Acerbic Politics: Gun Fail 81

Sat Nov 29, 2014 at 06:05 PM PST

How do you shoot a little girl named Liberty? By accident, of course. GunFAIL LXXXI

Six of 32 guns found by TSA agents at airports around the country last week.

Accidentally shooting oneself still accounts for the most significant part of the GunFAIL incidents logged. This latest installment of 100 features 41 self-shootings. Likewise, child victims are also involved in a major chunk of our reports, with 20 such incidents involving kids from 15 months old through age 17. Seven of the kids were age 5 or younger. Eleven people were accidentally shot by their own family members, friends or significant others. Fifteen of our 100 incidents resulted in fatalities.

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All the usual categories of failure are represented, as we've come to expect. Twelve law enforcement or security guard accidents, 11 "home invasion" shootings or shootings that otherwise penetrated walls, seven accidents with guns people said they didn't think were loaded, five target or range shooting accidents, five gun-cleaning accidents, five hunting accidents, four holster accidents, three firearms training accidents (including one instructor), two accidents while out and about shopping or dining among the public (one at a convenience store and one at a Sonic restaurant), and our third teacher to accidentally discharge a weapon in school this academic year.
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Among the more notable incidents in this installment: No. 8, in which a Pennsylvania state trooper was shot and killed by a state police firearms instructor giving a demonstration in how to break down and clean a service weapon; No. 22, in which a bullet likely fired in the air ended up coming down through the roof and into a local school cafeteria; No. 28, the aforementioned third accidental discharge by an armed teacher; No. 63, in which a father demonstrating for his sons how to load a rifle accidentally fired through the walls and shot his 7-year-old daughter, named Liberty; No. 66, a rare gun-less GunFAIL, in which a woman claims to have been shot with a round placed on a table which rolled off, hit the floor and discharged; No. 84, in which a veteran cop and firearms trainer accidentally shot and killed himself when he slipped and fell at home after family members believe he may have thought he heard an intruder, and; No. 93, in which a woman was shot while doing laundry, after her husband's forgotten pistol fell out of the pocket of his pants. Thanks for protecting the family, pops!
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The full list of 100 GunFAILs appears below the fold.

ELKO, NV, 9/28/14: An accidental shooting early Sunday morning put one man in the hospital with a wound to his shoulder. Undersheriff Clair Morris said Johny Hernandez, 22, of Twin Falls and Jaymz Quintana, 20, of Elko were out shooting about five miles west of Bullion Road. As they were walking back to their car, Hernandez’s gun accidentally fired, hitting Quintana in the shoulder, Morris said. Hernandez took Quintana to the hospital, where Elko County sheriff’s deputies were notified of the shooting. Hernandez was not arrested because the shooting was determined to be an accident, Morris said.
JACKSONVILLE, NC, 9/28/14: One person was shot after a weapon is discharged at a Jacksonville gun shop on Sunday afternoon. The Jacksonville Police Department is calling it an accident. Police spokesperson Beth Purcell tells 9 On Your Side it happened at Guerrilla Armament, located at 300 Carmen Avenue around 3:30 PM. The person shot was transported to the hospital with serious injuries. Purcell says the incident is under investigation and more information will be released Monday morning.
BOONE, NC, 9/29/14: Investigators of the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office worked late into the night on the scene of an incident reported as an accidental gunshot wound. The call came in at 9:12 from 1150 Winklers Creek Road, with medics and first responders waiting for deputies to secure the scene and clear them into the residence to begin treatment of the woman injured. With fog forming across the region, no air ambulance service could respond into Boone, offering only a Hickory pickup or Advanced Life Support ambulance rendezvous in the Foothills as the victim was rushed to Watauga Medical Center, then transferred to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, 9/29/14: A 3-year-old boy was shot in the hand Monday on the city’s northwest side. Officers responded to the 9000 block of E. 39th Place just after 3 PM on a report of a child shot. When officers arrived on the scene they located a child who had shot himself in his left hand. The child was taken to Riley Hospital to be treated. IMPD is currently investigating the incident.
MINOT, ND, 9/29/14: Law enforcement authorities in Minot say a man shot himself in the foot, prompting the response of police officers and emergency personnel. Capt. John Klug with the Minot Police Department says 26-year-old Jeffrey Bailey injured himself with a shotgun. Klug says police secured the scene at a trailer park and provided immediate medical attention until an ambulance and emergency staff arrived at the scene. The Minot man was transported to Trinity Hospital. His condition is unknown.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 9/29/14: A man has died at the hospital after he accidentally shot himself at home late Monday night in southeast Oklahoma City. According to police, at about 11 PM, officers responded to the report of an accidental shooting at a house in the 300 block of S.E. Grand near Stiles. Police said a man was playing with his gun when he accidentally shot himself. He was transported to the hospital, where he later died. Police have not identified the victim. Officers said no criminal charges are expected to be filed. UPDATE: When police arrived, representatives from the Emergency Medical Services Authority were treating a man, identified as John Calk, 32.
WILLIAMSPORT, PA, 9/29/14: An 8-year-old boy is recovering after being accidentally shot in the hand in Williamsport. The question is: How did he get the gun and whose gun is it? It happened Monday night in Williamsport. Police say two boys found a gun wrapped up in a duffle bag behind their homes. They started playing with it and one of the boys ended up shooting himself in the hand. The boys tell police they thought the pistol was a BB gun. They started playing around with it and brought it closer to the sidewalk when it went off, shooting one of the boys in the hand. Friends of the victim say the boy is expected to be okay but may need reconstructive surgery on his hand. The other boy, a 9-year-old, was not hurt. Williamsport police say the owner of the gun is from out of the area. They are still investigating and say it’s too soon to say if charges will be filed.
PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, PA, 9/30/14: A Pennsylvania state trooper was accidentally shot and killed during a training exercise in Montgomery County. The shooting happened around 4:40 PM at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Center in the 1100 block of Conshohocken Road in Plymouth Township. The trooper was flown to Temple University Hospital. An official at the Montgomery County 911 call center said the call came in for a 25-year-old male shooting victim. According to WPVI, officials confirmed the trooper's death Tuesday night. At this point, the trooper's name has not been released. UPDATE: Pennsylvania State Police say a state trooper has died following an accidental shooting at a gun range in Montgomery County. "It’s with an extremely heavy heart and deep sorrow that I announce the tragic death of Trooper David Kedra of Troop K, Skippack station," State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan said in a statement Tuesday night. MORE: Sources say he was in a classroom for a demonstration of how to break down and clean his service weapon. They say an experienced state police firearms instructor was handling a gun that somehow misfired.
JACKSONVILLE, FL, 9/30/14: A man is at the hospital after an early-morning shooting in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded around 3:15 AM to a shooting in the 1100 block of Withrop Street, near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. Officers arrived to find a man shot in the leg. The man was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said this is possibly an accidental shooting. No gun was recovered, but police are continuing to process the scene. JSO is continuing to investigate the incident.
CLAYMONT, DE, 9/30/14: A young child was shot in Claymont, Delaware Tuesday morning, and the incident appears to be the result of a terrible accident. Police and paramedics were called out around 10 AM to the unit block of Cliffside Court in the Valley Run Community for the report of a shooting. Sources tell Action News that a 2-year-old child was playing with a gun when the gun accidentally discharged, hitting the child in the head. There is no word on the child's condition at this time, but at last report paramedics were on the scene performing CPR.
VANDALIA, OH, 9/30/14: A father and daughter were rushed to the hospital Tuesday evening after an accidental shooting at their Dog Leg Road home. According to Vandalia police, the 14-year-old girl and her dad were on the back porch, and the girl was handling a 9 mm gun. She accidentally fired it, and the round hit her in her upper leg and then struck her 42-year-old father in the lower leg. Neither of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
BURLINGTON, KY, 9/30/14: A man was flown to UC Medical Center after he said he shot himself accidentally. Boone County dispatchers said the man called 911 shortly after 9 AM to say he was driving to a fire station. The man told dispatchers that he was cleaning a gun when it discharged, wounding him in the arm and chest. The man was directed to meet first responders and a medical helicopter at Kelly Elementary School in Burlington. No name or condition has been released so far.
WASHINGTON, DC, 9/30/14: A 13-year-old boy fatally shot in Northeast D.C. Tuesday evening was killed by his best friend, WUSA9's Bruce Johnson reports. The shooting, which happened in the 1400 block of Downing Street near 14th Street around 7:20 PM, appears to be unintentional, according to a police report. Officers found the boy suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was conscious when he was transported to Children's Hospital, but passed away around 9:28 PM, police said. The victim's identity has not been released. His father told Bruce Johnson that the two boys were being stupid, and he doesn't want the 14-year-old shooter to be charged. No one is in custody and the death investigation continues on Wednesday.
