Welcome to yet another backdated installment of GunFAIL. This time, we provide a look back at the week of April 10, 2016. A light week, by our numbers—just 37 newsworthy firearms mistakes, for starters! Among them: 11 kids accidentally shot, 10 people who accidentally shot themselves, seven people who accidentally shot family members or significant others, six fatalities, five law enforcement officers involved in mishaps, four practice range accidents, four accidental discharges by people out shopping, dining, or otherwise conducting business in public, three guns accidentally fired while being cleaned, and two accidentally fired into neighboring homes or properties.
The week also included a few stories that were part of continuing mini trends, each rather disturbing in their own right. Those would be accidental discharges inside hospitals and other health care facilities (as in Jackson, Mississippi), gun accidents while Skyping or otherwise teleconferencing (Granite Falls, North Carolina), and emergency services personnel accidentally shot during assistance calls (Temple Hills, Maryland).
Other incidents of a type we’ve seen before (but somewhat less frequently) include an accident between police firearms instructors (Devens, Massachusetts), and someone who both brought a real gun to a water gun fight and accidentally shot a teenager in the shoulder with the old “I can spin it on my finger like a cowboy, oh my God, call an ambulance” trick (Spring, Texas).
Brand new (I think) to our GunFAIL lists is the repeat home invasion shooting offender in Bay Village, Ohio. We’ve had repeat GunFAILers before, but just people who had accidentally shot themselves twice. This is someone who’s a serious menace to the community, though there’s no sign of anyone putting a stop to him any time soon. In April 2014, “responsible gun owner” Zack Gilchrist accidentally fired his assault rifle through his neighbor’s home. Now, Gilchrist has accidentally shot a 9mm handgun through another neighbor’s garage. The solution? Probation! It’s no wonder Ohio remains our GunFAILing-est northern state. Also new to the list: The accident that took the life of a 30-year-old Army veteran trying to capture exciting video of shooters at an unofficial gravel pit gun range in Sutton, Arkansas. You can do pretty much whatever you want there, which I suppose is how our videographer found himself downrange while shooting was still going on, looking for that perfect shot. An imperfect shot took him out, though, before it was all over.
Finally, let us marvel at the story of the Responsible Gun Owner who brought his sidearm to a local kids’ ballpark—to keep everyone safe, of course, including his own child whose team he was coaching. So Responsible was he in his Gun Ownership, that he ignored the posted signs declaring firearms prohibited in the sports complex, until other parents perhaps more fluent in English helpfully noted the rule for him. His solution? Well, firearms are prohibited in the complex, so he promptly put his firearm ... elsewhere in the complex. Specifically, his wife’s purse. Regular readers of GunFAIL know very well how secure purses are from the curious hands of toddlers, and alas, our Responsible Gun Owner had also brought one of those with him to the game, though to be fair, toddlers were not prohibited inside the complex. Now, I know nobody could have predicted this, but our toddler did manage to find the unattended, unsecured firearm, and fire it within the sports complex. And though there’s no specific posted prohibition against this, it’s fairly certain the Founders (of the sports complex) intended for this to be prohibited as well. No one was injured, thankfully, so ha ha, what a great gun culture anecdote, you Second Amendment scamps! You incorrigible pranksters, you!
Now read about the rest of the ways your friends, neighbors, and co-workers failed with guns.
- FIRESTONE, CO, 4/10/16: A 12-year-old boy is recovering from an accidental gunshot wound that happened over the weekend. The Weld County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of a shooting in the 29000 block of WCR 20 Sunday evening at 6:15 PM. A 12-year-old male who had been shot in the side by a .22 caliber bullet was found. The boy was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Aurora and is in stable condition. Investigators determined the shooting was a result of self-inflicted, accidental weapon discharge that occurred while the boy was hunting.
- GRANITE FALLS, NC, 4/10/16: A death investigation is underway Monday in Caldwell County after a 16-year old was shot and killed. Family members said Dekota Smith, a student at South Caldwell High School, accidentally shot himself while Skyping with a friend. Counselors and clergy were at the school Monday to help students grieve. Gregory Johnston told Channel 9 that he still can’t believe his nephew is gone. Johnston said Smith was at his grandparents’ home when he accidentally shot himself. Johnston said his nephew was showing a gun to a friend, using his cellphone to do a live video chat, when the weapon went off. “The person he was talking to said he was looking at him face to face on his little phone and all of a sudden he could see the ceiling. And apparently he heard the bang and (knew that) something (was) wrong,” Johnston said. There was a moment of silence at South Caldwell High School for Smith as students returned to school Monday morning. The winter athletic awards scheduled for Monday night have been postponed. Smith was a member of both the wrestling and track teams. His teammates are making a memorial banner for his family. "It is extremely tough on the children. When you have someone who is one of your peers who is involved in a situation that is this horrific, it’s heartbreaking, and we knew we’d have upset children here today,” Libby Brown of Caldwell County Schools said. Deputies said they are still trying to determine how the teenager got the weapon. They said the case is a reminder to everyone about the importance of gun safety. "Make sure that parents understand to secure those weapons, because if the kids are very small or in their teens, they could still get those weapons and hurt somebody as well as themselves,” Caldwell County Sheriff Alan Jones said. Deputies said they still have more interviews to do in the case. Once their investigation is complete, they will forward it to the district attorney’s office.
