Well, here we are again. Another week, another 17 people accidentally shooting themselves, another 11 kids accidentally shot, another eight accidental gun fatalities, four hunting accidents, four guns accidentally fired into neighbors’ homes or properties, two more gun cleaning accidents, two more guns accidentally fired while out and about in public, etc., etc., etc.
As usual, there are several unfortunate incidents that stand out among the crowd. Here’s one for you that presents an interesting problem for the “guns everywhere” society: A Florida man who brought his gun to work—for safety, of course—ended up accidentally firing it through the computer monitor at his desk and out into the main office. Ordinarily, I suppose destroying your office equipment and endangering your coworkers like that would get you fired. But who wants to risk having the guy who’salready shot up the office once as a disgruntled former employee?
Or how about the licensed concealed carrier who took the precaution of carrying a firearm, but not the precaution of turning off and locking his vehicle as he went into a convenience store? But hey, why turn off and lock your vehicle while you’re shopping, right? After all, if someone tries to steal it, it’s a perfect opportunity to do exactly what you've been dying to do all along: fire your gun at the bastard! Only it didn’t go like it had gone in your head, did it? No. Not only did you miss and the thief got away with your truck, but you shot out a hotel room window down the street. And the only guy who got arrested that day was you! The “law abiding, Responsible Gun Owner!” What an outrage!
I don’t know if you can really “top” that, but how about this one? Portland, Oregon’s chief of police has resigned following his GunFAIL incident, in which he accidentally shot a friend while out on a hunting trip. Apparently, one of the things that’s fun to do while you’re not actually hunting things you might eat is to sit around in camp chairs, drink beer, and shoot squirrels. It’s a little troubling that off-duty cops like to shoot things that bleed just for fun. More troubling, still, that they like to drink while they do it. And that the presence of police department firearms trainers on the trip doesn’t seem to dissuade them any. Then, of course, there’s the fact that when the local police come calling, nobody seems interested in letting them know they’re actually dealing with Portland’s chief. Or that the chief didn’t think it was necessary to tell Portland’s mayor that he’d shot a cop that weekend, and there might be some phone calls. Not handled well, all-around. Especially for a presumably Responsible Gun Owner.
The complete list of only slightly more believable stories from the week of April 17, 2016, appears below the fold.
- JOHNSTOWN, WI, 4/17/16: A turkey hunter was shot and killed Sunday morning by another hunter in Rock County. A 37-year-old Janesville man, whose name was not released, left his blind to retrieve a wounded turkey around 7:30 AM and accidentally ran into the field of fire of another member of his hunting party who was attempting to put a kill shot on the bird, according to the Rock County Sheriff's Department. The victim was shot in the back and pronounced dead at the scene in a field near N. Lima Center Road and county Highway A in the town of Johnstown. The victim was hunting with two family members. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday. The incident appears to be an accident, the Sheriff's Department reported.
- LODI, CA, 4/17/16: An 8-year-old Lodi girl was transported to an area hospital after she was accidentally shot near a relative's apartment complex Sunday afternoon. A man inside a nearby apartment says he was cleaning his gun when it went off, according to the assistant manager at the complex. The bullet went through a wall before eventually striking the girl. The girl is expected to be OK, according to her mother, who did not want to be identified Sunday night. The bullet lost momentum after going through the wall, and didn't pierce the girl's leg. The courtyard of the Lodi apartment complex, on the 400 block of North Church street, is normally a haven for young kids who live and play there. Sunday it was surrounded by Lodi police officers investigating the accidental shooting. "I just wish out neighborhood would get cleaned up because there's too many kids, apartment complexes, kids running around here. You never know if a stray bullet will hit them," said Linda Lopez, who has lived on the same block as the apartment complex for almost 20 years. She says she saw police arrest one man after the shooting. "Yeah. A lot of times," Lopez said when asked if she has seen incidents like this near her home in the past. People inside the apartment where the girl was refused to talk to FOX40. Neighbors say the girl's family went with her to Lodi Memorial Hospital. "I came out and I just saw cops everywhere," said James Epler, who lives right above the apartment where the gun went off. He says he didn't hear it but saw the aftermath. "Accidents can happen anywhere if you're not practicing responsible firearm safety," said Epler. For others the incident left a more unsettling feeling. "I have grandkids, and a granddaughter and a grandson that's 14 years old, and I just get scared because we don't know what's happening," said Lopez.
