Thursday, February 23, 2017

Waldman's GunFail

Eight of 56 guns discovered by TSA agents at airports across the country, during the week of January 30-February 5, 2017.
Eight of 56 guns discovered by TSA agents at airports across the country, during the week of January 30-February 5, 2017.
GunFAIL doesn’t stop, I just sometimes fail to report it promptly. This time, we’re catching up on the week of January 29-February 4, during which 16 minors were accidentally shot, 15 people accidentally shot themselves, 9 people accidentally shot family members or significant others, 3 people dropped guns and accidentally fired them, 2 law enforcement officers accidentally discharged their weapons, 2 people accidentally fired guns they were cleaning while they were still loaded, 2 others accidentally fired their guns while they were out shopping or otherwise roaming about town, and 1 patriotic American selflessly shared his discharged ammunition with a neighbor.
Top stories this week? The police officer who accidentally discharged his weapon in DC’s Reagan National Airport. The Tennessee woman who took her gun with her to investigate strange noises outside her home, slipped on some ice, and accidentally shot herself in the leg. The Mississippi 4-year-old who found a parent’s gun (in an unlocked safe) and shot his 14-month-old sibling. And the old standby: the Alaska man who tried to balance his gun on top of the toilet paper dispenser in a supermarket restroom, and was accidentally shot in the leg when it fell off and discharged.
A typical week, in all respects, I’d say. The rest of the week’s stories are below the fold.
  1. EVANSVILLE, IN, 1/29/17: An Evansville man is in jail after police say he shot someone in his home. According to police, 20-year-old Kendall Lacy accidentally shot a man late Sunday night in the 700 block of South Kentucky Avenue. The victim was taken to the hospital. At last check, he's still there, but a police sergeant tells us he was awake and talking as he was taken out of the home. Lacy is charged with criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon. Police also found drugs in the home, and he's facing charges of dealing marijuana.
  2. SPRINGFIELD, IL, 1/29/17: A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a Sunday afternoon shooting in Springfield that injured one person. Springfield police say officers were dispatched to HSHS St. John's Hospital at about 12:21 PM for a report of a person with apparent gunshot wounds that just arrived by a personally-owned vehicle. Upon arriving, officers learned that a 17-year-old girl had sustained a gunshot wound to the hand and inner thigh. During the initial investigation, Springfield police were told that the shooting happened in the area of Third and Scarritt Streets. However, officers say further investigation into the shooting led police to believe that the shooting was accidental, and happened in the 200 block of East Canedy Street. Springfield police interviewed the victim's boyfriend, identified as Devin Leavell, 19, who allegedly confessed to his involvement in the accidental shooting. Leavell was arrested, and is facing preliminary charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.  We will provide more information as it becomes available.
  3. HAMDEN, CT, 1/29/17: A Hamden man was charged after police say he accidentally fired his gun while unloading it, sending a bullet through the apartment below him. Police say they were called to an apartment complex on Mix Avenue in Hamden on January 29 because a resident noticed a bullet hole in the ceiling of her bedroom, and found a bullet near her bed. Police say they found out 25-year-old Brian Rago lives above that woman, and discharged his gun while unloading it. Police say the bullet damaged a table before going through the ceiling. Rago is charged with 2nd degree Reckless Endangerment and Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm. He’s set to appear in court in Meriden on February 9.
  4. ARLINGTON, VA, 1/30/17: An airport police officer at Reagan National Airport accidentally discharged a firearm Monday, authorities said. At around 3:30 PM, Airports Authority Police responded to the exit lane of a security checkpoint for Terminal B and C after the officer accidentally discharged the weapon, an airport spokesman said in a statement. One round from the weapon hit a nearby piece of law enforcement equipment, the statement said, and airport police determined there was no threat and secured the scene. There were no injuries, according to the statement, and screening was halted for about five minutes at the checkpoint. The incident remains under investigation.