LUMBERTON, MS, 9/30/14: Two men were brought into the hospital each with a gunshot wound to the leg that were received during an alleged drug deal gone bad. Deputies with the Pearl River County Sheriff's Department were sent to the Hillside Motel on Tuesday just after 8 AM in reference to a shooting, said Chief Deputy Shane Tucker. When they arrived two men were found sitting on a bench, each with a tourniquet around one leg, Tucker said. An investigation into the incident determined that the two men, identified as 63-year-old Carl V. Myers and 39-year-old Jeffrey D. Hines, were allegedly engaged in a drug transaction around the side of the hotel, but at some point an argument ensued, Tucker said. Myers had his .22 caliber revolver with him at the time of the argument, Tucker said. "In his agitated state he accidentally shot himself in the leg," Tucker said. "Shortly after that he shot Jeffrey Hines in the leg."
KENOSHA, WI, 10/01/14: Kenosha police say a man accidentally fired his gun inside his apartment on Wednesday afternoon, October 1. It happened at the Wood Creek Apartments on 15th Street in Kenosha. Police were notified of the incident shortly before 1 PM. Police say a neighbor told police she heard a loud noise while she was in her bedroom. She later discovered a hole in her wall, and a hole in the hallway—and she realized a gun had been fired. That prompted her to call police. Police responded to the apartment, and found visible bullet fragments. Police spoke with the woman’s neighbor, and that man admitted to firing the gun. The man told police he was checking out the sights on his gun, and believed it wasn’t loaded. He was apparently aiming the gun at a light socket when he squeezed the trigger, causing the gun to go off. The bullet passed through the hallway and a nearby apartment wall. No one was injured. Police say the man who fired the gun is 54 years old—and while he was not taken into custody, they are referring a charge of endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon to the District Attorney’s Office.
MILWAUKEE, WI, 10/01/14: A 32-year-old Milwaukee man was shot Wednesday night, allegedly while his friend was showing him a gun—and while both men were drunk. Milwaukee police said the shooting happened at 9:20 PM in the 1500 block of S. 7th St. The victim told police that his friend was showing him the gun when it discharged. The friend corroborated that story but is in custody while the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office reviews the case. The victim was transported to the hospital and treated for a non-life-threatening injury.
LEXINGTON, SC, 10/01/14: A 13-year-old child was accidentally shot and killed on Wednesday at a home in Lexington, according to officials with the Lexington Police Department. Lt. Matt Davis, a department spokesman, said the child was at home with friends at 3 PM—after school was let out on for a half-day—when the gun was fired, fatally wounding the child. Davis said an investigation is currently being conducted, but investigators are ruling the incident an accidental shooting at this time. Davis said investigators found a gun safe in the home and it is unclear how the firearm was accessible. UPDATE: Lexington County Coroner Earl Wells says Ethan Payne, 13, was shot around 3 PM Wednesday at a home in Lexington's Willowbrooke neighborhood. He was pronounced dead a short time later at Lexington Medical Center.
RUTHERFORDTON, NC, 10/01/14: Rutherford County deputies said they are investigating an accidental shooting that sent a 7-year-old girl to the hospital on Wednesday. Investigators were called to a home on Helen's Lane about 3:45 PM where deputies said a group of kids found a backpack with a gun in the woods nearby. When one of the juveniles pulled a gun out of the bag, the girl was shot, deputies said. The girl was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center with a gunshot wound to her buttock, deputies said. Deputies and the Department of Social Services are investigating the shooting.
ANTIS TOWNSHIP, PA, 10/01/14: An 18-year-old was transported Wednesday to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Altoona, after state police said he shot himself in the calf with a rifle during a hunting accident in Blair County. The male teen, who was not identified in a news release, is expected to survive the wound, state police said. A news release from troopers at the Hollidaysburg barracks said he was hunting groundhogs on his family farm off Ricotta Lane in Antis Township. He was walking with a loaded .22 caliber rifle with the gun's safety switch in the fire mode. The teen somehow lost his balance and gripped the rifle's trigger during his fall, which caused the weapon to fire one round, state police said. The gunshot went through his left calf. State police said they consider their investigation complete and do not plan to file any charges.
BRIDGEVILLE, CA, 10/01/14: Humboldt County Sheriff's Office detectives are continuing to investigate the shooting that occurred on Wednesday. During their investigation they learned the 31-year-old man who reported the crime drove the 18-year-old male victim to the hospital was actually the person who shot him. The 31-year-old male and 18-year-old male reluctantly told detectives after being questioned that the 31-year-old male shot the man by accident. The 31-year-old male told detectives they had been having their marijuana garden ripped off in the past. The employees that assisted them with taking care of their garden reported seeing people in the area in the last few weeks. The 18-year-old and 31-year-old decided to try to catch the suspects. Both admitted they recently used cocaine and armed themselves with .40 caliber semi-automatic handguns after believing they saw flashlights in the vicinity of their marijuana grow. The two men hid in one of the marijuana greenhouses on the property hoping to surprise the people trying to rip them off. After approximately one hour the men thought they saw flashlights approaching them so they exited the greenhouse. In an effort to catch the intruders, the 31-year-old male shot at them and stated the intruders returned fire. The 18-year-old male was accidentally shot by the 31-year-old male, during the gunfire exchange. The 18-year-old male was shot in the chest and shoulder. There is no evidence the 18-year-old fired his weapon and he denied firing his weapon. After accidentally shooting the 18-year-old male, the 31-year-old male called 911 and drove him in his 2004 black Cadillac Escalade to the hospital. The 31-year-old male was asked by detectives if he caught the people stealing from his marijuana garden, what he would do to them. The male told detectives he intended to "murder" them and not tell authorities.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO, 10/01/14: The Steamboat Springs Police Department thinks it has solved the mystery of how a bullet recently got lodged in the back of a vehicle being driven by City Attorney Tony Lettunich. Police on Thursday arrested a man they suspect fired a gun in his home on October 1, sending a bullet through a bedroom wall and into the back of Lettunich’s vehicle as he and his wife were driving by the home on Clubhouse Drive on their way to dinner. It appears Lettunich’s vehicle was inadvertently hit by the bullet. The Lettunichs were not injured. Steamboat resident Scott Brooks turned himself in Thursday evening on suspicion of a felony charge of illegally discharging a firearm. He was released from jail after posting a $5,000 bond.
AVON PARK, FL, exact date unknown: A bullet found in the kitchen of the Avon Park High School cafeteria apparently was fired from off campus and penetrated the roof and the ceiling, according to a Highlands County Sheriff’s Office report. There are no witnesses or suspects in the incident, which occurred between Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, the report states. Avon Park High School Resource Deputy Charles Proctor reported that school facility worker Glen Floyd showed him a bullet, which he said was found Tuesday morning on the floor inside the school’s kitchen. Proctor compared the bullet to one of his .40 caliber duty rounds and their size appeared to match, according to the report. A white ceiling tile inside the school’s kitchen was partially removed from the ceiling and had a 3/4-inch hole in it, the report stated. White pieces of the ceiling tile were on the floor directly below the damaged tile. After removing the ceiling tile, Proctor saw a hole in the cafeteria’s metal roof and could clearly see outside light through the hole, according to the report. Floyd said he examined the hole in the roof’s 22-gauge metal and confirmed that the damage was caused by a projectile. The damage and bullet was initially discovered by cafeteria staff members at 6:30 AM Tuesday, the report stated. Proctor concluded it appeared the bullet was fired in the air from an unknown location off campus and then landed on the roof of the cafeteria.
BLYTHE, GA, 10/02/14: An Augusta Tech Police Academy Cadet is recovering from a gunshot wound, after Richmond County deputies said his firearm accidentally discharged during a training exercise. In a release, the sheriff's office said the cadets were taking part in a "night fire familiarization exercise" at the Sheriff's Office Training Center on Greenland Road in Blythe around 9 PM when the accident happened. The Sheriff's Office said 44-year-old cadet Billy Pendell sustained a minor gunshot wound to his right leg. He was taken to the hospital, but is expected to recover. The Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Division and the Augusta Tech Police Academy Personnel are investigating the incident. The Sheriff's Office said the police academy training will continue normally. MORE: An Augusta Technical College Peace Officer Training Academy cadet shot himself in the leg late Thursday during a training exercise, Richmond County sheriff’s deputies said. The academy was conducting a “night fire familiarization” exercise at the Sheriff’s Office training center in Blythe about 9 PM when Cadet Billy Pendell, 44, accidentally discharged his firearm, wounding himself in his right leg, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
WILMINGTON, NC, 10/02/14: The Wilmington man shot Thursday night is charged with filing a false police report. He initially told police he was shot by someone in a car, but further questioning revealed that he accidentally shot himself, according to a news release. Wilmington Police responded to a call around 9:20 PM Thursday to find Roy Milton, 54, with a gunshot wound. The incident occurred near 15th and Queen streets. Milton initially told police he was shot while outside in the front yard. Police searched the property and surrounding area. Milton later told officers he accidentally shot himself. Police retrieved the gun, which was confirmed stolen in Leland. Milton is also charged with possession of a stolen firearm.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 10/03/14: A court officer shot himself while cleaning his gun inside the U.S. Bankruptcy Court building, which is next to the Grand Rapids Police Department, early [Friday] afternoon, sources say. There is a large emergency responder presence outside the building, which is located at 1 Division N, as well as the Grand Rapids Police Department. Pedestrians are being kept away from the area. A forensics unit was called to the scene to investigate the situation. The severity of the court officer’s injuries are unknown.