- AIKEN, SC, 4/17/16: An Aiken man reported Sunday that he had accidentally shot himself in the right leg with his handgun outside of his home on Hatchaway Bridge Road. The victim said that when he went to retrieve something from his vehicle, he heard a noise. When he tried to remove the handgun from a pants pocket, it fired.
- HONOLULU, HI, 4/17/16: A man was injured today after a rifle failed while it was being fired at Koko Head Shooting Complex. An employee said the man was next to a person firing a 9 mm rifle when the casing erupted and the man was hit with debris on his lower torso. The victim sustained non-life threatening lacerations and went to the hospital. Harvey Gerwig, president of the Hawaii Rifle Association, identified the victim as Christopher Mann, a former HRA board member. He said he heard from others that the incident was related to “catastrophic” rifle failure. He described Mann as a black powder specialist with an interest in historic weapons that fired using black powder.
- NASHVILLE, TN, 4/18/16: An investigation got underway in north Nashville after a man was shot. The incident was reported early Monday morning in the 2000 block of 14th Avenue North. Officials with Metro Nashville Police said the apparent victim said he’d accidentally shot himself in the foot. Officers on the scene said they began investigating it as a possible drive-by shooting but no evidence of that was found. The 38-year-old man was taken to an area hospital with unknown injuries. None of the area schools were placed on lockdown due to the shooting. Police do not believe there was any threat to the public.
- CHESTERFIELD CO., VA, 4/18/16: A Chesterfield man was charged with reckless handling of a firearm after an accidental shooting. Eugene J. Desimone, 21, was cleaning a handgun when it fired, according to Chesterfield Police. A bullet from the gun struck a woman in the leg. The woman, who was known to Desimone, was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police responded to the shooting call on Fern Hollow Drive, in the Ashbrook neighborhood, at about 9:11 Monday night.
- MARRERO, LA, 4/18/16: The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting in Marrero. It happened around just before 6 PM, at the intersection of the Westbank Expressway and St. Ann Street. According to an email from JPSO, two men were fighting over a woman. One pulled a gun and accidentally shot himself in the leg, before investigators said he fired several shots at the other man. Officials said the man was shot three times, and was taken to the hospital. He is reported to be in stable condition.
- NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR, 4/18/16: It all started with a stolen truck in North Little Rock, but quickly turned into a dangerous situation with the victim charged by police. It's a story the shows how actions can have unintended consequences. Just before midnight on Monday, 24-year-old Aaron Betts left his truck running as he went into a Shell Superstop off Highway 40 at Exit 157. When someone stole his truck, he came out shooting to try and stop the thief. Betts, who has a concealed carry permit and was carrying a gun at the time, came running out of the store firing his gun at the truck as the thief drove away, which ended with him charged with criminal mischief. He shot five bullets, one of which went through a hotel window more than two football fields away. "This is what happens when you have individuals carrying weapons,” said North Little Rock Police Sgt. Brian Dedrick. "A lot of people have concealed carries right now, if you're going to have a concealed carry and you're going to carry a weapon you have to be responsible. Weapons are dangerous things and you have someone across the way that was sleeping when a bullet shattered the glass to their motel room." "This could have really been a very bad situation,” added Dedrick. "You just can't go out and start shooting a weapon. This could have been a lot worse for the individual that was a victim of crime, had a person been injured or even killed." Betts also had another gun that was inside the truck which was stolen as well, and police are still looking into that theft. He has been charged with criminal mischief. His gun was taken by police and his concealed carry license suspended while the state looks into the case. THV11 reached out to Betts on Tuesday, but did not receive a comment.
- CHANDLER, TX, 4/19/16: Henderson County law enforcement officials are investigating an alleged accidental shooting south of Chandler. According to officials with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, a man and woman were injured in a shooting on County Road 3105 near the Westwood Beach subdivision. The man received a gunshot wound to the ear and the woman was shot in the hand. Neither victim has life-threatening injuries. Authorities are in the beginning stages of the investigation and are not ruling anything out at this point, but it is possible that the shooting was accidental.