  5. EARLE, AR, 1/30/17: A teen in Arkansas accidentally shot and killed himself earlier this week while putting a gun into his waistband. Family members, heartbroken, told WREG they are praying for answers as they try to grasp what happened. They say Kevin Branch, 16, was involved in an altercation at a basketball court the day he died. "Evidently the young man made an idle threat," Angela Jones, the victim's cousin, said. "Kevin feared for his life." They are still unsure how Branch obtained a gun. "He went to put the gun into his waistband and we suspect that's when it went off," Chief Todd Grooms of the Crittenden County Sheriff's Department, said. Officials said evidence and witnesses, showed the teen had accidentally shot himself in the abdomen. "We don't suspect foul play in any way," Grooms explained. The family says Branch was a junior in high school, and an honors student. "Now he won't be able to enjoy the pleasure of most young men as far as walking across the stage and an honor graduate because his life ended last night," Jones said. Branch is remembered as a young man who was happy, loved fashion, and worked hard.
  6. DANDRIDGE, TN, 1/30/17: Suspicious noises and an icy step resulted in an accidental gunshot wound early yesterday morning in Dandridge, Sheriff Bud McCoig reported. Amanda C. Williams, 33, of Indian Creek Road, was treated and released at Jefferson Memorial Hospital for a gunshot wound to her left leg. She and her husband had heard suspicious noises outside at about midnight, and she picked up a .22 pistol as they went to investigate. According to Sgt. David Taliaferro’s report, Mrs. Williams accidentally discharged the semiautomatic as she slipped on an icy step. The bullet entered her left thigh and exited the lower portion of her knee, the officer said. Her husband, Rodney Williams, 41, heard the accident and ran to assist her. He drove her to the Jefferson Memorial Hospital Emergency Room, where deputies were called at 1:50 AM. Taliaferro said the emergency room physician indicated that the wound was consistent with Mrs. Williams’ explanation of the accident. She reported that they heard a car and voices outside, and her husband asked her where the pistol was. He was also outside trying to spot the vehicle, which apparently left the scene, when the accident occurred. Mrs. Williams reported that the gun had jammed just before the accident. She had removed the magazine and reinserted it before removing the lodged round. She had the gun in her right hand when she slipped on the step, she reported. Snow showers were moving through the area at the time, and temperatures had dropped below freezing.
  7. OZARK CO., MO, 1/30/17: 8:07 PM - Report of an accidental gunshot wound to woman’s hand. South Howell Ambulance responded. Howell County Sheriff’s Department took statement and faxed the report to Ozark County Sheriff’s Department. Wanted it on record.
  8. ALLENTOWN, PA, 1/30/17: An Allentown man accidentally shot himself in the leg as he was cleaning his handgun Monday afternoon and had to be taken to a hospital, police said. The 24-year-old man, who lives in the 500 block of Park Street, had just come home from a shooting range at 4 PM when he fired a round into his leg while he took the gun apart, police Capt. Dan Wiedemann said. The wound appeared minor, Wiedemann said, but he was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest for treatment. The gun owner will not be charged because the shooting was an accident, police said.
  9. PALMER TOWNSHIP, PA, 1/31/17: Cleaning a handgun Tuesday night in Palmer Township led to an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to township police. It occurred about 7:30 PM at a home in the 2600 block of Eldridge Avenue, a Northampton County 911 dispatch supervisor confirmed. Initial reports were for an adult male who had suffered a gunshot wound. Township police Sgt. Timothy Ruoff said the surface wound to the hand was minor and that the victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment. No one else was reported injured. Police did not have further information immediately available.
  10. OMAHA, NE, 1/31/17: Omaha Police say the victim of a Tuesday night shooting has died. He is identified as Benjamin Majestic, 44. Investigators say the shooting appears to have been accidental. Officers were called to an apartment near 141st and Manderson Plaza to investigate the shooting at 6:47 PM. They located Majestic who had suffered a gunshot wound. Omaha police have confirmed that he was accidentally shot by his 27-year-old son. Majestic was transported to the hospital and died as a result of his injuries. Police list Majestic's date of birth as January 31, 1973. He was shot on his birthday. Homicide Detectives have taken over this investigation.