GAINESVILLE, FL, 10/02/14: A Gainesville man was arrested early Thursday on multiple charges for allegedly fighting with his cousin and firing a weapon in his apartment, with the bullet going through the wall to the apartment next door, according to a police report. Khiry D. Robinson, 23, of 4455 SW 34th St., Apt. J52, was charged with domestic aggravated assault, domestic battery, shooting into an occupied home and criminal mischief, an arrest report by the Gainesville Police Department states. At about 3:08 AM, the men got into a fight. Robinson is accused of hitting his cousin several times with his fists. The report states Robinson got a .40-caliber Glock pistol from his room and fired one bullet into his bedroom wall. The bullet penetrated into the bedroom next door, which was occupied at the time. The bullet lodged in a television set. Robinson then left his room with the gun raised in the air and went to his cousin’s room, police allege. The cousin feared for his life and jumped over a balcony railing to flee. The report states Robinson admitting to hitting his cousin with his fists and shooting the pistol into the wall.
PORTSMOUTH, VA, 10/03/14: Portsmouth police [say] a man accidentally shot himself in the hand while driving Friday evening. A 911 call came in around 6 PM for a gunshot victim in the 800 block of London Boulevard, outside a McDonald’s restaurant, according to Detective Misty Holley. Officers arrived and discovered a man inside a silver Honda with a gunshot wound to his hand. The man told police he was moving his gun within his vehicle while waiting at a nearby stoplight. That’s when he said the firearm went off and struck him in the hand. The man was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for treatment. Holley said the incident is considered completely accidental. Officers have filed no charges against he man, at this time.
ADDISON, IL, 10/03/14: A criminal justice instructor at Technology Center of DuPage in Addison accidentally discharged a handgun during class Friday afternoon, striking a file cabinet and hollow wall, officials said. The instructor, a retired FBI agent, wasn't authorized to have the gun on school property, said Jim Thorne, the school's director. "It's not part of the curriculum. It's nothing we knew he had," Thorne said. Three students were watching the instructor's demonstration about 1:30 PM in an office adjacent to a classroom, where other students were preparing for the start of class, Thorne said. No one was struck by the bullet, which ended up lodged in another classroom, he said. After the shooting, a school administrator came to the classroom and escorted the instructor from the building. He was sent home and has been placed on administrative leave until further notice. Whether the instructor faces termination or disciplinary action won't be determined until after an investigation into the incident is complete, Thorne said. Addison Police Department Director Tim Hayden said the instructor has been questioned by police, but it's too early to say whether he will face any criminal charges. Thorne declined to identify the teacher by name, but a directory on the school website lists only two criminal justice instructors -- one of whom is a former FBI agent. That teacher, James Whitmer, declined to discuss the shooting incident when reached by phone. The school offers career and technical education classes to DuPage County high school juniors and seniors as part of their regular high school curriculum. A school news release said officials contacted the parents of the students who were in the class to "express our sincere apology that their children's safety was put at risk today."
ASHBORO, IN, 10/03/14: An Ashboro area woman was treated for non-life threatening injuries after receiving a gunshot wound to her left arm on Friday. The Clay County Sheriff Department is still investigating the incident that occurred at 10:44 PM. A CCSD release states county dispatch received a call from a female needing an ambulance for an arm wound. Once deputies arrived, a male and female met them. The female told officials she accidentally shot herself when trying to take the firearm away from a male, the release states. Two juveniles who were also present at the time of the shooting told deputies that the male and female were arguing before the male exited and fired a weapon, the release states. The female followed and the arguing started again before another shot was heard, the juveniles reported. The female was transported to Regional Hospital in Terre Haute. A case report is being forwarded to the Clay County Prosecutor's Office for review.
GROVETOWN, GA, 10/03/14: A man called authorities Friday afternoon after he said he accidentally shot himself. The man said he was visiting his grandmother near Grovetown just before 2 PM It was raining, so he ran to his vehicle. His pistol fell out of his back pocket and into a mud puddle. He quickly picked up the gun and got into his vehicle. The man said he released the magazine to clean the pistol off. He said he went to lock the slide back and forgot a round was in the chamber. The firearm went off into the man’s right palm. He called 911 and was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
ST. LOUIS, MO, 10/04/14: Police say a man accidentally shot himself in the leg at a home on Lindenwood near Hampton in south St. Louis Saturday. Investigators say the man hit his gun against the wall around 10 am this morning, causing it to go off.
NASH, TX, 10/04/14: Nash, Texas Police were on scene of an accidental shooting on Dodd St. near Hickory St. Saturday night. According to radio traffic the elderly homeowner heard noises and went to investigate bringing her gun when she accidentally shot herself in the leg. Nash, Police Department and LifeNet were quickly on scene. No word on the condition of the woman at this time.
MANCHESTER, NH, 10/04/14: An investigation is underway after a teenager shot himself in the foot in Manchester, New Hampshire Saturday night. Police responded to the area of Amherst Street and Walnut Street at 9:30 PM for a report of a possible shooting. During investigation, officials determined that the 18-year-old male accidentally shot himself in the right foot with the gun he was carrying in his waistband. He was transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The firearm was recovered by officers.
DERIDDER, LA, 10/04/14: A 15-year-old from Beauregard Parish died Saturday evening in an accidental shooting in DeRidder, authorities said. Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Joe Toler said the teen died after the shotgun he was carrying accidentally discharged. "Deputies responded to (a) report of an accidental shooting occurring at a residence near Kipling Corner (in DeRidder)," Toler said Monday. "No foul play is suspected." The deceased's name has not yet been released. MORE: An East Beauregard High School student who died Saturday was honored this week by his fellow students. Students led an initiative to wear school-approved blue shirts in honor of Cameron Carter, 15 and a freshman at EBHS, who was killed Oct. 4 in a shooting accident.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 10/04/14: Alcohol, an argument and a tussle over a gun all appear to be factors in a Saturday morning shooting that left a 43-year-old Colorado Springs woman dead, according to court documents. Linda Kochman was found dead inside a bedroom in a home at 3005 Michigan Ave. about 12:30 AM Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit. Her death has been ruled a homicide, Colorado Springs police said. Erik Dlouhy, 25,of Colorado Springs, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and remained in the El Paso County jail on $10,000 bond as of Monday evening. According to an arrest affidavit, Dlouhy initially told police that Kochman shot herself in the face. He later told police the gun was in his hands when the bullet fatally struck her. According to court documents, Kochman, Dlouhy and several other people were drinking when the couple began arguing about him not having a job. Dlouhy told investigators that he drank a pint of whiskey and after the argument, had gone for a walk to "cool off." After returning to the house, he went upstairs to the bedroom, court documents state. He told police that Kochman entered the room to continue the conversation and eventually pulled out a .40 semi-automatic handgun that she claimed was hers, he said. Dlouhy also told investigators that at one point, he took the gun and removed the magazine before also emptying live rounds on the floor. They were both "jacking around with it," as they sat on the bed, he said. She was lying on her back and he was sitting when they both reached for it, according court documents.  In the interview, Dlouhy repeatedly told investigators that he would never intentionally shoot Kochman; however he said it was possible that when he grabbed the gun it went off, sending a bullet into her head.
POMONA, CA, 10/04/14: A second gang member was arrested early Monday in a shooting at a restaurant in Pomona that left four people wounded, including one suspect, police said. An anonymous tip led police to an apartment complex in the 1800 block of West Orange Grove Avenue where they arrested Derek Sommer, 25, a Pomona resident. What police described as a “verbal disagreement” between the two suspects and a car full of customers in the drive-through at Alberto’s restaurant at 1925 W. Holt Ave. led to the shooting on Oct. 4. Christian Miranda, a 21-year-old Pomona resident, was accidentally shot by Sommer and arrested at a hospital the night of the shooting, police said. Sommer was booked on five counts of attempted murder with gang and weapon enhancements. He was on probation. Bail was set at $5 million. Miranda was charged with four counts of attempted murder.
SPOKANE, WA, 10/05/14: A teenage boy was transported to the hospital with potentially life threatening injuries Sunday afternoon after an accidental shooting. Spokane Police responded to a home in the 1700 block of E. Vanetta just after 2:30 PM in response to a report of a shooting. Several teens were at the home, and playing around with what they believed to be an unloaded handgun. It discharged, striking the 14 or 15-year-old in the chest. It's believed the injured teen was the one who brought the gun to the house. Police say there are no outstanding suspects and no danger to the public. MORE: Officers told KHQ one of the teens brought the gun over, they removed the clip, and started playing with it. "Messing around with something they shouldn't have been messing around with," said Lieutenant Rex Olsen with the Spokane Police Department. Olsen says the teenagers didn't realize there was still a bullet in the chamber.
