MOROCCO — A Lowell man allegedly fired off several rounds from an upstairs room during a party Jan. 27 at the Invaders Motorcycle Club, fatally striking a 21-year-old man in a downstairs bar area, newly released court records show.
Frank Klotz, 57, faces one count of reckless homicide in Newton County in connection with the killing of Dakoyta "Cody" Corning, of Lowell. Corning was shot in the chest just before 8:30 p.m. at the clubhouse at 102 N. Polk St.
When interviewed by police at Newton County Jail, Klotz initially said he went upstairs with his friend who wanted to show him his gun, and "when he grabbed it, the gun went off once," an affidavit released Friday to The Times said.
He told police the gun was aimed toward a door on the north side of the room when it discharged. He said he then went downstairs to find Corning had been shot, he said.
The friend who showed Klotz the gun told police he "handed (Klotz) his gun" and the gun "went off twice."
A witness at the Invaders Motorcycle Club told police she was standing at the end of the bar inside the clubhouse that night when she "heard three gunshots, which scared her, so she ducked down."
"(The witness) said she then saw Cody walking and stumbling and he said he thought he had been shot," the affidavit states.
Shortly after police spoke with this witness, they re-interviewed Klotz about the number of shots fired, the affidavit states.
Klotz changed his story in the second interview, saying his friend gave him his gun and "told him to shoot it," the affidavit stats.
"Frank said he shot two rounds from the gun towards the north door and wall. He said he gave the gun back ... and (his friend) told him there was one left and to shoot the gun again," the affidavit states. "Frank said he took the gun and when he grabbed it, the gun shot accidentally and he did not know exactly where it was aimed."
Two of the bullets traveled through drywall and ceiling tile into the downstairs room, where several people were gathering, the affidavit states. One of the rounds hit the bottom of a table in this room, the floor and then up to a north wall. The other hit the victim, Corning, in the right upper chest, records show.
Corning was taken by Newton County Emergency Medical Services to Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, Illinois, where he was pronounced dead.
Charles E. Bayne, of Lowell, was found guilty in a jury trial Jan. 19 of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Frank Klotz's son, Cody Klotz.
Cody Klotz was killed this summer in connection with a Snapchat feud over a girl when Bayne fired off a shot at Klotz to stave off a fistfight.
Court records show Frank Klotz was released from jail Friday when he posted bond of $2,450.