  11. RANKIN CO., MS, 1/31/17: A 14-month-old was injured in an accidental shooting Tuesday night in Rankin County. Sheriff Bryan Bailey said deputies went to the scene after a 4-year-old in the home got hold to a gun that was in a safe. We’re told the safe was not locked. The 4-year-old accidentally shot the sibling. Sheriff Bailey said the children’s father was in the other room watching TV and noticed that the kids had gotten quiet. As he was getting up to check on them, a gunshot went off. The 14-month-old was hit in the arm and upper chest area. Authorities said no vital organs were hit. The father told deputies he thought the safe was locked. The child is in stable condition. No charges have been filed.
  12. SANDY, OR, 1/31/17: A Sandy man claims he accidentally shot his wife in the shoulder on Tuesday night. 56-year-old Duane Frey was arrested after shooting his wife in the shoulder with a .380 caliber pistol during an argument. His wife called 911 and was taken to a hospital. Her condition is unknown. Frey is charged with assault II, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, recklessly endangering and pointing a firearm at another.
  13. SANTA MARIA, CA, 1/31/17: A man who was reportedly shot on Jan. 31 in Santa Maria is a convicted gang member who shot and wounded himself, said Detective Paul Flores with the city’s police department. Initially, the department received a report of an 18-year-old man who checked himself into Marian Regional Medical Center after getting shot in the calf in the area of Cook and Western streets, according to Santa Maria Police Department Lt. Marc Schneider. It wasn’t clear at first if the man shot himself, since he was sitting in a car at the time, Schneider said, although initially there was “no evidence that it was self-inflicted.” After reviewing evidence, detectives determined that Bobby Romero-Torrez, 18, of Santa Maria, shot himself. Police identified Guy Parris, 20, of Santa Maria as a witness to the shooting. The same night he was shot, Romero-Torrez was booked into jail for violating the terms of his parole. On Feb. 8, he was booked into jail again on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm with an additional gang enhancement.
  14. JERSEY CITY, NJ, 1/31/17: The 14-year-old Jersey City boy who was found with a gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon near his grammar school shot himself, police said this morning. The School 15 student has been charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and possession of a firearm by a minor, city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said. Initially it was reported that the boy was shot in the calf sometime around 3:30 PM, near the corner of Wegman Parkway and Van Cleef Street. He went back to the school, about a block away, and police were called. But police began doubting the boy's initial statements after they viewed surveillance video, Morrill said yesterday. It was not immediately known if the boy had the gun inside the school during the school day. The 14-year-old was treated and released from the Jersey City Medical Center-RWJBarnabas and then remanded to a juvenile detention center in Union County.
  15. BERKELEY CO., SC, exact date unknown: A man reported to deputies that he accidentally shot himself with a 9mm handgun. The victim said as he unlocked the driver’s side door of his vehicle, the gun fell and he “believes that it struck the running board of his vehicle,” afterwards discharging and striking his right arm. The victim’s mother transported him to the emergency room.
  16. SOLDOTNA, AK, 2/01/17: A man injured Wednesday afternoon when his gun accidentally discharged was in the process of trying to secure it, according to Soldotna police. Officer Tobin Brennan responded to the bathroom in Fred Meyer in Soldotna at 12:35 PM for a man who had been wounded by a gunshot from his firearm. “He was trying to set it down and secure it on the toilet paper (dispenser) … and it fell off of there,” Brennan said. The man was shot in the calf, he said, and is alert and awake, being taken care of at the hospital. Brennan responded to the scene along with another Soldotna police officer and four Alaska State Troopers. The scene was secured in a matter of minutes, he said, with no major disruption to the store.
  17. HAMBLEN TOWNSHIP, IN, 2/01/17: A Bittersweet Lake Lane man was taken to a hospital Feb. 1 after he told police he accidentally shot himself in the face while attempting to unload a gun. Frank Conly told Brown County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Brad Stogsdill he dropped his gun while he was unloading it. He grabbed the gun, causing it to go off, according to a report by Detective Paul Henderson. A woman was home when Stogsdill and Henderson arrived, but she told police she was not there when the incident occurred. Henderson reported the man was lying on a bed, conscious and alert with an exit wound on the right side of his jaw below the ear. Conly denied intentionally shooting himself. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance.