- HOT SPRINGS, AR, 4/10/16: A 13-year-old girl was hospitalized in critical condition Sunday after being shot in the leg with an AR-15 rifle, police in Hot Springs said Monday. Jesse Alan Flemister, 20, was arrested and charged with second-degree battery, police said in a news release. According to that statement, police were called to a residence on Hillsdale Terrace around 6:45 PM and found the girl with a gunshot wound in the left leg. Flemister told police he was playing with the gun when it accidentally discharged one time, the report said. The girl was taken to St. Vincent Hospital and then flown to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock in critical condition, according to the report. There was no word from police on the girl's condition Monday morning. MORE: Police said it was an accident made by 20-year-old Jesse Allen Flemister, who was arrested by Hot Springs Police for 2nd degree battery, his bond set at $20,000. Neighbors said he is the boyfriend of the 13-year-old’s sister.
- EASTON, CT, 4/10/16: A shooting that took place on Sunday, April 10 is being called an "accidental discharge" by the Easton Police Department, according to the Easton Courier. Police said the shooting took place at 3:10 PM on Morehouse Road, but released very few details on the incident, said the Easton Courier. An unidentified injured person was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital by Easton EMS, added the Easton Courier. Police did not reveal information on the victim or his or her condition.
- GOFFSTOWN, NH, 4/10/16: A Goffstown man is facing felony charges after his brother was shot in the head and flown to a Boston hospital. Timothy Beard, 23, is charged with second-degree assault and reckless conduct. Police said the shooting was reported Sunday night in a Prospect Street apartment where the brothers were playing video games. Officials said Christian Beard, 21, suffered life-threatening injuries when he was shot in the head. Investigators said Timothy Beard was messing around with a gun when it went off. "From what we understand, from a preliminary investigation from the four like-aged adults that were there, there were some video games that were being played," Chief Robert Browne said. "And as such, one of them, Timothy Beard, had picked up the firearm and at one point pointed it towards his brother, and a round went off." Police said they are still trying to figure out what led up to the gunshot. Timothy Beard told police that he was messing around with his gun when he accidentally shot his brother, investigators said. Christian Beard was shot in the forehead and was taken to Catholic Medical Center before he was flown to a Boston hospital. "From what I understand, there was immediate first aid given by the people that were at the residence," Browne said. "The officers that responded were assisting with direct pressure to the wound of Mr. Beard, and it's my understanding that CPR was in progress, as well, as he was being transported." According to court documents, the brothers had been drinking during the day, but witnesses told police that they were not arguing, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Court records said Timothy Beard told police that he didn't think the gun was loaded, and the shooting was an accident. "I can tell you from firsthand experience, firearms don't accidentally go off," Browne said. "So there is a reckless nature or a negligent nature of the handling of the firearm, and that would result in the charges against Timothy Beard." The attorney general's office, the county attorney and the state police are involved in the investigation. Bail for Timothy Beard was set at $10,000.
- LAUREL, MD, 4/10/16: Officials in a Maryland city say a police officer unintentionally shot a man who was in a grocery store that had been burglarized. Laurel city spokeswoman Audrey Barnes said at a news conference Monday that officers responded Sunday night to a burglar alarm at Indus Food International Market. She says police saw a 15-year-old boy fleeing the building and caught him. Barnes says officers were checking the building when one officer, who was holding his service weapon, saw movement in the dark. The spokeswoman says the officer was moving his gun from one hand to the other when it discharged and hit a 20-year-old man inside. The man was in stable condition in a hospital. The officer, a 17-year veteran, is on administrative leave. Barnes didn't know the races of the people involved.
- BAY CITY, MI, 4/10/16: Before accidentally shooting himself in the head, a Bay City man assured his friends the gun in his hand was fake. In an attempt to prove his point, he put the barrel to his head and pulled the trigger. Now, one of those friends is facing a criminal charge for allegedly falsely claiming his friend was the victim of a drive-by shooting. About 1:10 AM on Sunday, April 10, Bay County Central Dispatch received a call of a shooting at 716 S. Farragut St. The male caller told dispatchers a Chevrolet Impala had driven by and someone from the car shot his friend in the head. The caller said he was taking his wounded buddy to the hospital, court records show. Police officers responded to both the scene and McLaren Bay Region hospital. At the hospital, officers spoke with 17-year-old Edward E. Williams Jr. and 23-year-old Megan M. Walraven. Williams told officers he and his 18-year-old best friend Shawn M. Palmer were standing outside of the Farragut Street house when an Impala drove up containing two men. One of the men pointed a .22-caliber pistol out the window and opened fire, Williams told police. Williams speculated the shooting was done as retribution for Palmer's older brother, Justin J. Palmer, being accused of shooting someone else, court records show. "After Shawn got shot, he walked down the sidewalk holding his head," Williams told police, according to court records. "We were just getting to the stairs, about to walk up the porch, when he got shot. I heard the shots and said, 'You hit?' and he said, 'No.' Then I looked up and I seen blood spurting out." Williams added that Palmer is "involved in my gang. We don't have beef with rival gangs. We have beef with our own gang."