RICHMOND, MN, 10/05/14: A 54-year-old Norwood Young America man is in the hospital after a hunting accident Sunday, according to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. On Oct. 5 at around 11:35 AM, the sheriff’s office received a report of a gunshot injury from the Carver County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say the injured hunter, identified as Steven Grimm, was hunting at the Golden Meadows Hunting Preserve when he was shot. He was with a hunting party with seven other people walking in a line when a bird was flushed up. Several hunters fired at the bird and Grim was struck by pellets in the upper torso and head. Grim was then taken to the Ridgeview Hospital in Waconia. The incident is being investigated.
RAPID CITY, SD, 10/05/14: Rapid City police are investigating an accidental shooting that occurred in the 1200 block of Estes Park Court around 3:48 AM Sunday. Friends took a 20-year-old man to the hospital for treatment after he shot himself in the leg with his own handgun, according to a news release. No charges were filed, but the incident remains under investigation.
HOLLY, CO, 10/05/14: 12:43 AM - Deputy Ibarra responded to the 1000 Blk of W. Colorado St on a report of an accidental shooting. Deputies investigated the matter and determined it was an accidental shooting. A male juvenile was transported to PMC and later flown out due to his injuries, and PMC did not have a surgeon on call.
PIKE CO., MS, 10/05/14: Pike County officials say the case of a 4-year-old who was shot in the head by a six-year-old is still under investigation at this point. Chief Deputy Steve Rushing said the younger child has been treated and released, but that at this point he has not heard an update on the child's condition. Officials said on Sunday they got a call to the Southwest Mississippi Medical Center, where there was a bullet in the child's head. "The projectile was under the skin, and it was removed," he said. The call was originally reported as a drive-by shooting on Gradyville Road, Rushing said. "We determined quickly that it wasn't, then it was reported as an accidental shooting," he said. As it turns out, police determined the 6-year-old had gotten hold of a small-caliber weapon believed to be a .22-caliber weapon. According to Rushing, the family has been evasive about details on the gun. "The family has been somewhat uncooperative with investigators about where the gun may have come from or what happened to the gun after the shooting," he said. "Those are things we try to determine is how did the child come into possession of a gun. Those are all things you want to try and look at during your investigation." At this point, it's unclear if any charges will be pressed since the case is still under investigation, Rushing said. He said he's glad the child isn't badly hurt, however. "We're always glad anytime someone isn't hurt real bad when something like this occurs," he said.
SAN ANTONIO, TX, 10/06/14: Breaking up is hard to do, and that has been demonstrated again, this time in a bizarre incident early Monday in the parking lot of a northwest side strip club, Newsradio 1200 WOAI's Michael Main reports. Around midnight, police say a man got into a dispute with his former girlfriend outside the All Star Gentleman's Club' on Interstate 10 near Wurzbach Rd. He tried to drive away, but the ex girlfriend jumped into the back of his pickup. As he was driving away with the woman clinging to the vehicle, the man's current girlfriend fired a shot hoping to stop him from driving away. But the new girlfriend did manage to accidentally shoot the ex girlfriend in the shoulder. She was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. The gunwoman was taken into custody. The guy who was in the middle of this estrogen rage was not hurt.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA, 10/06/14: A Council Bluffs man is recovering after accidentally shooting himself late Monday evening. Council Bluffs Police says 46-year-old Michael Heywood was wounded in the incident at 1729 6th Avenue. Police Sergeant Chad Meyers tells KMA News officers were dispatched to the residence at around 8:45 AM, and found Heywood wounded in the left thigh. "There were family members on scene when the shooting actually occurred," said Meyers. "They applied a tourniquet to the man's leg prior to our arrival." Heywood was taken to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Meyers says an investigation determined that Heywood had retrieved the gun from a safe, and was showing it to family members when it accidentally discharged. "The man legally owned the gun," he said, "had a permit to carry it. Alcohol was not a factor in this incident. No charges will be filed." Meyers says the round from the semi-automatic gun entered the man's left thigh in a downward trajectory, and did not exit his leg.
FRESNO, CA, 10/06/14: A 17 year old is now facing charges after Fresno police say he accidentally shot his friend and lied to police about what happened. Police say they were called to E. Belgravia near Church late Monday night. That's where they found a teen shot in the leg. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and is expected to recover. Officers say his 17-year old friend told them someone drove by and started shooting. Both teens later admitted they were inside a house playing with two guns. One of them went off and hit the 17 year old in the leg. Officials say the boys are gang members and that they lied about the shooting because they didn't want to get in trouble. One of them is now facing illegal gun charges and negligent discharge of a firearm.
MEMPHIS, TN, 10/06/14: Memphis police are searching for a gun stolen from one of their own officers. The department has not described exactly how the thief made off with the gun. The officer took his belt off to use the bathroom, and when he went to put it back on, the gun was missing. "Who got a hold of that gun? It could be a teenager with all of this teenage violence going on. It's pretty scary," Melanie Blakney said. This all happened at Oak Court Mall Monday night. The mall hires Memphis officers to work security when they are off-duty. This officer was working as private security. But the gun is still missing, and there's no suspect in custody. Oak Court shoppers are worried. "That's very scary, because that could have been a child or anybody who got that," said Martha Dancy-Daniel. "Who knows, you know, where that gun is going. Oh that's creepy." MPD says the officer could face administrative discipline, but that all depends on how the investigation turns out.
HOMESTEAD, FL, exact date unknown: City of Homestead Police responded to a report of a shooting at the AudubonPlaza at 1541 SW 12th Ave. According to police, a shopper who had recently had his home burglarized recognized another shopper from his home’s security footage as the burglar. When the burglary victim attempted to confront the burglar, a physical altercation broke out. The accused burglar then attempted to pull a pistol out of his waist band when he accidentally shot himself. Police have not released names of the shooting victim or the burglary victim due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
MANSFIELD, AR, 10/07/14: A nonfatal shooting in Mansfield Tuesday appears to be accidental, according to an official with the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office. Investigator Philip Pevehouse said the Sheriff’s Office was notified around 6:30 PM about a hunting accident involving two men, a .22-caliber rifle and a nonfatal injury. Pevehouse said the wound was not life-threatening. Pevehouse added there was nothing to suggest the incident was anything but an accident and said he couldn’t immediately provide any additional information.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 10/07/14: The man accused of accidentally shooting a bullet through a wall into the next apartment has now been arrested. The bullet narrowly missed hitting a mother and her child. Twenty-six-year-old Justin Westerfield is now facing a felony charge of Illegal Discharge of a Firearm. Colorado Springs police were called to an apartment in the 3700-block of East San Miguel Street on the report of a firearm being discharged through an apartment wall. That's near the area of Palmer Park Boulevard and North Academy Boulevard. Police said a woman and her child were watching TV in their apartment when a round penetrated the wall in their living room. The bullet nearly struck the woman and child, police. No one was hurt. Westerfield was booked into the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center.
WALDORF, MD, 10/07/14: On Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at 9:16 PM, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1500 block of Nicholas Road in Waldorf for the report of an accidental shooting. Investigation showed a 21-year-old male was attempting to put the safety on his 22 rifle when he accidentally pulled the trigger and shot his friend – a 23-year-old male- in the right arm. The victim was transported to a hospital with injuries that do not appear to be life threatening. POI C. Gustafson is investigating.
ATHENS, GA, 10/08/14: Athens-Clarke police were dispatched about 11 AM to a unit in Cambridge Apartments on Picadilly Square after a man called 911 to report he had accidentally shot his .357-caliber pistol. The 26-year-old man said he was planning to sell the pistol and was unloading the bullets when it discharged into the wall and he was fearful it entered the next apartment, where a University of Georgia student lived, police said. An officer and apartment manager checked the adjacent apartment, but no one was home. The officer examined the path of the bullet and found it lodged in a stud board and did not penetrate into the next apartment.
PUEBLO, CO, 10/08/14: A police sergeant in Pueblo shot himself in the leg after a foot chase on Wednesday afternoon. The chase began after a suspect, who was riding as a passenger in a car stopped for speeding about 4 PM on the 700 block of East 8th Avenue , fled when an officer tried to arrest him. The man, later identified as Victor Gomez, 37, was taken into custody after a chase. The police sergeant was believed to have been holstering his weapon after the chase when his gun accidentally discharged into his leg. The sergeant was treated for his injuries and released. "No citizens were injured nor was there any property damage as a result of the incident," police said. Gomez, who was found to be a suspect in several pending cases, was taken to the Pueblo County jail on charges of criminal impersonation, resisting arrest, eluding and trespass.
NORMAN, OK, 10/08/14: An Oklahoma City man died late Wednesday, after an accidental shooting at 12733 Burr Oak Road in northeast Norman. Leon Walker, 48, died at about 10:40 PM, after being taken to Norman Regional Hospital. Norman police, fire and emergency workers responded to reports of the accidental shooting at about 8:22 PM. EMSStat paramedics at the scene attempted to resuscitate the victim, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The death is under investigation by the NPD Criminal Investigations Division.