- MILWAUKEE, WI, 4/19/16: Milwaukee police are investigating three separate shooting incidents that occurred between Tuesday night, April 19th and Wednesday morning, April 20th. One person is dead and three others were injured as a result of the shootings. The second shooting occurred around 10:30 PM near 7th and Burleigh. Police say a woman accidentally shot herself after a suspect forced his way into her home. We’re told the woman tried using her firearm to defend herself, and ended up shooting herself in the leg. She is recovering at the hospital.
- MOUNT PLEASANT, MI, 4/19/16: A scary morning for people in a local hotel when police say a gun accidentally went off. While no one was hurt, the person who fired the shot could end up facing charges. It happened just after 9 Tuesday morning at the Fairfield Inn in Mount Pleasant. Police got a call that a gun had been fired. They found out that a downstate woman had accidentally fired the shot. The bullet went through a TV and hit a wall. Police say it's another reminder that, no matter where you are, gun safety is crucial. “It's always good to remember safety etiquette with a firearm anytime something like this happens. Remember to treat a gun like it's always loaded. Never point it in a direction you're not willing to shoot something,” says Jeff Browne, Mount Pleasant Police. The woman did have a valid concealed pistol license. A report has been sent to the Isabella County prosecutor for review.
- COPLEY, OH, 4/19/16: Police investigated an incident at a Stonecreek Drive residence at 6:50 AM April 19 after a woman handling her husband’s pistol accidentally fired a round. The bullet went through the wall of her home and into the bedroom of a neighboring home, struck a bedpost while her neighbors were sleeping and fell to the floor. No one was injured, but the woman who fired the pistol was transported by EMS to a hospital for evaluation. Police contacted the prosecutor, who recommended no charges be filed at the time.
- POOLER, GA, 4/19/16: Pooler Police are investigating after two men in their early 20s were injured in a shooting at the Carlyle at Godley Station Apartments in Pooler. According to officials, one man sustained minor injuries while the other man sustained serious injuries. Police believe the shooting was accidental in nature. "So far, the evidence suggests that it is accidental. Of course, we are not done, we will follow that through, and if it turns into something else, we will head in that direction," said Captain Karen Zantow, Pooler Police Department. The company that owns the apartment complex says they did not know enough to issue a statement, but they did say safety is their top priority. This is the same apartment complex that had a high-speed chase end in a crash, after a carjacking on Oct. 2014. One resident says this shooting is the final straw. He and his two-year-old son are moving out. "The last six or seven months, I feel it has gone downhill. I am surprised that a shooting happened, but I have seen other things that are not so good here," said resident, Charles Ogletree. Police feel confident that this was an isolated incident, and they say folks living at the complex or in the area should have little concern. "I do not see any reason for people to feel any higher concern than they already do at this point," said Captain Zantow. Police have recovered the weapon, and no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed at this time. Neither man lives at the Carlyle.
- SACRAMENTO, CA, 4/19/16: A 17-year-old boy found shot in the head in a Sacramento neighborhood died overnight after he accidentally shot himself, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Officers received a call about 6:15 PM Tuesday that someone was shot in the 7800 block of Sunrise Greens Drive. Deputies found the teen, later identified as Tayon Shelby, of Sacramento, in a parked vehicle with a gunshot wound to his head, officers said. Shelby was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but later died. Investigators believe Shelby shot himself while manipulating a handgun inside the vehicle. There were other teens in the vehicle with Shelby, but only one stayed to help him after the shooting. Officers don’t know who the gun was registered to, but do not believe it was stolen. Deputies initially received information about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, which led them to believe there was an outstanding gunman, but that turned out to be false, officers said. No additional details about the shooting or the victim has been released.