- TIFFIN, OH, 4/10/16: A Tiffin man accidentally shot his roommate with a firearm Sunday afternoon. According to a release from Tiffin Police Department, Joshua J. Claydon was attempting to clean his firearm, when he accidentally discharged the weapon, shooting Christopher J. Soals, 25, of Tiffin, in his left arm by his elbow. The incident was reported at 1:21 PM at 154 Railroad St. Tiffin Fire Rescue Division took Soals to Mercy Tiffin Hospital for treatment, the release states. Police reports state the weapon was collected. Further information was not available Sunday night as the incident remained under investigation.
- SAN DIEGO, CA, 4/10/16: A birthday party ended in gunfire Sunday night when two teenagers were accidentally shot in Valencia Park. San Diego police say an 18-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy were each hit in the arm at about 7:45 PM at a home in the 5700 block of Elk Street. They were taken to Mercy Hospital and their injuries are not considered life-threatening. Officers said another teen at the party accidentally fired off the round, then reportedly fled the area. Police are trying to make contact with him.
- SWATARA TOWNSHIP, PA, 4/11/16: Police were called to an accidental shooting in Dauphin County early Monday morning. Swatara Township police say they reported to the 1800 block of South 19th Street, where they discovered a 17-year-old boy had shot himself. The teen, from Harrisburg, accidentally shot himself in the leg while "adjusting" the gun he was carrying inside his sweatpants, according to police. He is being treated at a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The teen is facing charges. Police have not yet recovered the gun used in this incident.
- ARITON, AL, 4/11/16: The Dale County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discharging of a handgun by a 2-year-old at the Ariton Sports Complex. Chief Dale County Sheriff’s Deputy Mason Bynum said deputies were called to the Ariton Sports Complex on Monday around 5 or 6 PM in reference to a firearm being used. According to a sheriff’s statement and Bynum, deputies discovered a parent of one of the players, who Bynum said is also a coach, was openly carrying a pistol inside the sports complex. Other parents and bystanders pointed out the sign prohibiting firearms in the complex to the parent. The statement said the parent then removed the weapon from his hip and put it in his wife’s purse. A short time later the man’s 2-year-old child discharged the weapon while playing with the contents of the purse. The bullet from the gun is believed to have struck the ground a short distance away from where it went off. “When that gun discharged it’s a blessing that no one was injured,” Bynum said. “If you have a child around you need to make sure that your weapon is secure, and out of reach of the child.” The sheriff’s statement said deputies seized the weapon, and are consulting the Dale County District Attorney’s Office on whether charges will be filed in connection with the incident. Bynum said the toddler’s parent could face a reckless endangerment charge. Bynum called it an ongoing investigation, and anyone with additional information about what happened is encouraged to call the Dale County Sheriff’s Office. “If he could’ve taken it to his car and secured it there … ” Bynum said. “It’s just an unfortunate incident. It truly is a blessing that no one was injured.”
- ST. LOUIS, MO, 4/12/16: A man who was unloading his firearm when it discharged Tuesday morning was fatally shot in the head, police say. The victim was identified as Willie Crowder, 31, of the 8500 block of Riverview Boulevard. At about 6 AM Tuesday, police found Crowder dead in his home. He had been shot in the head. The incident is being handled as a "suspicious death" pending the results of an autopsy.
- GARY, IN, 4/12/16: A juvenile was wounded Tuesday in an accidental shooting behind the former Lew Wallace High School, police said. Gary police responded about 6:25 PM to the 400 block of West 45th Avenue for a gunshot wound victim. One juvenile had been shot and was taken by ambulance to a hospital with a serious but not life-threatening wound, Lt. Dawn Westerfield said. She declined to release further information about the child because of age. Westerfield said two witnesses The Times observed at the scene called in the shooting and were cooperating with police. The case remains under investigation.
- OTTAWA, KS, 4/12/16: 6:12 PM Tuesday, 700 block of Tennessee Road, deputies responded to the residence for the report of an accidental shooting. An investigation revealed that Ben Overesch, 23, Lenexa, and Ian Burrow, 23, Overland Park, were shooting steel targets on the property. A bullet fired by Burrow ricocheted off the target and struck Overesch in the lower left abdominal area. Overesch was transported to Overland Park Regional Hospital to be treated for his injury.