FORT SMITH, AR, 10/10/14: A man was arrested early Friday after his girlfriend was shot in the face. About 1:44 AM Friday, Fort Smith police responded to the Stonewall Jackson Inn, 5715 Towson Ave., regarding a possible shooting, according to a news release from Sgt. Daniel Grubbs. Officers found Krystal Atkinson, 23, and her boyfriend, Ian Vaughn Beck, 28, in a hotel room. Atkinson had an apparent single gunshot wound below her right eye from a small caliber handgun, Grubbs’ release states. Atkinson told officers she had received her injury by falling and striking a dresser, the release states. She was transported to a local hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Little Rock. At this time, her injury is believed to be non-life threatening, the release states. Officers observed suspected drug paraphernalia inside the room in plain view, sought a search warrant and found hypodermic needles and other suspected drug paraphernalia, the found. The handgun believed to have been involved in the shooting was located in bushes on the property, along with other hypodermic needles, the release states. During an interview at the police department, Beck told officers he and Atkinson argued about tattoos he had given to other females. Beck told investigators that Atkinson retrieved her revolver and began waiving it around, the release states. He reported struggling over control of the handgun, and Atkinson was accidentally shot in the face, the release states. Beck was arrested on suspicion of first-degree battery, simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Sebastian County Detention Center without bond.
NEWARK, OH, 10/10/14: A local man could face charges after accidentally shooting himself in the leg early Friday morning, then giving police false information about what happened. Newark Detective Sgt. Scott Snow said the man was handling a firearm around 2:45 AM at a residence on South Sixth Street. The man was reportedly unfamiliar with the firearm that he’d recently purchased. “I assume he was too embarrassed to admit he shot himself,” Snow said. The man told police he had been approached by a man coming from the railroad and been shot in the leg. The “suspect” reportedly ran away. Snow said further investigation revealed the man had made up the story. “He tried to put it on someone else, and it was obvious that it wasn’t adding up,” Snow said. The man could potentially face charges for providing false information to police. Snow said the case will be reviewed by the law director’s office for a decision on charges. The man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
WASHINGTON CO., MO, 10/10/14: A Jefferson County man was wounded Friday, Oct. 10, in a shooting accident southeast of Sullivan. The incident was reported to Franklin County deputies about 12:16 PM, Sheriff Gary Toelke said. Ronald Niel, 56, Arnold, told deputies he had been target shooting at a firing range off Highway 185 and Route A in Washington County. At one point, Niel said he lowered a handgun he had been shooting, thinking it was empty, and the gun discharged striking him in the upper leg. He then drove to an address in the 400 block of Highway 185 to seek medical attention, the sheriff’s office reported. He then was taken to Missouri Baptist Hospital, Sullivan, for treatment. His condition was not known as of Friday afternoon, Toelke said.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, 10/10/14: Police say a man accidentally shot himself after he robbed someone at gunpoint in Northeast Philadelphia.
BISMARCK, ND, 10/10/14: The second gun shot call occurred at 7:31 PM Friday. Buschena said police responded to the 1300 block of East Thayer Avenue for an accidental firearm discharge. Police contacted a 23-year-old Bismarck man who said the firearm was in his bedroom and believed to be unloaded. Police searched the residence and discovered a hole in the wall. Buschena declined to release the man’s name because he had not been cited and the incident was under investigation.
STATEN ISLAND, NY, 10/10/14: A Mariners Harbor man accidentally shot his friend in the foot while playing with his gun, law-enforcement sources said Wednesday. Nahjee Jefferson, 20, was hanging out with a 19-year-old friend in an apartment on Holland Avenue near Benjamin Place at around 10:20 PM Friday when he accidentally fired off one round from a revolver, striking his pal, a Criminal Court complaint states. The victim was taken to Richmond University Medical Center and is expected to recover, the sources said. Jefferson was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
OCALA, FL, 10/10/14: Ocala police arrested a 16-year-old boy Thursday in connection with last week's shooting in which two 18-year-old men were injured. The younger teen, who turns 17 in less than a week, was arrested on culpable negligence and possession of a firearm by a juvenile — both misdemeanor charges — and taken to the county's juvenile center for processing. Officials said the boy will be held pending a detention hearing. One of those injured, Robert Thomas O'Connell, was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he has treated and released. O'Connell's wound was to his inner thigh. The other man, Colby Martinez, was shot in the stomach. He remains in stable condition at Ocala Regional. Last Friday, officers went to a residence in northeast Ocala in reference to the shooting. A police officer heard the teen, whose name was not released, crying and yelling to his mother, telling her, "It was an accident. It just went off," according to a police report. Detective Jeff Hurst asked for the gun, and people there pointed at a back bedroom. Hurst found a Bersa .38-caliber handgun and a shell casing lying on a mattress on the floor. The gun had been reported stolen last November. Hurst interviewed O'Connell, who said he was lying on a bed in the room and the teen was sitting on another bed playing with the gun. O'Connell said he told the boy to stop playing with the gun and was about to get up to walk out when the boy accidentally fired it. Martinez, he said, ran out of the room and collapsed just outside the bedroom. The 16-year-old was taken to the police station for questioning. He told Detective Mat Steckman he had stolen the gun from another boy four days earlier and was dry firing it while inserting a magazine. He said he didn't think there was a round in the chamber. But when he pulled the trigger, it went off. He told the detective he didn't intend to shoot anyone.
BENTON, LA, 10/11/14: An 8-year-old boy died Saturday afternoon from a single gunshot wound following an accidental discharge of a revolver by his brother at their residence in northern Bossier Parish. Just before 3 PM today, Bossier Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the residence at the 200 block of Retha Lane off of Old Plain Dealing Road just north of Benton to investigate a shooting incident involving a young boy. The boy, Nathan Majors, was home alone with his 11-year-old brother when the two found a loaded .38 caliber revolver in the house. The older brother accidently discharged the revolver shooting Nathan. He was taken to University Health in Shreveport, where he was pronounced deceased from a single gunshot wound. Bossier Sheriff’s Office deputies have determined the shooting to be accidental, but they will continue with their investigation.
LEEPER, PA, 10/11/14: Authorities in Clarion County say a Leeper man was injured as a result of an accidental shooting last night in Farmington Township. Marienville-based State Police say the incident occurred around 8 PM when a 67-year-old man accidentally shot himself in the left shoulder with a 9mm pistol while attempting to shoo a skunk out of his yard. Police say the man drove himself to Clarion Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. No foul play is suspected.
JACKSONVILLE, NC, 10/11/14: Police say a Jacksonville man is facing charges after his 3-year-old son shot himself in the hand with a gun that was left unsecured. Kenneth Blake Anderson, 22, was arrested Sunday night, according to warrants from the Jacksonville Police Department. The warrants state that Anderson left a loaded .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol unsecured in a tackle box in the sunroom of the suspect's home on Northview Court. Anderson's 3-year-old son was playing in the sunroom when he found the gun, then accidentally shot himself in the hand, police said. A neighbor said the gunshot was heard at about 9 PM Saturday, followed by 20 seconds of the child's screams. A bone in the boy's hand was shattered, according to the warrants. The suspect's wife told NewsChannel 12 the 3-year-old did not lose any fingers. Instead, he was injured in the skin area between the pinky and ring finger, she said. The 3-year-old had surgery at a hospital, police said. Anderson was impaired at the time of the accidental shooting and has taken full responsibility for leaving the gun unsecured, said police. Anderson has been charged with felony child neglect causing serious bodily injury, misdemeanor failure to store a firearm to protect a minor, and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, said investigators. His bond was set at $25,000.
WINCHESTER, TN, 10/11/14: What started out as a tragedy when a little girl was accidentally shot by a high-powered rifle in her home Saturday has turned into what doctors and her family can only describe as a miracle. The day started normally for Winchester residents John and Sara Miller and their family. John was showing his two sons how to load a rifle in the basement of the family’s 45 Living Oak Lane residence, located between Winchester and Cowan, when the gun misfired, sending a .233 [sic] caliber bullet through a bedroom wall and an air hockey table before hitting 7-year-old Liberty Miller in the lower stomach. Liberty was immediately rushed to Southern Tennessee Medical Center and then airlifted to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga in critical condition. She had a hole in her pelvic bone, bladder and intestine. In an emergency surgery, doctors repaired the holes in her bladder and intestine while the hole in the pelvic bone was left to heal on its own.
MOUNT PLEASANT, WI, 10/11/14: A man was taken to the hospital Saturday after reportedly shooting himself in the rear end, according to Mount Pleasant police. Police responded to a call at 6:01 PM in the 6000 block of Deerfield Road on Saturday. A man at one of the houses in the area had holstered his pistol and, upon doing so, a round was discharged into his rear, according to Mount Pleasant Police Sgt. Eric Relich. He was treated at the hospital, Relich said, although he did not know to what hospital the man was transported. His injuries were not considered critical, Relich said. “There was no crime involved with this activity,” Relich said in an email. “This case is being treated as an accident.”