- WEST POINT, CA, 4/20/16: A 14-year-old was killed Wednesday in Calaveras County after another teenager accidentally shot him, according to deputies. Family members identified the boy as Colby Fouch of West Point. “Everybody loved Colby,” Mason Fouch, Colby’s adoptive brother said. Mason Fouch sayid he ran to his brother’s side when he heard he had been shot. But when he saw him, he says he knew Colby wouldn’t make it. “I already knew then. Seeing the hole in his throat, I knew it for a fact,” Mason said. He said the 16-year-old who shot his brother was his friend and that the two boys were hanging out in a piece of land close to Colby’s house. Although, the sheriff's department said they were told the boys were bird hunting. “Where the hunting comes in, it says reportedly, it’s an alleged reported hunting accident,” Sgt. Anthony Eberhardt, Public Information Officer for the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Department said. “All the aspects and the motive and the relationship between the two, that’s all currently being investigated.” Mason said he wants to think it was just an accident. “I wouldn't think that he would do it,” Mason said. “I couldn’t see him doing it because they're friends.” The 16-year-old who pulled the trigger was arrested for negligence when shooting the firearm. The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Dept wouldn’t comment on what type of gun he had or how he got ahold of it. UPDATE: A shooting Wednesday that left a 14-year-old West Point boy dead was not a hunting accident, according to the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office.The sheriff’s office is investigating the incident as a shooting, Sgt. Anthony Eberhardt said. The shooting happened Wednesday at a quarry near the 1000 block of Bald Mountain Road in West Point. Sheriff’s deputies responded, at 3:40 PM, to a call that indicated the 14-year-old boy was shot by a 16-year-old, also of West Point.Eberhardt said Friday that the Calaveras County Sheriff’s’ Office had the 16-year-old in custody on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm.
- WILMINGTON, NC, 4/20/16: A man has died as a result of an accidental shooting in Wilmington Wednesday morning. Wilmington Police said it was initially thought to be a suicide but it was accidental. New Hanover County dispatch received a call about a victim with a gunshot wound to the head around 12:45 AM in the 300 block of Grass Lane. Police on scene said the victim was a man, possibly in his late teens or early 20s, but a medical examiner will do an autopsy. There were other people in the home at the time but no one else was injured. It is unclear what events led to the shooting.
- MCHENRY, IL, 4/20/16: A 74-year-old McHenry-area man was taken to the hospital Wednesday after he accidentally shot himself in the hand, police said. The man was taking apart his 9 mm handgun when the gun went off, McHenry County Sheriff's Deputy Aimee Knop said. He was home alone and called rescue to his home in the 4800 block of Wildwood Drive in unincorporated McHenry about 11:40 AM, Knop said. A Wauconda Fire District crew transported the man to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington with an injury officials said was not considered life-threatening. Knop said there were no signs of foul play or suspicious activity. Police did not issue any citations.
- INDIANAPOLIS, IN, 4/20/16: A 2-year-old child died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Indianapolis' northwest side Wednesday night, police said. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to the 5200 block of Alameda Road, near 52nd Street and West Kessler Boulevard, on a report of a person shot shortly after 9 PM. When officers arrived, they found a 2-year-old child with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. The child was taken to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in critical condition, and he later died. Police confirmed that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.
- PARIS, TX, 4/20/16: A woman accidentally shot herself Wednesday, according to Lt. John Berry of the Paris Police Department. Paris police officers responded to Paris Regional Medical Center in regards to an accidental shooting. The female patient was said to have received non-life threatening injuries according to Berry. The case is under investigation.
- LAS VEGAS, NV, 4/20/16: A 3-year-old boy was treated at Sunrise Hospital after police say his father negligently discharged his gun on Wednesday night. The man was washing his car at a self-service car wash, located at Spring Mountain Road and Decatur Boulevard, when the gun in his pocket discharged. “The bullet impacted his young son and he received non-life-threatening injuries to his right leg,” Metro’s Officer Michael Rodriguez said. Authorities and gun advocates believe the entire situation could have been prevented. FOX5 reached out to the owner of Green Valley Range in Henderson, who believes that even if the shooting was not intentional, there should have been more mindfulness in handling a gun near a child. “The trigger will not pull itself,” said Jerry Tumminia. “You can’t have an accidental discharge, it is negligent. You did something negligent in the handling of your firearm.” Tumminia teaches beginners gun safety before they receive their gun license. He said the most important lesson is knowing when and how to use your weapon. “The biggest thing is to teach people that the finger is never on the trigger unless they’re on target and ready to shoot,” Tumminia said. “If you do not put your finger on the trigger and pull it, you’re not going to fire the firearm.” The child victim has since been treated and released from the hospital. Police said they will investigate to determine if the father will face criminal charges. “Investigators look into everything, including if it was accidental or the malfunction of the weapon,” Rodriguez said. “Those are all factors we look into before determining criminal charges.” The family is cooperating with police.