- DEVENS, MA, 4/13/16: Federal officials are investigating a non-fatal shooting involving police instructors that took place at a training range at the former Fort Devens on Wednesday. An instructor from the Randolph municipal police training academy was shot at 10:05 AM during training, according to U.S. Army spokesman John Harlow. That instructor was flown by helicopter to UMass Memorial Medical Center. It is not clear how severe the officer's injuries are. The shooting was non-fatal and involved police instructors, according to State Police spokesman Dave Procopio. Federal authorities will lead the investigation because the range is a federal Department of Defense facility, he said. State police detectives from the Worcester County District Attorney's office will assist. "The investigation will determine the facts and circumstances of the shooting incident and determine whether it was a training accident," Procopio said. It is the second such incident at Devens in recent months. Last September, a state police sergeant accidentally shot himself while transferring a shotgun to a new vehicle. The sergeant was in the process of transferring a department-issued shotgun from his old cruiser to a newly issued one when the weapon accidentally discharged, hitting the sergeant in the leg, police said.
- HAMPTON, NH, 4/13/16: Authorities say a Hampton police officer accidentally discharged his pistol at the department’s firing range earlier this week and caused minor damage to a town police cruiser. The Portsmouth Herald reports the accident occurred around 5 PM Wednesday at the police department’s range located behind the Department of Public Works building on Hardardt’s Way. Police say the officer attempted to holster his department-issued .40-caliber Glock 22 pistol when it fired. Deputy Chief David Hobbs says the bullet went through the door of a nearby cruiser, but no one was injured. The department is conducting a personnel investigation, but Hobbs says the officer was not been placed on leave and is still working. Damage to the cruiser will be assessed when it’s taken to a body shop.
- LEBANON, NH, 4/13/16: Two men were arrested and more than a dozen guns and several types of drugs were seized after a Lebanon woman found a bullet lodged in an apartment floor, police said. Delina Nichols said she was house-sitting for her sister when she heard a loud noise early Wednesday morning. It wasn't until she woke up the next day that she found drywall all over a dining room table and a hole in the ceiling of the Heater Road apartment. "It just sounded like somebody dropped a big piece of glass upstairs and smashed it," Nichols said. Nichols said she didn't hear anything else, so she went back to sleep. "Six in the morning, I come out," she said. "There's sheetrock all over the table, her rug, in the other room, the kitchen. And then I see the hole." Nichols said she looked down and saw something sticking out of the floor. At first, she thought it was a knot in the wood. "I started to pull it and said, 'Wait a minute. That has brass,' and it dawned on me, so I called the Police Department," she said. Police said it was a .45-caliber round that came from upstairs. When concerned police officers didn't get an answer at the door of the second-floor apartment, they went inside. Police said they didn't find a gunshot victim, but they saw drugs and associated paraphernalia, along with evidence that someone was selling it. "It wasn't something that seemed to have started yesterday," Chief Richard Mello said. "It seemed to be pretty organized, as far as the amount of narcotic and controlled drugs in the apartment, as well as cash and firearms." Police got a search warrant and said they seized 14 weapons, from handguns to rifles, along with more than a pound of marijuana and numerous narcotics. "I was totally shocked when I read what they had found," Nichols said. "I never suspected a thing from up there." Ryan Dionne and Shaun Carey were arrested and arraigned. They both face drug-related charges, and Dionne was also charged with reckless conduct. Police said they believe he fired the gun. Nichols said she was glad her family wasn't in the apartment at the time. She said they often have trouble sleeping, and will walk through the area where the gun was fired in the middle of the night.
- OAKLAND PARK, TN, 4/13/16: A man cleaning a handgun accidentally shot himself in the leg Wednesday night, sheriff's Deputy Robert Livingston said in a report.Dwayne Bowden, of Oakland Park, told deputies he was cleaning a .45-caliber Republic Firearms handgun "and noticed there was a round in the chamber," the report said. "He went to rack the firearm to unload when it discharged, striking him in the left thigh," the report said. The bullet passed through Bowden's thigh. Entry and exit wounds in a "clear path" were evident, the report said. Bowden was treated at a local hospital but did not receive serious injuries, the report said.No one else was in the mobile home when the gun went off, the report said. The injury is "consistent with an accidental gunshot," the report said. Bowden told deputies there was no safety mechanism on the gun.