IRVINGTON, NJ, 10/11/14: A 15-month-old girl was killed by a stray bullet that pierced the wall of an Ellis Avenue apartment while she was playing with her parents Saturday, authorities said. The girl’s parents rushed her to Newark Beth Israel Hospital where she was pronounced dead, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Irvington Police Director Tracy Bowers said in a statement. Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose said the girl, identified as Sania Cunningham, was with her parents in their second-floor apartment when she was shot in the upper torso-area. Multiple shots were fired, but only one went through the wall. The bullet was fired from outside and struck Cunningham at 4:35 PM, officials said. “There is no motive or suspects at this time,” the statement said.
LEMOORE, CA, 10/12/14: Kings county sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an accidental shooting at a range in Lemoore. At around 1 PM they say a woman put a .22 caliber bullet on a table when something very improbable happened. Chris Barsteceanu, Kings County sheriff's deputy: "The round fell off made contact with the ground, the cement, the round went off and hit the victim." The woman was struck in the upper left leg. She was air lifted to a Fresno hospital. Deputies say her injuries were not life threatening.
ELK RIVER, MN, 10/12/14: Police responded to a business on Holt Street where an Elk River man, 47, called at 4:21 PM Oct. 12 to say he owned a permit to carry and that he might have lost a handgun from its holster while shopping. An officer helped the man retrace his steps at the business but they did not find the gun. The officer followed the caller back to his home, where they found the gun in a bathroom.
WOODBURY, MN, 10/13/14: A woman was hospitalized Monday after an apparent accidental firearm discharge in Woodbury. The woman was transported by ambulance to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with non-life threatening injuries, said Woodbury Public Safety spokeswoman Michelle Okada. She said police were called at 4:36 PM for an adult female bleeding from her arm due to an accidental firearm discharge. The shooting reportedly occurred in the 1500 block of Parkwood Drive. Police were still on the scene early Monday evening attempting to determine the origin of the incident.
FORT MYERS, FL, 10/13/14: Fort Myers Police have confirmed a 5-year-old was shot and killed in the area of Cuba and Lincoln about 6:15 PM today. Police are searching a car related to the incident and say they are looking for multiple suspects. There were multiple shots fired, Lt. Jay Rodriguez. An adult also suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police would not confirm if it was random or the injured were the intended target. "I hope to God no one targeted a 5-year-old," Rodriguez said. Police Chief Doug Baker was also on scene and urged witnesses to "do the right thing" and call the authorities with information.
BOLTON, NY, 10/13/14: The state trooper accused of accidentally shooting a man while hunting Monday morning was shooting at ducks with a shotgun when a stray pellet hit the victim in a campground. The trooper, Benjamin Davis of Queensbury, was charged with misdemeanor reckless endangerment and the non-criminal violation of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. He is accused of firing a shot from a 12-gauge shotgun toward ducks while hunting on the west side of the Schroon River, across the river from Adirondack Adventure Resorts campground. A man who was outside a camper called police after he heard a shot fired, and was hit in the leg with a small projectile. Police believe the projectile was a pellet from duck shot, fired from about 400 feet away. It did not penetrate his skin or go through his pants, officials said. He suffered a bruise that did not require medical treatment. The shot apparently ricocheted off the man’s camper but did not penetrate it. Davis told State Police that he was targeting ducks that were on the river and a second shot was fired as they flew off, officials said. He said he had looked beyond his target as recommended by hunting safety instructors, and believed the campground was closed for the season, authorities said. The shooter had left the area by the time police arrived, but Davis notified State Police that he may have been the shooter when he learned that a person was reporting he had been hit at the campground Monday morning. Davis’ lawyer, John Aspland, said he was investigating what occurred, and said his client has cooperated with the inquiry. He said his client had looked beyond his target, as hunters are supposed to do. “He wasn't trying to avoid the consequences of his actions," Aspland said. "We're going to defend Trooper Davis' conduct. He was allowed to hunt from a waterway." The victim was in Bolton, but the shots were fired from the other side of the river in Warrensburg. The Schroon River is the town line between the two. Davis, 37, is a 12-year member of the State Police who is assigned to the Schroon Lake station. He was released pending prosecution in Warrensburg Town Court. He was suspended without pay pending a State Police internal investigation.
ORLANDO, FL, 10/13/14: A 15-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the right side of his head at a home in Orlando Monday, authorities said. According to investigators, the shooting happened on Castle Oak Avenue in the Forrest Park neighborhood in Pine Hills around 7:40 PM. Investigators said the teen was holding was a gun when it misfired and he shot himself in the head. The teen was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he remains in serious condition. WFTV reporter Roy Ramos is working to find out whether there will be charges filed against the owners of the gun. The identities of those involved have not been released.
CLARKSVILLE, TN, 10/13/14: A Clarksville man was arrested after he allegedly fired a warning shot in his home, endangering his young child. At 10:16 AM Monday, Clarksville Police responded to 509 Yvonne Drive after reports of reckless endangerment. Gregory Wayne Brown allegedly discharged a handgun during a domestic altercation with a 38-year-old man. He did not fire in the direction of Knight, but the bullet went through the wall, through a baby’s crib and stopped at the next wall, according to a police report. The wall where the bullet stopped was the wall where his 10-month-old child was sleeping in his bed. Brown later changed his story and said the child was asleep in a different room, the report said. Brown, 55, who gave a 509 Yvonne Drive address, was charged with reckless endangerment. His bond was set at $25,000.
NORWALK, CT, 10/14/14: A man who stabbed two passengers in a rampage aboard a casino-bound tour bus was shot to death on Interstate 95 by a Connecticut state trooper, who accidentally shot a third passenger, authorities said Wednesday. The mayhem on the Dahlia bus carrying about 24 passengers from Chinatown in New York City to the Mohegan Sun casino in southeastern Connecticut began around 10 PM Tuesday, state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said. The bus driver pulled over in a highway construction zone in Norwalk and flagged down a state trooper on duty at the site. Several people on the bus called 911, and the trooper was aware of the situation before confronting the man, Vance said. As the trooper approached the bus, the suspect and a passenger "were engaged in physical combat, rolled off the bus and onto the pavement of the highway," Vance said. The man, who has not been identified yet, also intentionally injured himself, Vance said. The trooper was forced to open fire when the suspect came at him with a "cutting instrument" and refused to drop the weapon, Vance said. The man died at a hospital. Two people were stabbed and another person suffered non-life threatening injuries when a bullet from the officer's gun ricocheted off the pavement. The three injured passengers were brought to Norwalk Hospital. Their conditions haven't been released. A hospital spokeswoman referred questions to state police. The trooper wasn't injured. His name hasn't been disclosed. The incident forced police to shut down the northbound lanes of I-95 for more than seven hours from late Tuesday to early Wednesday morning. Many people on the bus were Asian and state police were dealing with a language barrier in interviewing them, Vance said. A trooper was brought in to interpret. Police will "get all the facts and circumstances" from the passengers as part of the investigation, Vance said.
SELMA, AL, 10/14/14: A Selma man was shot in the hand Tuesday afternoon while fighting back against a gunman who invaded his home, Selma police say. The gunman fired a shot during a scuffle with the victim and also shot himself in the leg, according to police. The home invasion robbery occurred at around 1:56 PM in the 1400 block of Franklin Street. The victim reported two men pushed themselves into his home and took $30-35 before leaving. While investigating the robbery, Selma police received a report of a gunshot victim in the 1300 block of Keller Avenue. Before police could respond, the man was transported by private vehicle to Vaughan Regional Hospital. Marquil Ke'von Jackson, 21, was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the left thigh. At the hospital, he told police he was the victim of a robbery. Jackson was charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree assault following his release from the hospital, according to Selma police. He is being held in the Dallas County Jail without bond. The second robbery suspect hasn't been identified.
ALEXANDER CITY, AL, 10/14/14: A man was transported to the hospital after his gun accidently fired in the Sonic drive-thru and wounded him Tuesday night. According to officials, Alexander City Police and Fire departments responded to a call at 8:52 PM Tuesday about a gunshot at Sonic, located at 174 Broad Street. A 22-year-old white male, whose identity is being withheld, was wounded when his pistol fired accidently. “He was in a car there in the drive-thru, and he was moving the pistol from the side door pocket to the glove box, and it went off and accidently shot him in the thigh,” said Capt. Tommy Lovett with the Alexander City Police Department. Lovett said the man was then transported to the hospital before being sent to Birmingham for surgery. “He was transported to Russell Medical Center, and they went ahead and sent him to UAB for surgery on his thigh,” Lovett said. Lovett added there will be no charges filed in the incident. “He had a permit (for the weapon). It was just an accident,” Lovett said.
