Ex-Biden staffer claims accidental shot killed girlfriend as dad blasts toxic, abusive relationship: report
The father of a recent college graduate allegedly gunned down by her ex-Biden staffer boyfriend inside their shared California apartment has claimed several red flags marred the couple’s relationship leading up to the shooting.
Nation Wood, 25, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Samantha Emge, 22, in San Francisco on March 24.
Wood has maintained that the shooting was accidental, with authorities saying he allegedly fired his pistol through the wall of the couple’s apartment as Emge stepped out of the shower, according to the California Post.
Emge’s father, Bill Phipps, told the Post the couple’s relationship was tumultuous and occasionally abusive, while questioning if the alleged shooting was truly accidental.
"Their relationship was not good, and he was an abusive boyfriend. Samantha had been trying to break up with him for a while," Phipps said, the outlet reported. "She was unable to break up with him, and she was looking forward to him going away."
Wood was just two weeks away from joining the National Guard when the shooting occurred, and Emge had only recently moved back in with the San Francisco State graduate, the Post reported.
Emge reportedly staged an intervention with Wood regarding his alleged drinking problem after her father said he became physically and emotionally abusive. She also moved out of the home the pair shared for a period of time, her father said.
"All of her friends were constantly trying to tell her she should break up with him," Phipps told the Post.
Wood’s LinkedIn page indicated he worked as a part-time security staffer for President Joe Biden’s Secret Service team in 2023, according to the Post. He was also reportedly photographed next to former Vice President Kamala Harris as the pair posed in front of a presidential jet.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Wood reportedly worked at the White House through July 2025 and described his current job as an "independent pre-event site security advisor."
He told police he was "dry-firing" his gun and did not realize it was loaded when the weapon fired through a medicine cabinet and struck Emge in the face, according to the Post.
Defense attorney Paula Canny said Wood had been sober for 16 months at the time of the alleged shooting, and had initially asked the court that her client be allowed to travel to a Tucson clinic for treatment before dropping the request after Emge’s parents fought back, according to the outlet.
"Samantha told Nation’s family how much she loved Nation and how much she loved being a part of their family," Canny said, the Post reported. "Nation’s family is devastated by this tragedy and their hearts go out to Samantha’s family and loved ones."
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins reportedly said in a statement that the investigation remains ongoing as prosecutors could potentially weigh additional charges against Wood.
"As the investigation unfolds, if any new evidence comes to light, that is admissible in court and sufficient to meet our burden of proof, we may seek to file an amended complaint to reflect more or different charges from what was initially charged," Jenkins said.
Wood pleaded not guilty in San Francisco Superior Court and was released to a psychiatric hospital on $300,000 bail, according to the Post.
Wood's defense attorney and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