- BAY VILLAGE, OH, 4/13/16: The Kurinsky family calls it a bad case of déjà vu. Almost two years ago to the day, a bullet struck the family's home. A pregnant Jen Kurinsky was reading a bedtime story to her daughter when a bullet pierced the young girl's bedroom wall. The bullet, fired from an assault rifle, came from a neighbor next door. On Wednesday, it happened again. But this time, it happened to the Kurinsky's neighbors. "It's almost unbelievable," said Keir Kurinsky. But a second bullet hole doesn’t lie. On Wednesday, the Kurinsky’s neighbors called police to report Zack Gilchrist, the same guy who shot the Kurinsky’s home two years ago, accidentally fired a 9 mm gun into their garage. The garage is located right behind the Kurinsky's home. “And this happened at 3 PM, in the direction of the bus stop. Kids get off the bus at 3," Keir said as he pointed through his dining room window. “You can see they still haven’t fixed the bullet hole from when he shot our house from his bedroom two years ago,” said Keir. The Bay Village Police Department seized "several weapons" from the shooter's home on Russell Street. But Keir says it’s not about the guns. "He has a right to have a gun. He has a right to have 100 guns," said Keir. "It's just unsettling that it's happened again. Something more than probation needs to be done. You know accidents happen. Accidents like this don't happen twice."
- SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 4/13/16: An off-duty gun belonging to a San Francisco sheriff’s deputy was fired at the Hall of Justice in an accidental discharge that is under investigation, authorities said Thursday. The incident Wednesday involved a pair of unidentified deputies who work as bailiffs at the courthouse in the building on Bryant Street, which also includes jails and the district attorney’s office. One was showing the gun to another in the bailiffs’ office when a single shot was fired at 7:10 AM, said the agency’s chief of staff, Eileen Hirst. No one was injured. Bailiffs at the Hall of Justice do not carry their duty weapons with them because of how often they go into the jails, Hirst said. Department policy, however, allows all deputies to carry off-duty weapons when they qualify to do so through the sheriff’s range master on their personal time, Hirst said. Deputies can carry their off-duty weapons only when they are off work, and that includes traveling to and from work, Hirst said. While on duty, deputies must store their off-duty weapons in gun lockers, she said. The deputies involved in Wednesday’s incident will remain on active duty, and “if the investigation shows that corrective action is warranted, then it will be taken,” Hirst said. “Both deputies are undergoing a refresher in firearms safety,” she said. “All deputies qualify on their duty weapons once a year, as well as the beginning of their career, and part of that is basic firearms safety. It is drilled over and over. It is extremely important.” Sheriff Vicki Hennessy will be issuing a department-wide firearm safety bulletin, Hirst said, as well as instructing supervisors to go through gun safety and technique before each shift. Accidental gun discharges are “extremely rare,” Hirst said, with the last one by a deputy occurring in 2005 at his home.
- JACKSON, MS, 4/13/16: A child suffered a superficial wound at Merit Health Central hospital when a gun in her mother's purse accidentally discharged, Jackson Police Department confirmed. Authorities said the shooting happened in the Emergency Room when a gun went off in the child's mother's purse. The child is said to be a 2-year-old girl. Jackson police spokeswoman Colendula Green said the mother dropped her purse while standing by a vending machine, which caused her gun to go off inside her purse. The bullet ricocheted off the vending machine and grazed the child's face on the right side. Her injuries are said to be non-life-threatening. Merit Health Central Hospital released a statement saying weapons are prohibited on the hospital campus in order to protect the safety of patients, visitors, and employees. "This morning, an isolated incident involving the accidental discharge of a visitor's weapon occurred on our campus. It was addressed quickly, preventing serious harm to the patient and risk to others in the hospital," the statement read. They directed further questions to JPD. The investigation is ongoing, Green said.
- SANDY HOOK, KY, 4/13/16: A woman was injured following an accidental shooting in the 1200 block of Stamper Ridge in Sandy Hook. Kentucky State Police say a boy was dismounting from his horse and the .22 caliber pistol he was carrying fell from the holster and hit the ground. The gun then discharged, injuring the boy's mother Jereen Stamper, 39. Troopers say Stamper was shot in the side of her torso and was rushed to Cabell Huntington Hospital. She is listed in stable condition. There is no information if any charges will be filed and the incident is under investigation.
- LOUISVILLE, KY, 4/14/16: A teenager arrested on suspicion of killing his 19-year-old friend made his first appearance in court Friday morning. Rion Graves, 18, is charged with murder. Police said he shot Dustin Osborne early Thursday morning at a house on West Evelyn Avenue, near Churchill Downs. The coroner said Osborne was shot in the chest. In court Friday, Graves' attorney told the judge that the shooting it was an accident and that his client bought a gun for protection after he was robbed two weeks ago. The attorney said Graves was handing the gun to Osborne when it went off. “My client was stabbed pretty badly in a robbery attempt on him. He was just coming out of the store. He went out and purchased a .22. His friend came over. He looked at the gun, and when the gun was being handed back to him, it went off and killed the kid. They called 911 and he started to perform CPR. It's one of the saddest cases I've ever seen,” defense attorney Keith Kamenish said. Graves' attorney argued for a bond reduction, but the judge kept Graves' bond at $100,000. Graves is scheduled to be back in court on April 25.
