of the dresser, which stood more than 4 feet tall.

How Michael managed to get to it is not clear.

A drawer at the bottom of the dresser was partially open and there was a gun cleaning table nearby, Krumm said. "You can speculate he climbed one of those items, or jumped over from the bed."

Krumm said police formally interviewed Mark Easter and his wife, Melissa, on Friday afternoon.

"The Easters have been fully cooperative in the investigation," he said. "And are extremely remorseful over this entire incident."

The boy was alone in the master bedroom at the time of the shooting, Krumm said.

His father was on his way to work, and his mother and the couple's two daughters were at the house with Michael.

No one witnessed the shooting, he said.

"This whole thing is a nightmare, Krumm said. "It is horrible to believe (Mark Easter) has to go through this."

Krumm said the report into the shooting will go to the county prosecutor's office on Monday.

He has been told the prosecutor's office will request the state attorney general's office appoint a special prosecutor to review the case. Prosecutors do this to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

Children's Protective Services also got involved, Krumm earlier said. This happens every time there is a death of a child.

Despite the involvement of a police officer, Krumm said the state police did not handle this situation differently than they would other cases.

It is normal to wait to interview close family members in a case that is not believed to be criminal, he said. From the start, police thought the shooting to be accidental.

"You want to allow them to have a period of grieving. You wait for them to be of sound mind."

He said Mark and Melissa Easter made statements all along that were considered by investigators, but they were not formally interviewed until late this week.

"You don't rush through these things," Krumm said.

Krumm said his agency was asked to investigate this case. This was because the state police are not, and have not been, Easter's employer. Easter also has worked as a Jackson police officer.

"Everyone in this profession realizes, whether you do something good or bad, you are never going to be covered up, you are never going to get preferential treatment," Krumm said.