(EDGE) Police from Henderson, Nevada say a father shot and killed his teenage son last week, allegedly after an argument about his child being gay, according to local news station KSNV.

Wendell Melton, 53, shot and killed his 14-year-old son Giovanni Melton, a student at Coronado High School, according to authorities. People close to Giovanni say an argument over his sexual orientation led to the shooting.

Giovanni's foster mom Sonja Jones told KSNV he was "abused physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years." 

#RIP Giovanni pic.twitter.com/UII3d798ZT

— Antonio Castelan (@AntonioNews3LV) November 3, 2017

Jones said she loved the teen as her own son, adding that a family member said the shooting was sparked by an argument with Giovanni's father, who had issues with him being gay.

"He hated the fact that his son was gay," Jones told the news station. "I'm sure that inside of his mind, he would rather have a dead son than a gay son."

Jones said this wasn't the first time Wendell Melton, a former pilot and a former employee of United Airlines, threatened his son.

"I'm hearing his dad had caught him with his boyfriend before and pulled out a gun on him," she told KSNV.

Watch the news station's report below.