- ATLANTA, GA, 4/14/16: As the search continued Thursday afternoon for a driver of a stolen truck involved in a police chase that ended near the Midtown studios of Channel 2 Action News, one of two passengers arrested in connection with the incident was released, police said. Police have not said which person was freed, but officers arrested a man and woman inside the stolen white Ford F-150 involved in the chase and crash. The driver got away. About 2 AM, police spotted the Ford, which was reported stolen April 6, Atlanta police spokeswoman Officer Kim Jones said just before 1 PM. It was turning from 10th Street to West Peachtree Street. The truck then turned onto 15th Street, and two officers followed it and attempted to stop the truck at 15th and Peachtree streets, Jones said. One of the officers angled his patrol car in front of the Ford truck, and both officers got out their vehicles. That’s when the Ford drove away and one of the officers accidentally fired a service weapon. “Officer Santa had his service weapon deployed and had an accidental discharge while the vehicle was driving away,” Jones said. [Ed. note: Officer Santa? Ho ho ho!] No one was injured. The Ford struck patrol vehicle No. 30207, did not stop and led police on a chase, which ended when the truck stopped on West Peachtree Street, Jones said. Officers were able to arrest one passenger who remained in the truck and one who attempted to run away. The driver may have jumped the gate to the television studios or run away from the area, police said. The suspect still in custody was charged with obstruction, Jones said. That person’s name was not released.
- SAN ANTONIO, TX, 4/14/16: A woman was in critical condition Thursday night after accidentally shooting herself in the leg with a shotgun at a Southwest Side convenience store. According to the San Antonio Police Department, the woman, in her 20s, rolled up to a Valero at Five Palms Drive and Old Pearsall Road with two other people around 10:45 PM. After one of the people she was with walked off, the woman got into an argument with her other companion, according to police. Police would not say whether that person was a man or a woman. During the argument, the woman stepped out of the vehicle with a sawed-off shotgun and continued arguing for a short time, according to SAPD. When the woman got back into the vehicle, she accidentally fired the weapon into her right leg, officers said. Emergency medical crews arrived shortly after the shooting and took the woman to University Hospital in critical condition.
- OMAHA, NE, 4/14/16: A man who police say shot himself in the leg near 14th and Bancroft Streets was taken to the hospital Thursday in critical condition. The shooting was reported about 7 PM in the area and the victim was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition.
- VICTORVILLE, CA, 4/14/16: An 18-year-old Adelanto resident was shot and killed Thursday night by a 17-year-old. At around 8:49 PM deputies from the Victorville Station responded to the report of a male subject that was shot in a home on the 13000 block of Bennington Drive in Victorville. Upon arrival deputies located Ronald McKinzie in a bedroom of the home deceased with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Sheriff’s Homicide Investigators were called to the scene to conduct an investigation. Investigators learned that McKinzie was shot by accidental discharge fired by a 17-year-old male teen that was at the residence. The male juvenile was arrested and booked into juvenile hall for negligent discharge of a firearm resulting in death. The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
- ANTIOCH, CA, 4/15/16: Police revealed Monday that officers had recovered a cache of firearms last week—as well as busted a suspected marijuana honey oil operation—following an accidental shooting on the 2800 block of Gentrytown Drive. The incident occurred around 1 AM on April 15, when officers arrived at the area to investigate a report of a shooting. A statement issued by Antioch police says the officers "detained four males after they initially attempted to turn out the lights and not answer the door," of an apartment in the area. After interviewing the bunch, officers were told that the apartment's resident, James Marasco, 30, had set his gun down on a table and it had gone off accidentally. The group agreed to a search of the residence, police said. Officers then found a stash of guns, including an AR-15, two hunting rifles, a pistol, a revolver, and a homemade gun. When police searched the balcony, they found a marijuana honey oil operation in progress and drugs packaged for sale, allegedly by AJ Jackson, 22, who was arrested along with Marasco. Marijuana honey oil is a super-concentrated form of cannabis that bears a visual resemblance to honey. Police also arrested the other two occupants, but they were later released. Marasco was arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm and conspiracy, while Jackson was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy, as well as a mix of drug violations, records show. Though the incident happened 10 days ago, police did not disclose it until Monday morning, in the city manager's weekly report.
- JACKSON, MS, 4/15/16: A 13-year-old girl was wounded Friday morning in a shooting involving her 16-year-old brother, Jackson police said. The girl was taken to a hospital before 9 AM, when police said they were notified. The shooting happened inside a house in the 2600 block of Hillside Drive, Officer Colendula Green said. The bullet grazed the girl's right armpit, Green said. "It could have been a more severe incident. We're glad it was a minor injury," Green said. "She's at a hospital recovering." Investigators believe the shooting was an accident, but were gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses to be sure, Green said. Police were trying to determine who the gun belongs to, Green said. This is the second accidental shooting this week involving a child. A 2-year-old girl was grazed by a bullet Wednesday at Merit Health Central Medical Center in Jackson. Police said the girl's mother dropped her purse and a gun inside went off. The bullet ricocheted off a vending machine and grazed the girl's face, police said. She was treated and released from the hospital.