  18. CARLSBAD, NM, 2/01/17: A 2-year-old boy who was fatally shot Wednesday was killed by a single bullet from a gun his brother was playing with, police said. At about noon, Carlsbad police were called to the scene in the 900 block of Lamont Street were four brothers between ages 2 and 5 were playing with a loaded handgun when it accidentally fired, said Sgt. Scott Naylor. Naylor said the deceased child was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. None of the other children were injured in the incident. The boys were at home with their mother and visitors at the time of the shooting, Naylor said. Naylor said the investigation is ongoing and there is the possibility that charges will be brought against the parents for child neglect or abuse. The four surviving children were placed in state custody during the investigation, he said. “It’s a tough situation all around,” Naylor said. “The children found a firearm in the residence. They played with it and it went off with a horrible result. It was put up, but you’ve got four little boys running around.” Naylor said officers are still interviewing witnesses, speaking with the parents and the other four children as part of the investigation. “They were scared beyond belief,” Naylor said of the boys. “It’s hard to read the children because they’re so young.” Fatal shootings involving children are rare in Carlsbad, Naylor said. He said the mother of the child was “very distraught” at the scene. “This is something you here very rarely,” he said. “The sad thing is that this could have been a 35-year-old getting shot and it wouldn’t have nearly the attention. It’s tragic but we have to look into the potential of neglect, and the environment to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Counseling was made available for the family and officers, many of whom have children themselves, Naylor said.
  19. CLAY CO., TX, 2/01/17: A Clay County Deputy accidentally shot himself with his own handgun Wednesday. According to KFDX, Clay County Sheriff Kenny Lemons stated that one of his deputies, who was off duty at the time, was getting into his personal vehicle. The unidentified deputy placed some belongings on top of his weapon and the gun went off, wounding the officer in his buttocks. At last report the deputy was being treated at United Regional.
  20. CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, 2/01/17: A man told police someone shot him in the right hand, Wednesday morning. The incident began when police received a call about an injured man at a parking lot on Kostoryz. Police say, when they arrived, a man told police someone shot him near the intersection of Prescott and Gollihar. The man was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A short time later, a witness told police the man shot himself in the hand by accident. The investigation is ongoing and the victim may face charges for filing a false police report.
  21. HOUSTON, TX, 2/02/17: Houston police responded to reports of shots fired at the Galleria on Thursday night. Witnesses said a man was carrying a gun in a backpack when it fell to the ground and the gun discharged. Police said the man did have a permit to carry, but his weapon was improperly secured. No one was hurt in the incident. The man was detained and questioned before police released him. The district attorney did not accept charges. Police said the man will most likely lose his license to carry and could lose shopping privileges at The Galleria. Police escorted the man out and he was told not to come back because he was in violation of their rules.
  22. BIRMINGHAM, AL, 2/02/17: According to Lieutenant Sean Edwards, the Birmingham Police Department is investigating an accidental shooting of a child. The child’s great uncle was taking the victim and another sibling to their school and daycare Thursday morning. He left the 8-year-old in the car during drop-off, but discovered the little boy had a gun shot wound to his upper body when he came back. The child was taken to UAB Hospital and then transferred to Children’s Hospital. Chief Roper was among the people who have come to Children’s to see about the child’s condition. We are told he is currently in surgery and his injury is life-threatening. The uncle is cooperating with investigators to see exactly how this happened. There have not been any charges filed at this time, but that is still a possibility. In the meantime, Birmingham Police tell us they are praying for the victim to pull through. They are describing this as a terrible accident, but also want to acknowledge that adults have to be responsible with their firearms to prevent tragedies like this from happening.
  23. NEZ PERCE CO., ID, 2/02/17: A 9-year-old boy succumbed to injuries he received in an accidental shooting at a residence south of Peck at about 4:55 PM this afternoon.  According to the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office, three male juveniles were in a bedroom playing when they located a handgun. "One of the juveniles attempted to move the gun to a safe location and the gun accidentally went off, with the bullet striking one of the juveniles," Deputy Lucas Martin says in the press release. "Clearwater County Ambulance responded and took the victim to Clearwater Valley Hospital, where he later passed away." The Clearwater County Sheriff's Office and the Idaho State Police assisted at the scene.
