A coroner is expected to deliver conclusions on Wednesday following intense legal arguments over the death of a British woman who was shot dead by her father while visiting him in the United States.

Lucy Harrison, 23, from Warrington in Cheshire, was shot in the chest on 10 January 2025 at her father’s home in Prosper, near Dallas, Texas. She died at the scene. Her father, Kris Harrison, was investigated by local police for possible manslaughter, but a grand jury in Collin County declined to indict him, meaning no criminal charges were brought.

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An inquest into Lucy Harrison’s death is being held at Cheshire Coroner’s Court.

The court heard that Lucy had travelled to Texas with her boyfriend, Sam Littler, for a holiday. Littler told the inquest that tensions had flared during the visit, particularly over political discussions involving gun control and the return of Donald Trump, who was preparing for his second presidential inauguration at the time.

Littler said Lucy often became upset when her father spoke about owning a firearm. On the morning of her death, he said, a “big argument” broke out during a discussion about Trump and gun violence.

During the exchange, Lucy reportedly asked her father how he would feel if she were sexually assaulted in a situation involving gun violence. Littler told the court that Harrison replied that it would not upset him greatly because he had two other daughters living with him. Lucy then became distressed and ran upstairs.

About half an hour before the couple were due to leave for the airport, Littler said Lucy was in the kitchen when her father took her by the hand and led her into his ground-floor bedroom. Around 15 seconds later, Littler said he heard a loud bang, followed by Harrison screaming for his wife, Heather.

“I ran into the room and Lucy was lying on the floor near the bathroom entrance,” Littler told the court. “Kris was just screaming, not making sense.”

In a written statement submitted to the inquest, Kris Harrison said he and his daughter had been watching a news report on gun crime when he told her he owned a gun and asked if she wanted to see it. He said he retrieved a Glock 9mm semi-automatic handgun from his bedside cabinet.

“As I lifted the gun to show her, I suddenly heard a loud bang,” Harrison said. “I did not understand what had happened. Lucy immediately fell.”

He said he could not recall whether his finger was on the trigger. Harrison said he had purchased the gun a few years earlier for a “sense of security” and denied ever previously discussing it with his daughter.

The inquest heard that Harrison had a history of alcohol addiction and had previously attended rehabilitation. In his statement, he admitted relapsing on the day of the shooting and drinking approximately 500ml of white wine. Police evidence read to the court stated that officers detected alcohol on his breath, and CCTV footage showed Harrison purchasing two 500ml cartons of Chardonnay from a 7-Eleven store shortly before 1pm local time.

Harrison did not attend the inquest. His legal representative, Ana Samuel, applied for coroner Jacqueline Devonish to recuse herself, arguing that the proceedings resembled a criminal investigation rather than a fact-finding inquiry. The application was opposed by counsel for Lucy’s mother, Jane Coates, and was refused by the coroner.

In a statement issued through his solicitors, Harrison said he “fully accepted” the consequences of his actions and described the loss of his daughter as a burden he would carry for the rest of his life.

Lucy’s mother described her daughter as “a real force of life,” adding that she was passionate, caring, and unafraid to debate issues she believed in. Lucy worked as a buyer for fashion brand Boohoo.

The inquest was adjourned and is due to conclude on Wednesday, when the coroner is expected to deliver her findings.