- STILLWATER, OK, 4/15/16: A man is recovering in the hospital after accidentally shooting himself. Stillwater police were called to Stonegate Apartment Complex at 1800 N. Boomer Road around 3:30 PM to find James Thomas, 21, injured with a single gunshot wound. Thomas recently moved to Stillwater from Wichita, Kansas, according to Stillwater police. Investigators say Thomas accidentally shot himself while handling the gun.
- EAST RIDGE, TN, 4/15/16: Police are investigating a shooting at a motel in East Ridge. Shorty after 12 AM, a woman was shot outside one of the rooms at Cascades Motel along Old Ringgold Road. A captain with the East Ridge Police told News 12 that the woman told them she shot herself in the leg. She was rushed to the hospital by EMS. Our news crew was told that when Police arrived on scene the woman was with a man she had just met. The man and woman had just checked into the motel together. The woman, who police say has a history of being hired for sex, stepped outside to use the phone; the man stayed inside the motel room. He heard “a pop” and opened the door. The woman was outside and said, “I’ve been shot.” Police tell us the man administered first-aide and several people in the area called 9-1-1. When police got on scene they could not find a gun. They did, however, find a magazine, a gunshell casing, and two live rounds. The possible “John” she was with has been taken aside and is being questioned by Police. Police are still looking for the gun. No names have been released.
- GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 4/15/16: A man was arrested Friday after reporting he accidentally shot his girlfriend while cleaning his gun at a Grand Rapids home. The woman suffered a superficial injury to her head. She was conscious and alert when officers were called to the residence in the 800 block of Humbolt Street SE about 2:27 PM. The victim was transported to Mercy Health Saint Mary's, where police said she is expected to be treated and released. Police will forward a report to prosecutors.
- TEMPLE HILLS, MD, 4/15/16: The man who police say shot multiple people—including a Prince George’s County firefighter who died from his injuries—during a welfare check was released from police custody on Saturday. Prince George’s County police said Saturday that the man has not been charged. Police have not released his name. Police are trying to determine what may have caused the man to open fire on the firefighters who responding to a call for help at his residence in Temple Hills, Maryland. Firefighter and paramedic John Ulmschneider, 39, died from injuries suffered during the shooting. They had gone to the residence after the brother of the man who lived there told authorities he was concerned about the man’s safety, said Mark Brady, spokesman for the fire department. The man said his brother had trouble controlling his blood sugar and recently blacked out. He told authorities he was worried because his brother wasn’t answering the phone or the door and his car was parked in the driveway, Brady said. Crews arrived at the home at around 7:30 PM, Prince George’s County police Chief Hank Stawinski III said. But the resident didn’t respond when the firefighters arrived, so the firefighters opted to enter the home—at which point the resident opened fire. Police said the person inside fired several rounds, striking two firefighters and his brother, authorities said. Police said that once officers got into the home, the gunfire stopped. There were no police officers present when the firefighters decided to enter the home, Prince George’s County Police Department spokeswoman Julie Parker. Brady said that’s something firefighters do fairly routinely when there’s a concern about someone’s safety. He said anytime there is an incident such as this, the department will review its protocols and possibly make changes. “The firefighters, medics made a correct decision,” Brady said. “Time was of the essence. If this gentleman was experiencing a medical emergency we needed to get to him as quick as possible and we were attempting to do that.” Ulmschneider succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. He had been with the fire department for 13 years and leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old, according to Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker. He was known to his colleagues as “skillet.” A YouCaring page was established for Ulmschneider’s family Sunday. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered the state’s flag to be flown at half-staff in Ulmschneider’s memory. “His legacy as a husband, father and firefighter, and his commitment to protecting others, will not soon be forgotten by his loved ones, the community, or Maryland,” Hogan said in a statement. A volunteer firefighter, Kevin Swain, 19, was shot four times and was flown to shock trauma center in Baltimore. A press release Saturday indicates that Swain is a member of the Sykesville-Freedom District and Morningside Volunteer Fire Departments. Swain, who is from Sykesville, was surrounded by members of the firefighting community when he taken into surgery Friday. As of Saturday, he was expected to be okay. Two other firefighters with the Morningside Volunteer Fire Department suffered minor injuries while seeking cover after the shooting. He says one firefighter injured a knee and the other injured her jaw. The two were treated at the hospital and released Saturday. Police said the man’s brother, who responded with firefighters, also was shot but was not seriously injured.
- ST. LOUIS, MO, 4/16/16: A 2-year-old boy was shot this afternoon when his mother accidentally discharged a firearm. St Louis Police say the incident occurred inside a residence in the 5400 block of Oriole. The mother drove the child to the hospital where he is listed in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the hand. Police say no one is in custody at this time but an investigation is ongoing.