- MOHAVE VALLEY, AZ, 4/21/16: A woman accidentally fired a gun at a man attempting to repossess her car Thursday afternoon, the Mohave County Sheriff’s Department said. Rochelle Danee Wood, 31, of Mohave Valley, pointed a gun at a 38-year-old man who was on her property to repossess her car, according to a press release from the sheriff’s department. The firearm accidentally discharged as she was pointing the weapon, but it didn’t strike the man, who was in his car attempting to leave the property, the news release said. A neighbor told deputies he heard the bullet strike tree branches above him. Wood was arrested and booked into Mohave County Jail on a felony disorderly conduct charge.
- ST. AUGUSTINE, FL, 4/21/16: St. Augustine police are investigating an apparent accidental shotgun shooting of a 15-year-old boy Thursday. Police said the victim, whose name was not released, was shot in the right leg and taken to UF Health Jacksonville. Police said he was shot by a friend who was trying to hide the shotgun when it discharged. The shooting occurred about 8:30 PM on the first block of Spring Street. Interviews with witnesses were continuing Friday.
- MILTON, FL, 4/21/16: It’s unclear whether the Florida State Attorney’s office will file charges against a man who accidentally fired his weapon at work. A Santa Rosa County tax collector’s office employee accidentally discharged his weapon shortly after 4:30 PM yesterday, Milton Police Department Capt. Tony Tindell said. There were no injuries. “The round didn’t travel far,” Tindell said. “(The investigator) found (the bullet) outside the office on the floor. “It went through his computer monitor,” he added. “From what we gathered, it wasn’t close to injuring anybody.” The gun’s owner has a conceal carry permit, Tindell said, adding he believes there is one other person in the office who knows the owner has a gun. The MPD began the investigation around 10 AM Friday when the incident was reported. Pending further investigation, James Parker with the State Attorney's office said the shooting appears accidental. "There is a statute which makes (the discharge) criminal if a firearm is displayed in a rude or angry manner but that doesn't appear to be the case from what I understand." Pending further investigation, James Parker with the State Attorney's office said the shooting appears accidental. "There is a statute which makes (the discharge) criminal if a firearm is displayed in a rude or angry manner but that doesn't appear to be the case from what I understand."
- KANSAS CITY, MO, 4/21/16: A Kansas City man, whose 2-year-old daughter shot herself in their home last week, is now facing a murder charge. Courtenay S. Block, 24, has been charged with second-degree murder. His daughter, Shaquille Kornegay, died last Thursday at the hospital. Last week, the day after his daughter apparently shot herself in the head, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges of endangering the welfare of a child and tampering with physical evidence. On Wednesday, prosecutors filed an amended complaint, adding the felony murder, child abuse and and possession of up to 35 grams of marijuana. According to court records, Kansas City police officers arrived at the home in the 2600 block of Lawn on April 21 and found Block holding his unresponsive daughter. She had apparently been shot in the head. The Medical Examiner examined the victim and determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound. "This homicide was 100 percent preventable," said Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. "This is tragic. We must do a better job of protecting our most vulnerable, our children." Block told police he kept a loaded handgun in his home. Block said he heard Shaquille crying and observed his handgun on the floor next to her. He picked up the gun and walked to the bathroom to conceal it. Then he walked outside with Shaquille and notified a neighbor, who called police.Officers found the handgun in a bathroom floor vent covered by a child's T-shirt. Block is currently being held in the Jackson County Detention Center. Prosecutors have requested that Block’s bond be increased to $250,000.