  24. MYRTLE BEACH, SC, 2/02/17: A 3-year-old boy was killed in an accidental shooting that took place Thursday in the Limestone at Arrowhead community, according to Horry County Coroner Robert Edge. On Friday, Horry County Deputy Coroner Darris Fowler identified the child as Brooks Steen of the Myrtle Beach area. The death is under investigation by Horry County police and appears accidental. Edge said the child got a hold of a weapon, which led to the shooting. Steen was inside the home he shared with his mother and grandfather when he found a gun and accidentally shot himself. Neighbors said his family is left grief stricken. It is currently unclear how the 3-year-old was able to retrieve the gun and then fire it. According to neighbors, the little boy's mother picked him up and ran to the house across the street yelling for help following the gunshot. A neighbor then drove the young boy and his mother to Grand Strand Medical Center’s emergency room. Steen was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon. According to neighbors, Steen was an only child and his grandfather's only grandchild. Many said they do not understand how a tragedy such as this could happen to what they described as an amazing family. Online records for the Horry County Police Department state a death investigation was registered at a location on Afton Court. The incident is listed as happening at 12:15 PM on Thursday. Following the shooting, officials with the HCPD posted information about firearm safety and the "huge responsibilities" that come with owning weapons. "Our prayers are with the family and everyone who has to endure such tragedy, including our own personnel," the Facebook post said in part. "However, we would be remiss to not remind everyone of the huge responsibilities associated with owning firearms." Krystal Dotson, public information officer for the HCPD, did not want to discourage people from owning guns. However, she strongly encourages everyone to practice good safety procedures when it comes to their weapons. "A lot of the gun toys look like real guns, and that's a great opportunity to say that not all guns are toys,” Dotson said. “And you want the child to be aware of the damage. But, obviously, there are children that are not (at) all of age to comprehend that message, and that's why it's crucial and a best, safe practice to keep it locked, keep a gun lock on it, and keep it out of the reach of children.” This is not the first time a child has died in an accidental shooting that happened in either the Grand Strand or the Pee Dee. In 2016, a 12-year-old was killed and a 7-year-old was hurt in the same incident in the Coward area of Florence County. Deputies said in that shooting an 11-year-old got a hold of the gun and accidentally fired it one time, killing 12-year-old Mason Powell.  No one was charged in the case. Also in 2016, a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in Lumberton. Officials said he found a gun stored behind the counter of a store his father owned and managed to pull the trigger. According to website GunViolenceArchive.org, this is the first deadly accidental shooting involving a child in South Carolina for 2017. The website states 211 accidental shootings involving children 11 years or age or younger have happened since 2014. Nine of those occurred in South Carolina.
  25. NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, 2/03/17: A 9-year-old boy accidentally shot his 7-year-old sister Friday evening while the two were alone at their North Charleston home. Police say the gun belonged to their mother, who had left the firearm in the couch. After the shooting, officers say the two children ran down the street to a neighbor's house for help. The mother, Shaneice Dent of Clifton Street, was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child. She also faces drug charges. Saturday morning a judge set bond amounts for Dent's charges - $75,000 for unlawful conduct towards a child $25,000 for manufacturing cocaine base $5,000 for cocaine possession and $5,000 for possession of heroin. Dent's boyfriend, Anthony Samuel, is charged with misprision of a felon because police say his gun was the one found in the couch. His bond amount for the charge is $75,000. The wounded girl was taken to MUSC for treatment. Police did not have an update on the girl's condition late Friday night.
  26. NORTH CHARLESTON, SC, 2/03/17: A North Charleston teen with a gunshot wound to the groin shot himself Friday afternoon, police say. Police say the boy, 15, told them he and some other kids were playing with firearms at the time. Police initially had been told someone in a blue Honda yelled at the teen before shots were fired. The incident happened in the 4800 block of Gaynor Avenue, which is near the intersection of Nesbit Avenue and two blocks from Highway 78. A spokesman with the police department says the boy was transported to a local hospital. Officers were dispatched just before 4 PM.
