A father in Indiana is facing five felonies after inadvertently shooting his 9-year-old daughter while he says he was teaching his three children not to play with guns, later telling a responding officer: “She’s dead, she’s dead. I thought it was empty.”

Eric Hummel, 33, shot Olivia Hummel once in the head just after telling his two sons about the danger of handguns in the family’s home in Hobart on Saturday. The girl died less than 30 minutes later, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Hobart Police Chief Richard Zormier said the girl’s shooting death was “not just another accidental discharge” of a firearm, characterizing the father’s actions as heinous and depraved.

“His actions that day endangered the lives of all three children and ultimately stole the life of Olivia, an innocent 9-year-old little girl,” Zormier said. “His actions caused the death of Olivia and likely scarred the boys emotionally for life.”

A responding officer found Hummel kneeling next to his daughter in a bedroom doorway, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by the newspaper.

“She’s dead, she’s dead,” Hummel said. “I thought it was empty.”

Hummel continued: “I was showing the boys the gun and told them not to ever play with it because it can kill someone. Then she walked in the room and I pointed it at her and pulled the trigger, thinking it was empty.”

The girl, who was shot once in the head from as little as 2 feet away, was later pronounced at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, some 25 minutes after police responded to the family’s home. Her death was ruled a homicide following an autopsy on Monday, according to Hobart Police Lt. James Gonzales.

Hummel’s two sons told police they were cleaning their room when Hummel walked in with his 9mm Glock handgun and said statements to the effect: “You should never mess with the gun.”

One boy said Hummel pointed it at him up to three times and that the gun made a “little pop sound,” according to the affidavit. Hummel then pulled the top of the gun back and forgot that he “put the bullets back in” when he “shot our sister,” one boy told police.

Hummel later asked to call the girl’s mother and an officer overheard him tell the woman: “I shot her, I’m so sorry,” according to the affidavit.

Hummel also told the girl’s mother that the gun went off as he was showing the boys the gun.

“It was stupid, it was so stupid,” Hummel said before stopping the interview with police and requesting an attorney.

A candlelight vigil in the girl’s memory is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hobart High School.

Gonzales said there’s no indication that Hummel was intoxicated at the time of the shooting and police do not expect anyone else to be charged in the girl’s death.

“This event has impacted each and every officer and civilian staff member at the police department,” Gonzales said. “It has put in perspective how fragile life is.”

Hummel has been charged with five felonies, according to court records, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death, battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years old, reckless homicide and two counts of neglect of a dependent. He faces 20 to 40 years if convicted of neglecting a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony. His first court date had not been set as of Monday, according to court records cited by the newspaper.