In the US, a 69-year-old man from Los Angeles was charged yesterday for shooting and killing his son, allegedly because he was gay.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced yesterday that Shehada Khalil Issa had been charged with willful, deliberate and premeditated murder of his 29-year-old gay son, Amir Issa.

According to a statement by prosecutors the father fired a shotgun deliberately, which caused the death of his son. On previous occasions the father had also threatened to kill his son because he was gay.

‘The murder was committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation and because of the defendant’s perception of that status and the victim’s association with a person and a group of that status,’ prosecutors said.

The incident took place on 29 March outside the home of the family in North Hills in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.

Police responded to an emergency call and found two bodies on the scene; the son who was shot outside the home and the victim’s mother inside the house

Police told the Daily News that Issa, upon his arrest, claimed to have acted in self-defense. He said he found his wife’s body in the bathroom and that his son threatened him with a knife. The police did not find a knife on the scene.

Issa is being held without bail and his arraignment is on 11 April.

If found guilty as charged, he could face life in prison without parole.

The case is still under investigation.