WYOMISSING, PA, 10/14/14: Authorities have arrested a Tennessee man in the deadly shooting of his cousin in Berks County on Tuesday. Mathew Soumpholphakdy was charged with involuntary manslaughter, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Somchai Nicholas Chanthara was shot and killed inside a home in the 1300 block of Parkside Drive South in Wyomissing, police said. Soumpholphakdy, 22, was sleeping when Chanthara began jumping on his bed to wake him up around noon, police said. That's when, police said, Soumpholphakdy grabbed a gun to try and scare Chanthara. The two men began wrestling and the gun went off, police said. Friends and family members said the two men are cousins, and it must have been an accident. "We don't think there was any foul play or anything like that. If anything, it was accidental," said Shaggy Phon, a friend. Soumpholphakdy, 24, of Murfreesboro, was committed to the Berks County Jail without bail.
SWORDS CREEK, VA, 10/14/14: A Russell County man was treated Monday afternoon for a gunshot wound in his leg. Gary Allen Rose, 29, of Clarks Valley Road, took his handgun out of its holster before going into a convenience store Monday afternoon, according to a written statement from the Russell County Sheriff's Office. When he came back to his vehicle, he picked up the gun to place it back into its holster, when it fired, investigators said. Rose was taken to Holston Valley Medical Center to be treated, the statement said. MORE: The sheriff says 29 year old Gary Allen Rose of Swords Creek, went by med flight to a hospital in Kingsport for treatment of the injury. The sheriff says Rose had his gun ready for ginseng hunting before the accident.
LITTLE ROCK, IA, 10/14/14: Last week’s shooting in Little Rock was an accident. That according to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. They report that the investigation into the shooting that occurred at 308 Clothier Street in Little Rock has been completed, and the shooting has been deemed an accident by Lyon County Sheriff’s Department investigators. An 18-year-old woman was shot in a garage at that residence on Tuesday October 14, 2014. The bullet went through her left arm and entered her stomach. The victim was taken to Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley and then taken by air ambulance to Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Four days later, she was listed in stable condition. Authorities report that 34-year-old Joseph Pedersen, who lives at that address, has been charged with providing alcohol to a minor, a simple misdemeanor and discharging a weapon within city limits, a simple misdemeanor in connection with the case.
OTTUMWA, IA, 10/14/14: Two Ottumwa residents are in trouble with the law following an investigation into the circumstances surrounding an apparent shooting earlier this month. On Tuesday, October 14, the Ottumwa Police Department received a report of a victim that had arrived at the Ottumwa Regional Health Center Emergency Room with an apparent gunshot wound to the leg. A 22-year-old female, from Ottumwa, reported that she had been accidentally shot at her residence. Ottumwa police initiated an investigation into the incident and as a result it was determined that the shooting took place on North Sheridan Avenue in Ottumwa. Arrest warrants for two suspects have now been issued as a result of the investigation. On Wednesday, October 15, officers issued arrest warrants for Cassie Jo Polson, 23, for First Degree Burglary, a Class B felony, First Degree Robbery, a Class B felony, and Reckless Use of a Firearm, a Class C felony. Polson remains at large and has not yet been arrested on these charges. On Thursday, October 23, the Ottumwa Police Department arrested Adam Sean Horn, 40, of Ottumwa, in relation to this same incident. Horn has been charged with First Degree Robbery and First Degree Burglary, both Class B felonies. Horn is currently being held in the Wapello County Jail.
DARLINGTON, SC, 10/14/14: Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler says he's conducting internal investigation into the accidental discharge of a firearm during a training exercise last Tuesday off of Tunnel Road in Darlington County. Heidler said his lieutenant, who is a certified instructor through the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, mistook his real gun for a training weapon, which is a fake gun. Heidler released the following statement to WPDE about this incident: "Last Tuesday, October 14th, while in training with the Darlington County Sheriffs office, off of Tunnel Road in Darlington County, an officer of the Florence Police Department accidentally discharged his duty firearm. The officer's firearm was aimed away from other training participants however the bullet struck the windshield of an unoccupied Florence Police vehicle. It appears that the officer believed he was in possession of a training firearm at the time. The accidental discharge as well as the failure to follow appropriate training safety protocols is under safety and disciplinary review," said Heilder. WPDE questioned Heidler more about how the officer could have made the mistake. "It shouldn't have been mistaken, It is a safety protocol failure. The structure and operation are generally the same but have coloring to differentiate them from a firearm," Heidler explained in an email. Major Florence McCants with the SC Criminal Justice Academy said they use colored training weapons to make sure no one confuses the weapons. The Academy trains hundreds of law enforcements every year on firearm safety. "We actually have training weapons just for training. So, when you have defensive training what we have is a weapon, the color is all blue. And when we're here on the range, we're doing the range type training, those weapons are all red. So , you know that those weapons aren't real active weapons," said Major McCants.
MEMPHIS, TN, on or about 10/14/15: Four guns were stolen from a Memphis police officer’s truck. In this case, these are four guns on the streets of Memphis after being stolen from a Memphis police officer’s personal vehicle. Investigators say the vehicle, described as a 2005 Chevy Avalanche, was taken from Windermere Street near James Road in the Raleigh area. The Memphis Police Department says the guns inside the truck weren’t the officer’s city-issued weapons. Just last week, another Memphis police officer’s gun was stolen after he left it in a restroom at Dillard’s in Oak Court Mall. The truck was found Wednesday on Marble near Springdale.
ERIE, PA, 10/15/14: John Wozniak was working on his son's car outside of his home on East 27th Street, when he noticed something wasn't quite right. "As I was getting under the car, I looked up,” said Wozniak. “I noticed that the window was blown out." After walking up to his bedroom, Wozniak made the discovery. "We came upstairs me and my son and noticed there was a bullet that came through our window,” said Wozniak. “From the way we found the bullet, it was intact, it was a complete bullet, but it was suggested by police, that it came from a distance, a couple of blocks away.” Down the hall, his two month old daughter Sophia slept. "At first, I was surprised. I mean, I never thought anything would happen like that,” said Wozniak's fiancé and Sophia's mother Nicole Tschannen. “For it to come through my bedroom window, it was just a complete shock." While no one was hurt, the thought of what “could” have happened has left the family disturbed. "I'm more mad than anything,” said Wozniak. “That's a baby. What would I have done, if something would have happened to either one of them? I don't know what I would do." As of right now, police have no leads in this case.
BRADENTON, FL, 10/15/14: A man accidentally shot himself in the leg Wednesday evening while showing a gun to a relative, according to Bradenton police. The relative drove the victim to Manatee Memorial Hospital, according to a police report. "We responded to his residence where all persons present gave a consistent account of the events. No charges pending," police said. The incident happened about 7:35 PM Wednesday, in the 600 block of 30th Street West.
ROME TOWNSHIP, MI, 10/15/14: There might have been an intruder because Gregory Hunt had his gun ready, said Hunt's mother, Carol. She believes he slipped on a set of stairs in his garage, where she had stumbled before, lost his balance and the .38-caliber weapon fired. A bullet hit a major artery in his leg, and the situation escalated quickly. There was no way he could survive, Carol Hunt said Friday, Oct. 17. Alone at his home northwest of Adrian, Gregory Hunt, 41, died Wednesday in what police called an "accidental shooting." Carol Hunt, who had been in contact with authorities, called it a "freak, stupid" accident, a "really bad" mishap that killed a skilled marksman, accomplished hunter and Cambridge Township police officer. Hunting and fishing were his passions. "He's got a bunch of big buck head stuffings and antlers, got a house full," said his father, Charles Hunt of Napoleon. Gregory Hunt lived by himself in the country, belonged to the National Rifle Association, served as a police firearms instructor, and took part in the Governor's Match, a shooting competition in Jackson, his obituary stated. As a boy he was involved with the Jackson County Outdoor Club, his mother said. "He was real big on taking care of his guns and other people's guns. He was really into weaponry," said Charles Hunt, who had little information about the circumstances of his son's death.
CORNELIA, GA, 10/15/14: Habersham County authorities said a 25-year-old man died Thursday after he accidentally shot himself Wednesday night as he was playing with a .38 revolver. Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell said Eric Daniel apparently thought the weapon was not loaded. The incident happened around 6 PM at a residence on Locke Road in Cornelia. The sheriff said Daniel's wife and children, as well as his wife's sister, were in the house at the time. Terrell said no foul play is suspected, and the shooting was simply a tragic accident.
TULSA, OK, 10/16/14: Tulsa police tell FOX23 an overnight shooting in north Tulsa was originally described to police by witnesses as drive-by shooting; however it turns out it was something very different. FOX23 was on scene just before 2 AM at the north Tulsa home near Pine and Memorial Drive, where we learned the gunfire happened outside the home. Tulsa police said the initial witnesses said someone drove by in a black 4-door car and shot the man in the leg but FOX23 later found out that was not true. TPD officers dug through the details of the different witnesses and their conflicting stories. FOX23 learned when police spoke with the victim again he admitted to police he accidentally shot himself. The victim has not been named. TPD has not said why he lied about what happened.