  27. DUDLEY, MA, 2/03/16: An 11-year-old boy died Friday after accidentally shooting himself in the head, according to reports from Dudley officials Friday evening. At 9:15 PM Friday, A Dudley police sergeant said Police Chief Steven J. Wojnar was at the location of the shooting, but no other information could be given because it was still an active scene. Later in the night, Chief Wojnar confirmed the child died from his injury and said state police were leading the investigation. The chief stressed there was no danger to the public. The district attorney's office did not release any information Friday night. UPDATE: An 11-year-old Dudley Middle School student who died of a gunshot wound Friday has been identified in his obituary as Alejandro Lorente.
  28. TROTWOOD, OH, 2/03/17: UPDATE @ 11:25 AM Feb. 4 The 20-year-old woman who on Friday was shot and killed, allegedly by her boyfriend, has been identified. The victim has been identified as 20-year-old Taylor L. McKee, of Union, Ohio, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. UPDATE @ 10 PM: The 18-year-old who police believe called 9-1-1 to falsely report that his girlfriend was shot as she walked to a gas station in Trotwood, then claimed he shot and killed her accidentally, is being detained in jail pending the filing of a reckless homicide charge. A caller to 9-1-1 who identified himself as Erby told an emergency dispatcher that he carried the woman back to the house on Horrell Road. "She got shot!" the caller tells the dispatcher.  "I think she's dead, Bro," he said. "This is scary as hell." The caller tells the dispatcher a bullet hit the woman in her arm and continued through her chest. He tells the dispatcher he and his girlfriend were on their way to get her child from a daycare facility, but her car was out of gas. Erby was booked into the Montgomery County Jail about 8:45 PM. UPDATE @ 8:18 p.m.: An 18-year-old man who claims he accidentally shot and killed a 20-year-old woman believed to be his girlfriend has been taken into custody, Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson said. The police department will pursue a charge of reckless homicide against the man, who has been taken to the Montgomery County Jail, the chief said. Police dispatched to the house on Horrell Road about 2:15 PM found the woman in the home, where paramedics worked on her. She was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police, in their investigation, detained two 18-year-old men and interviewed them at the police station. One of them told police the woman was shot outside the residence, while he walked with her to a nearby gas station. Wilson said that story, which was relayed by one of the men in a call to a 9-1-1 dispatcher, turned out not to be true. The chief said investigators have not established whether the man who made the 9-1-1 call is the same man who confessed to accidentally shooting the woman while they were in the house. He told police where they could find the gun Wilson said is a small-caliber handgun. "We believe that is the weapon that was used," the chief said. The male who admitted to the shooting denies that an argument led to the incident, but police are trying to verify his claim. "We have a long way to go before we have a complete picture" of what happened, the chief said. UPDATE @ 8:30 PM: A woman has died in this shooting in Trotwood, the police chief confirms. UPDATE @ 4:24 PM: A female has been shot and police are waiting to hear from medical personnel about her condition, Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson said. He said the investigation is fluid and would release no other details. A police officer is going through a car that is parked in front of the house. FIRST REPORT: Trotwood police have responded to the 5000 block of Horrell Road in response to a reported shooting believed to have occurred about 2:19 PM. According to Montgomery County Regional Dispatch, medical personnel are treating one female victim and her status is unknown. We are on our way to the scene and we’re working to learn more.
  29. FRESNO, CA, 2/03/17: Fresno police arrested a man Friday who had shot himself and was taken to the hospital by a driver who then was found to allegedly possess methamphetamine and was also arrested. Andrew Kousol, 24, who had a gunshot injury to his lower left calf area, arrived at Community Regional Medical Center around 6 PM. He was driven there in a white SUV and was being assisted by his brother, who police did not identify. Kousol and his brother were asked by police how the injury occurred. But the two did not provide many details, leading police to grow suspicious about the shooting. After they were told the shooting had happened somewhere in southeast Fresno and after examining the wound, police officers began to suspect that Kousol shot himself. In the SUV parked outside, a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun was found covered with blood and in plain sight in the cargo space of the vehicle. The driver and passenger of the SUV were held by police as they investigated the weapon. Arturo Garcia, 21, the vehicle owner, was found with an unknown amount of methamphetamine and heroin packed for sale, police said. The passenger was not identified. After all the discoveries, Kousol’s brother came clean to police, admitting Kousol had actually shot himself in the garage of their on the 4900 block of East Laurel Avenue in southeast Fresno. The family had found a bloodied and injured Kousol after they heard the single gunshot, the brother further told police. Eventually, police arrested Kousol and Garcia. Kousol, a self-admitted Lao Boys street gang member was on probation for evading a police officer. He was arrested Friday on suspicion of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Police said Garcia, a street-level drug dealer, was arrested for possession of heroin and methamphetamine for sale. Both suspects were booked into the Fresno County Jail on Friday night.