- HARNEY CO., OR, 4/21/16: Portland Police Chief Larry O'Dea is under state investigation for accidentally shooting a friend in the back during an eastern Oregon hunting trip last month. O'Dea was on vacation April 21 in Harney County when he fired his .22-caliber rifle, striking a friend once in the lower left side of his back, according to police and Harney County dispatch records. O'Dea on Friday called it a "negligent discharge.'' He was off-duty at the time. Retired Portland police Sgt. Steve Buchtel, a former head of firearms training at the Police Bureau, was with O'Dea and called 911 at 4:37 PM that day. The wounded 54-year-old man was described as "alert and breathing," according to dispatch records. He was driven to the Fields Station restaurant in Fields, where he was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to the closest trauma hospital, St. Alphonsus in Boise. "I'm very thankful that my friend is OK, and I'm tremendously upset this happened,'' O'Dea said in a prepared statement. He didn't comment further. Police didn't explain why O'Dea was only now publicly acknowledging the shooting. Portland police and the Harney County Sheriff's Office didn't identify the friend who was shot. Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Justice are now investigating O'Dea, state police Capt. Bill Fugate confirmed. Because the shooting occurred during an off-duty trip and not during a law enforcement action, the state police certification agency likely won't get involved in the case, said Eriks Gabliks, director of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards & Training. "He was there as a hunter,'' Gabliks said. "It's a sad, tragic hunting accident.'' The shooting happened in the Catlow Valley area of Harney County, about 80 miles south of Burns. It's unclear if Harney County sheriff's deputies knew then that the shooter was Portland's police chief. Harney County Sheriff's Lt. Brian Needham said he couldn't make a police report available because it hasn't been finalized. He didn't release further details about what occurred. The investigation is ongoing, he said. Portland police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said he couldn't answer whether O'Dea identified himself as chief. "I don't have any other information to offer you on this right now,'' he said. O'Dea reported the shooting to Mayor Charlie Hales and to the Police Bureau's Professional Standards Division Capt. Derek Rodriguez, Simpson said. He didn't indicate when that happened. "Larry O'Dea is a great chief, who is heartsick over hurting a friend,'' Hales said in a statement. Hales appointed O'Dea in 2014 to replace retiring Chief Mike Reese and O’Dea was sworn in on Jan. 2, 2015. O'Dea served as a reserve officer in Fairfax County, Va., and a reserve deputy sheriff in Clackamas County before joining Portland police in 1986. He was appointed as an assistant chief in November 2008. Kristina Edmunson, spokeswoman for the state Justice Department, said the agency couldn't comment on the investigation. It's unlikely the shooting would result in a criminal prosecution, considering the victim is a friend of O'Dea's, according to legal experts. The rarely used negligent wounding statute, though, might apply in the case -- a Multnomah County judge ruled in 2011 that the state law was drafted to apply to hunting cases. Under the statute, "any person who, as a result of failure to use ordinary care under the circumstances, wounds any other person with a bullet or shot from any firearm, or with an arrow from any bow, shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by a fine not to exceed $500, or both." The shooting appears to have some similarities to Vice President Dick Cheney's notorious hunting accident in 2006 in Texas. Cheney shot 78-year-old lawyer Harry Whittington while aiming for a quail on a private ranch. Cheney didn't publicly disclose the accident until the next day. He struck Whittington, an acquaintance, in the face, neck and chest with shotgun pellets. Whittington suffered a mild heart attack caused by a pellet that traveled to his heart, but he recovered. Texas authorities closed the investigation without bringing any charges. President George W. Bush said Cheney handled the situation "just fine." MORE: Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward was initially told an accidental shooting involving Portland Police Chief Larry O'Dea was a "self-inflicted accidental shooting," the sheriff's office said Monday. But it turned out that O’Dea had accidentally shot his friend during an April hunting trip in the county. According to the sheriff's office, Ward's initial briefing on the shooting was the next day. On that day he was told that someone had accidentally shot himself. But as the investigation into the shooting continued, information came to light that contradicted Ward's initial briefing. It wasn't until May 16 that Ward was told that the shooting involved O'Dea. When Ward learned Portland's police chief was involved in the incident, the sheriff's office said Ward requested Oregon State Police help in the investigation that same day.