MARGARETTSVILLE, NC, 10/16/14: An investigation is ongoing, but it is believed that a shooting near here Thursday evening that sent one local teen to the hospital was accidental in nature. Captain Chuck Hasty of the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a residence on Mount Carmel Road at 9 PM Thursday. The responding officers – Sgt. Jimmy Pair along with Deputies Chris Collier and Matthew Walton – learned that the victim, a 14-year-old male, had been transported to Halifax Regional Medical Center (HRMC) in Roanoke Rapids by private vehicle. Hasty said the deputies secured the scene and began interviewing people at the residence. Meanwhile, Hasty and NCSO Investigator Courtney Williams responded to the hospital. “The preliminary investigation by investigators and deputies suggested that this may have been an accident,” Hasty said. He added that another male, a 16-year-old who is related to the victim, was present in the same room at the time of the shooting, which involved a small caliber handgun. Hasty said the victim was struck in the chest by the bullet. The juvenile victim was flown from HRMC to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville for treatment of his injuries. Hasty said the juvenile is listed in stable condition as of 8:25 AM Friday. The incident is still under investigation at this time.
LAKEWOOD, WA, 10/16/14: A Lakewood man said he was cleaning his gun Thursday evening when he accidentally shot and killed his wife. Police arrived at the Beaumont Grand Apartments at about 6 PM after getting a call about a man accidentally shooting his wife, according to Lt. Chris Lawler with the Lakewood Police Department. Lawler said a neighbor made the call because the husband was too upset. When officers arrived at the complex, located in the 8500 block of 82nd Street SW, they found a 19-year-old woman dead inside the apartment. The 20-year-old husband, who has not been identified, told police he was cleaning his rifle inside the apartment when it went off, hitting his wife. Detectives are interviewing the husband at police headquarters. Lawler said the department had no record of any previous domestic violence incidents between the couple.
BOGGS TOWNSHIP, PA, 10/16/14: A 20-year-old man was accidentally shot in the leg Thursday night following a competition shoot at Pine Creek Gun Club in Armstrong County. State police said Tyler Glenn Peters, of Kittanning, was wounded in the left upper thigh when another shooter’s rifle accidentally discharged while the shooters were putting away their rifles after the competition. The incident occurred around 9 PM at the gun club in Boggs, Armstrong County. Police said Mr. Peters was treated at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Allegheny General Hospital. They said he is expected to survive.
BLOOMINGTON, IN, 10/16/14: A man told police he was adjusting his 9-mm handgun in its holster when it accidentally discharged Thursday evening, causing a bullet to go through a wall and into the adjacent apartment. No one was hurt, and police gave the man a ticket for illegally firing a gun within city limits.
BEECH GROVE, IN, 10/16/14: Firefighters worked for several hours to put out a fire in Beech Grove Thursday. The fire broke was reported at Beech Grove Firearms in the 3000 block of S. Emerson Avenue, around 4 PM. The firearms store sustained significant damage after fire broke out amongst the shredded tires and filled the business with heavy black soot and smoke. Owner Greg Burge thinks that the fire may have occurred after a customer unknowingly used a "tracer bullet" at the range and the bullet smoldered in the rubber, eventually catching it on fire. Officials said the fire happened on the side of the store with guns, not the side with ammunition. Seven employees and 20 customers were inside the shop and were able to evacuate safely. More than 45 firefighters worked for two hours on extinguishing the blaze, utilizing saws and sledge hammers to breach the masonry block construction and metal siding. Once they were able to successfully create openings in the wall, the City of Beech Grove provided a front loader and back hoe to assist with removing debris. No injuries have been reported.
CHICAGO, IL, 10/17/14: A Chicago Police officer shot himself in the ankle during a foot pursuit Friday morning in the West Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side. The officer was chasing a suspect near Lake and Kostner about 9:55 AM when his gun accidentally discharged as he was trying to re-holster it, police said. He was taken to Rush University Medical Center, where his condition had stabilized, police said. The person the officer had been chasing was taken into custody a short time later, although it was not immediately clear why the person was wanted, police said.
JACKSONVILLE, FL, 10/17/14: An Arlington woman was hospitalized Friday afternoon after she accidentally shot herself in her leg while cleaning out her husband’s pants in their home in the 5200 block of Burdette Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. The woman, said to be in her 60s, picked up her husband’s pants and shook them at about 1:15 PM, Sgt. Felipe Alicia said. “He carries a firearm in his pants pocket and it fell out and went off,” Alicia said. “ ... There are no signs of foul play or any signs of violence and we are classifying this as an accidental injury.” Alicia said it was a small caliber gun and there were no other issues. City paramedics transported the woman to Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville.
SHELBY, NY, 10/17/14: A 15-year-old boy was killed after he was shot by his best friend in what police are investigating as an accidental shooting late Friday afternoon. Orleans County sheriff’s deputies and medical personnel were called to a house in the 5000 block of Salt Works Road about 5:30 PM, where they found the boy dead in his bedroom. Undersheriff Steve Smith said the boy and his friend were in the bedroom apparently playing with a .12-gauge shotgun when it discharged once. The dead boy’s father was in another part of the house at the time. The boy, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead by Orleans County Coroner Joseph Fuller. His body was taken to Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester for an autopsy. UPDATE: The Orleans County Sheriff's Office has identified Jacob Stahl as the victim in what is being termed an accidental shooting on Friday. The 15-year-old Stahl was a tenth grade student at Medina High School.
EAU CLAIRE, WI, 10/17/14: A scary situation on Eau Claire's south side Friday ends with no one hurt. Friday morning Eau Claire police responded to a call of an accidental gun shot along Sessions Street. Police say a man was cleaning his rifle when it accidentally fired and no one was hit. Police say the shot went through his apartment window and was found about 200 yards away lodged inside a car door. "It doesn't appear that he tried to discharge the weapon,” said Lt. Tim Golden with the Eau Claire Police Department. “In the end we're just glad no one was injured. While careless, up front with the discharge of the weapon, he certainly responded the way we would like him to." Police say the owner of the rifle was issued a citation.
CATAWBA, NC, 10/17/14: A Bunker Hill High School student was killed Friday night when a gun accidentally went off in a pickup truck, deputies said. It marks the third Bunker Hill student killed in two weeks. The Catawba County Sheriff's Office said Austin Hedrick, 16, was in the cab of a pickup truck with his father and 15-year-old friend. The truck was traveling down Hudson Chapel Road near Browns Chapel Road near midnight. Deputies said a high-caliber hunting rifle went off, killing Austin. Investigators are still looking into how it happened but believe it was accidental.
HENRY CO., TN, 10/17/14: A four-year-old Henry County girl was killed in a tragic shooting accident at her home Friday night. Anastasia “Ana” Randoll, 4, was pronounced dead at her home by Henry County Coroner Danny Tucker. According to information from the Henry County Sheriff’s Department, which did not release the name of the victim, 911 dispatchers received a call at 8:52 PM that a four-year-old had been shot at a home on Mount Pleasant Freeland Road northwest of Buchanan. Officers arrived at the home to find the girl had died. After speaking with the girl's father, who was home at the time of the shooting, Sheriff’s investigator David Doyle determined the child had been able to get access to a loaded handgun without the father realizing it. The girl then fired the pistol, and was struck by a single gunshot. Arrangements will be announced by Ridgeway Funeral Home.
GIBSON TOWNSHIP, PA, 10/18/14: A hunting accident in Susquehanna County sent one man to the hospital Saturday morning. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, a 48-year-old man suffered a single gun shot wound. He was shot by a child, age unknown, in Gibson Township. The man was flown to Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton and the extent of his injuries is unknown. The game commission said both the man and the child are from southern Pennsylvania. The shooting is being investigated by Wildlife Conservation Officers, according to the game commission.
FAYETTEVILLE, OH, 10/18/14: Authorities have said that shooting in Brown County that left one man dead was likely accidental. Police were called to a home on Barker Road near State Route 131 in Fayetteville on Saturday night. They found Charles Thery dead from a gunshot wound, and the Brown County coroner has said that the shooting appears to have been an accident. It does not appear that anyone else was involved in the incident.
LOPEZ ISLAND, WA, 10/18/14: A 34-year-old Oregon woman on Lopez Island suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound Saturday, October 18. According to Sheriff Nou, preliminary investigation revealed that the woman was accidentally shot while handling her bags. One bag contained an unholstered firearm which discharged as the bags were moved. A single shot struck the victim. She applied first aid and went to a neighbor’s house for help. Emergency responders from the sheriff’s office and Lopez Fire and EMS responded to the call. After being treated by EMS at the scene, the woman was flown to a mainland hospital. The case remains under investigation.

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Sunday, December 07, 2014

Gun Fail 81

How do you shoot a little girl named Liberty? By accident, of course. GunFAIL LXXXI

Originally posted to David Waldman on Sat Nov 29, 2014 at 06:05 PM PST.

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