  30. PARK RIDGE, IL, 2/03/17: Park Ridge police investigating a report of a shooting along Higgins Road early Friday morning now believe the incident may have been an accident and did not involve an alleged robbery. Updated information provided by police indicates that investigators are "working under the premise" that the 21-year-old's man gunshot wound occurred as a result of an "accidental discharge" of a firearm while he was a passenger inside a car. Police are still investigating how exactly the shooting occurred and who was holding the gun at the time, said Deputy Police Chief Lou Jogmen. The victim earlier told police that he was shot in the neck after a man approached the passenger side of the car while it was stopped at a traffic signal on the 1400 block of westbound Higgins Road—near Mr. K's Garden and Material Center—and demanded money. The victim told police he could not provide a description of the suspect, but investigators now say the story of the robbery was fabricated.
  31. ALLENTOWN, PA, 2/03/17: A shooting at Fifth and Allen streets in Allentown on Friday night is believed to be accidental, police said. The victim was a 17-year-old boy who was shot in the stomach about 7:30 PM but is expected to survive, police Capt. Steve Vangelo said Saturday. Vangelo said police were unsure of many details of the shooting, including how it transpired and exactly where it occurred. But it appears the teen was shot by accident by someone else with a handgun, Vangelo said. "We are getting a lot of conflicting reports," Vangelo said. An Allentown EMS ambulance took the teen to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. An hour after the shooting, several police vehicles sat in front of a rowhouse at 413 W. Allen St. Inside the house, officers talked with residents. No crime-scene tape was set up.
  32. CABOOL, MO, 2/03/17: An accidental gunshot wound was reported on Highway M, Cabool, where a woman had dropped a gun and it discharged, striking her in the finger.
  33. RIDGELAND, SC, 2/04/17: Jasper County Sheriff Chris Malphrus said a 12-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the face by his 11-year-old brother Saturday morning. Malphrus said at 10:05 AM, the sheriff’s office responded to a call at 133 Wise Street in Ridgeland. Malphrus said the boys were playing with their mother's gun—a .9 mm pistol according to Malphrus—as she made breakfast. The child, who was shot in the cheek, was air lifted to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah. The sheriff’s office believes the injury is not life-threatening.
  34. AUSTIN, TX, 2/04/17: Austin Police are investigating a possible accidental shooting in South Austin. It happened early Saturday morning at the Cannon Place Apartments 1500 block of W William Cannon Drive. Police say the death of a man, believed to be in his 40s, was the result of a possible accidental shooting. He was transported to South Austin Medical Center with a single gunshot wound, where he was pronounced dead. The suspect, a man in his 30s, was attempting life-saving measures when officers arrived and is cooperating with police in the investigation.
  35. JACKSONVILLE, FL, 2/04/17: A young child was shot dead Saturday inside an apartment at Roosevelt Gardens in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office believes the shooting is accidental. A second child has injuries that are considered non-life threatening. “This is a tragic, unfortunate accidental shooting”, said Chief Chris Butler. At the time of the shooting the only occupants in the apartment were an 8-year-old boy, 5-year-old girl, and 4 year-old boy. Police say the mother had left the apartment to go to a store for an undetermined amount of time. The 8-year-old got a hold of a handgun and fired one shot, striking both the 5-year-old and 4-year-old. The girl died, and the boy is hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. JSO, the State Attorney's Office, and Department of Child and Families is actively investigating the shooting. "I can't tell you where the gun was or how that child got access to it.  Responsible gun owners should be securing their weapons, locking them up, making sure children don't have access to them or for that matter anyone else in the home", said Chief Butler.

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