- SPRING, TX, 4/16/16: Authorities expect to file charges against a man accused of shooting a 15-year-old girl at a water gun fight Saturday evening. Investigators with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's office said they were getting conflicting reports about the incident but the shooting appeared to be accidental. The shooting happened at a family gathering at about 5 PM at a home on Precious Place and Roth Forest Ln. Eyewitness News spoke exclusively to a teen who saw the shooting. "When the 40-year-old man went to go get his dry clothes, he had a gun somewhere in there. And when he went to holster it he was spinning it on his finger, he pulled the trigger and accidentally shot her near the collarbone," said Lawrence Martinez. He pointed to an area near his collarbone and neck to indicate where she was shot. The girl did not have life threatening injuries and was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands and was listed in stable condition. The man with the 9mm appeared to be a family friend, according to neighbors. Lt. Daniel Garza said he could be charged with deadly conduct. One bullet ended up lodged in a car door several houses down. Two people arrived at the home where the family gathering was taking place at about 8:30 PM. A man asked for privacy and would not answer questions, but said he has to take care of his niece and he's glad she will be okay.
- PHILADELPHIA, PA, 4/16/16: A Philadelphia father was "carelessly and recklessly" waving a gun around a small bedroom with seven children present when it went off, killing his 4-year-old daughter, authorities said Monday. Maurice Phillips, 30, has been charged with third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and reckless endangerment and related counts in Saturday afternoon's death of Tahirah Phillips. Capt. James Clark, of the Philadelphia police homicide division, said Monday that the girl and her six siblings—who range in age from seven months to 13—were in the bedroom of the Kensington home when Phillips came into the room, took his gun from its holster and started "carelessly and recklessly waving and pointing the gun around in the room." The gun went off, striking the girl in the back of her head, "killing her instantly," Clark said. "We don't believe that he intended that to happen but because of his grossly negligent acts, this is ultimately what happened," Clark said. The other children became upset and began yelling, investigators said. They said Phillips got off the bed where he was sitting and struck his 5-year-old daughter "with a closed fist" and then "wiped the blood from his hand onto her shirt" in an attempt to shift blame. Police initially believed the girl's sibling fired the weapon. "He went as far as to punish the five-year-old to show how much he felt that she did this," Clark said. Authorities alleged that Phillips called his fiancee, and after she arrived, he changed his clothes and fled. Several hours later, he turned himself in to police. After homicide investigators "broke down his story," Phillips confessed he had accidentally shot the girl, Clark said. Police haven't yet identified the girl's mother. Five of the seven children, including the victim and the daughter originally blamed, are Phillips' biological children, Clark said. Attorney Dan Stevenson, of the Defender Association of Philadelphia, said the organization was handling the case but would have no immediate comment.
- SUTTON, AK, 4/16/16: An Anchorage man was killed Saturday after stepping into the line of fire while attempting to visually capture other people shooting guns in Sutton, according to Alaska State Troopers. Troopers were first notified of the incident at 10:36 PM when someone called to report a gunshot wound victim at a place known by locals as the Gravel Pits in the area of Jonesville Mine Road. When troopers arrived, an individual at the scene was performing CPR on 30-year-old Army veteran Adam Malaby. Malaby was medevaced to Providence Medical Center, in Anchorage, where he was pronounced dead. “Investigation revealed Malaby had stepped in the line of fire while attempting to video or photograph others shooting and was shot by another individual that was firing a .40-caliber pistol,” troopers explained. The area they were shooting in isn’t an official shooting range, but the sounds of gunshots and all-terrain vehicles are a constant. After living nearby for more than two years, James Meyers said he’s gotten used to some of the noise. “The ricochet bullets and the explosions you don’t really get used to; makes me nervous every time,” he said, adding that when he learned that a man had been shot and killed over the weekend, it didn’t come as a surprise. “I figured it was only a matter of time. With all that goes on up there, so many people shooting and so many indiscriminate directions without really any rules or guidelines.” Many are questioning how someone like Malaby, trained to handle firearms, could end up downrange. Others, like Dillon Barron, who’s been to the gravel pits and now avoids the area, said it’s likely he didn’t know he was in anyone’s way. “I have had cases where people have fired guns in my direction from behind me,” he explained. “There’s usually never a firing line established and other shooters fail to communicate with one another if they have to go downrange. This is where it gets dangerous. Add alcohol and ATV riders to the mix, and you can easily see how it’s an accident waiting to happen.” Meyers also painted a grim picture: “Alcohol, drugs, there’s people talking about hypodermic needles sitting out there. Some people are comparing it to like the ‘Wild West.’ You can just go out there and do what you want to do.” Troopers said they’re investigating whether or not alcohol was involved and would not release additional details of Malaby’s activities leading up to the shooting or about the event where the shooting occurred, citing their ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, Meyers said the Sutton Community Council met over the weekend, just before the incident, to discuss possible ways to regulate the gravel pits, so people can still enjoy them, but do so safely. Malaby’s next of kin have been notified of his death.
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