- CHICAGO, IL, 4/22/16: A 20-year-old man was treated at Mount Sinai Hospital after accidentally shooting himself in the hand around 11 PM Friday in the 3100 block of West Douglas Boulevard in Lawndale, according to the police. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. Friday afternoon, a teenage boy was hurt in another accidental shooting on the South Side, police said.
- CHICAGO, IL, 4/22/16: A 17-year-old boy accidentally shot himself Friday afternoon in the South Shore neighborhood. The shooting happened about 1 PM in the 6900 block of South Paxton, according to Chicago Police. The teen was shot in the left leg and was taken in good condition to Jackson Park Hospital, police said. Police said the shooting appeared to be accidental and self-inflicted.
- ARLINGTON, TX, 4/22/16: A 4-year-old Arlington girl accidentally shot a family member Friday, police say. Police were called to a home in the 4200 block of Troy Lane, near West Pleasant Ridge Road and West Green Oaks Boulevard, around 2 PM after a shooting was reported. The 4-year-old apparently got hold of a .40-caliber handgun and shot a male relative in the leg, KDFW-TV (Channel 4) reports. The man was hospitalized with injuries that weren’t believed to be life-threatening. Police were still investigating the shooting; no charges have been filed.
- NATCHITOCHES, LA, 4/22/16: A 3-year-old is dead, a man is in jail and police still are looking for the gun. Natchitoches police detectives say the boy found the pistol and accidentally shot himself once in the head just before 5:30 PM Friday. It happened at a residence in the 600 block of Sabine Alley. The child was taken to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, where he later died. Now 22-year-old Alverious Demars, of Natchitoches, is being held in Natchitoches Parish Detention Center on 1 count each of negligent homicide and obstruction of justice in connection. The latter charge arises from the fact that the gun has yet to be found. No bond has been set for Demars. Police said that won't happen until he goes before a judge Monday.
- LAGRANGE, GA, 4/22/16: Two men in two separate incidents told LaGrange police they accidentally shot themselves while holding a gun over the weekend. The first incident occurred Friday about 10 PM. The man told officers he was a passenger in a vehicle traveling through the Laurel Ridge subdivision. The victim said he pulled the firearm out of his pocket and accidentally discharged the weapon just as the car hit a speed bump. According to the report, the man shot himself in the lower part of his right leg. He was transported to Grady hospital in Atlanta for further treatment. The man told police he threw the gun out of the window of the car after it went off. Officers did not locate the weapon.
- ALBANY, OR, 4/22/16: 7:34 PM Friday, 1500 block Jefferson Street S.E. A man reported that he had accidentally shot himself with a revolver while trying to unload the pistol. Bradley Cameron, 29, of Albany, shot himself in the upper abdomen, and the bullet hit a rib and lodged in his hip. Officers who responded helped to provide first aid. Cameron was transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis.
- WICHITA, KS, 4/22/16: Mekko Stumblingbear’s boss had forgotten to call him to say there was no demolition work to be done Friday. So Stumblingbear — thinking he had to go to work — walked less than 50 steps across the street to his boss’ house Friday morning, where he got rides to work. Stumblingbear, 19, was killed there early Friday morning. Police said he was shot in the living room of the home, at the corner of McCormick and Glenn streets in southwest Wichita. Megan Stumblingbear, his mother, said his co-workers inside the house were “playing with some of their Airsoft guns” — a brand of replica firearm designed to shoot pellets — when one of them allegedly picked up a real handgun and fired it at her son. After the shooting, the people inside the home scattered, and police received a call that Stumblingbear had committed suicide, she said. He was pronounced dead at 7:15 AM Friday. That didn’t make sense to the Stumblingbear family — suicide is strictly condemned in their Native American culture. “I was taught that (when) people that kill themselves, they don’t make it home,” Megan Stumblingbear said. “They don’t get to go to heaven.” Throughout the afternoon, police questioned other people inside the home and began seeking a 22-year-old man in connection with the case, Megan Stumblingbear said. Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said in a statement the man was arrested around 2:30 PM in the 2200 block of West McCormick. The man arrested had just begun working with Mekko Stumblingbear on Tuesday, his mother said — he was called in to replace Mekko Stumblingbear when he was sick. “(He) has known Mekko … all through high school and they were fine — they never had an issue,” Megan Stumblingbear said. “Mekko … didn’t have an issue with anyone. He was just one of those people that had a smile from ear to ear. He always wanted everyone to be happy.” Police investigators are working to determine whether the shooting was intentional or accidental, according to a news release from the department.
- ST. LOUIS, MO, 4/23/16: A St. Louis police officer is reported in stable condition after an accidental shooting Saturday night. Police say the officer suffered a gunshot wound to the leg shortly before ten o’clock at Broadway and East Grand. Police say the ten-year veteran was approaching a vehicle that ran from a traffic stop. The car door opened and the door either bumped the officer’s gun or startled the officer, and the gun went off, firing a single round.
- DUNBAR, WV, 4/23/16: Dunbar Police say an argument over a woman led to a man accidentally shooting himself in the leg. Police say officers responded to Rallows on W. Washington Street in Dunbar about 10:25 AM Saturday. They say two men got into an argument over a woman. One man allegedly pulled out a club. The other pulled out a pistol and accidentally shot himself in the leg. Police say the man had a carry conceal permit. His injury is not life threatening. The man who pulled out the club left the scene, but was arrested by police a short time later on unrelated charges. Charges in this case could be filed.
- NEW ORLEANS, LA, 4/23/16: The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a shooting Saturday afternoon they said involves two children. It happened around 2:30 PM, in the 7600 block of Downman Road. Police authorities said a 12-year-old was playing with a gun when it fired, hitting a 14-year-old in the left thigh. According to police, the 12-year-old has been detained. Officials said the injured child was brought to the hospital, but there is no word on the child's condition. Police said the investigation is ongoing.
- WAVERLY, NY, 4/23/16: A Bradford County man has been arrested for felony reckless endangerment in the first degree. Samuel O. Olugun, age 33 of Sayre was arrested following a police investigation into an "accidentally firing of a firearm" incident at 141 Chemung Street, in the Village of Waverly. On April 23 at 7:14, Waverly Police received a call reporting that a female needed medical and police assistance. Police found that an 87-year-old female had been struck by a bullet in her left leg. The victim was taken to the RPH -Sayre PA emergency room for medical treatment by Greater Valley EMS. It was found that Olugun, who was visiting at the upstairs apartment had accidentally / recklessly discharged a rifle style gun into the floor. The bullet went into the bathroom floor area of the upstairs apartment into the downstairs apartment striking the victim, who was sitting in a chair in her living room area. Olugun was arraigned in the Village of Waverly and sent to the Tioga County Jail to await further legal action. The victim has been released from the hospital.
- NEWCASTLE TOWNSHIP, OH, 4/23/16: Authorities said a turkey hunter was accidentally shot from behind Saturday morning, but has since been released from a Columbus hospital. In an unrelated incident, safety personnel early Monday morning searched for and found a mushroom hunter reported lost overnight in the Woodbury Wildlife area, near Township Road 280 and Ohio 83. According to a press release from the Coshocton County Sheriff's Office, James Snipp, 53, of Apple Creek, Ohio, was transported Saturday by medics from the Coshocton County Emergency Medical Service to Knox Community Hospital suffering from an accidental gunshot wound. He was later transferred to Grant Medical Center, Columbus. A spokeswoman there said he has been discharged. The sheriff's office received a 911 call on that shooting at 8:27 AM Saturday. Medics were called to the area of 34085 Township Road 363, north of Walhonding, in Newcastle Township, said Todd Shroyer, director of the Coshocton County EMS. The shooting involved two different hunting groups, Shroyer said. "The person who shot him didn't know he was there," Shroyer said. Shroyer said the wound was accidentally inflicted by some form of birdshot fired from a shotgun. The incident remains under investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
- FAYETTE CO., IA, 4/23/16: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating the fatal shooting of a hunter Saturday afternoon. Sixty-three-year-old Michael Adams of Oelwein was shot in the chest and face with a 12-gauge shotgun fired by another turkey hunter in his group around 3 PM. It happened north of Maynard in Fayette County. Adams died at the scene.
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