Example: A delivery worker was accidentally shot at a customer’s home by—get this—a gun knocked off a table by his dog.
Freedom-loving Chicagoans are surely excited to finally be able to carry concealed firearms, especially folks with a particularly pressing need to protect themselves. Like the cell phone store owner who, defending himself from an armed robber, sprang into action to put a bullet in the chest of an innocent 27-year-old man at the bus stop across the street, and another through the wall of the apartment of a nearby family of five (and into their TV set). Take that, knave! Whoever you are, that is. Because he left the scene, unharmed. But he didn’t get away with the money! Which is a good thing, because maybe the store owner should pick up the hospital tab for the poor fellow across the street, or the repair bills for his neighbor’s walls, not to mention the TV. Still, freedom! Where else but in America could 16 hours of training buy you such deadly accuracy? Assuming you think public transportation and private consumer electronics are tyrannical, that is.
In other news, with the deer season winding down, the temporary spike in hunting-related accidents looks to be on its way down, too. By the time November rolled over into December, hunting accidents were steady at ten, up just two from the previous week. But in GunFAIL, kid season is year-round, and another 15 were hit in the week from November 29 through December 5. Nineteen people accidentally shot themselves, and five were shot by family members or significant others.
Ohio reestablished itself as the GunFAIL capital of the north, contributing seven of our original 46 incidents in this listing, but even more remarkably, racking up six reports in a row on December 2 and 3 alone! This installment also marks the continuation of the tradition of gun show accidents, logging one from the Crossroads of the West gun show in Phoenix, Arizona. How did it happen? Well, in addition to a buyer and friend a little too itchy to get started enjoying the new gun before even leaving the show, a vendor appears to have violated the show’s strict policy against loaded guns inside the show hall (which makes the show a “gun free zone,” since as we know from being told so often, an unloaded gun is a mere hunk of useless metal). This firearms expert also confounded the secondary level of safety precautions by zip-tying the pistol he was selling (also required by show management) through the magazine well rather than through the chamber and the barrel. While that prevents a magazine from being inserted, it doesn’t render the gun incapable of firing, nor demonstrate that the chamber is empty. And I guess it wasn’t! Thanks, gun expert!
It was also a rough week for take-out food delivery workers. A pizza delivery boy in Michigan was accidentally shot through the wall by a man showing off his gun in the barber shop next door. Two days later, in Toledo, a delivery worker was accidentally shot at a customer’s home by—get this—a gun knocked off a table by his dog. What’s your favorite amendment, Rex? Woof! Woof! That’s right! The Second! Who’s a good shot? Who’s a good shot? You are! Yes, you are!
DETROIT, MI, 11/29/15: Detroit Police Sgt. Cassandra Lewis confirmed Sunday a 15-year-old suffered an unintentional gunshot wound to the leg after he and a friend were playing with a firearm. The nonfatal accidental shooting happened Sunday morning on Yorkshire in Detroit. Lewis said it's unclear how the minors acquired the gun or why it was fired but said there was nothing malicious about the shooting. According to WDIV-TV, Channel 4 News, the second uninjured teen was seen handcuffed in a Detroit police vehicle. No charges have been announced in the case. MORE: A 15-year-old boy accidentally shot himself while playing with a gun with a friend in a home on the city's east side Sunday morning. Detroit Police Sgt. Cassandra Lewis said the shooting happened around 10:45 AM in the 5900 block of Yorkshire Dr., near Chandler Park Drive. "The two teens were playing with the weapon when it accidentally discharged, striking the teen in the leg," Lewis said.
SPENCER, WI, 11/29/15: Department of Natural Resources Warden Jon King tells NewsChannel 7, 50-year-old hunter Mark Bychinski was found dead of a gunshot wound near Spencer Sunday night. According to investigators, Bychinski likely shot himself while climbing in or out of a tree stand. King says at 9:14 PM Sunday night, Bychinski was found by a family member at the base of his tree stand with a gun-shot-wound to his chest. King says Bychinski's firearm was still attached to a line hanging from the tree stand. He was pronounced dead at the scene. "We know his gun fired and believe he is a victim of his own gun fire," King said. The Marathon County Sheriff's Department and the Department of Natural Resources continue to investigate the incident in the wooded area off of Century Road in the Town of Brighton, northeast of Spencer. No foul play is suspected.
WEST SWEDEN, WI, 11/29/15: A 16-year-old was flown to the hospital after he was accidentally shot. It happened Sunday just before 4 PM in the Town of West Sweden, which is northwest of Cumberland. Deputies say Michael Coen-Nelson of Frederick was driving a pickup truck when a rifle in the cab of the truck went off and shot him in the forearm. The bullet passed through his arm and went through the truck cab. He was taken to a local hospital, then flown to St. Paul. Deputies are still investigating.
SQUAW LAKE, MN, 11/29/15: A 17-year-old teen is dead and an 18-year-old male was taken into custody after a shooting incident late Sunday morning in Squaw Lake.Itasca County Sheriff’s Investigator A.J. Morse identified the victim as Dallas James Graciano of Deer River. According to a release from the Itasca County Sheriff’s Office, around 11:30 AM on Nov. 29, a 911 call was received reporting that the 18-year-old accidentally shot Graciano. Deputies arrived and found Graciano dead. The 18-year-old was taken into custody pending possible charges and the body of the victim was taken to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office. The 18-year-old made a court appearance Tuesday morning and was released on his own recognizance. Morse said that the investigation into the shooting continues and the incident is under review for possible charges. The Itasca County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Minnesota State Patrol, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Leech Lake Tribal Police, Squaw Lake First Responders and Deer River Ambulance. The 18-year-old is not being identified by the Herald-Review since he has not been charged.
PRINCETON, NC, 11/29/15: A 19-year-old man was killed while hunting Sunday morning in what appears to be an accidental shooting, according to a neighbor and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Bailey Lynch, a graduate of Charles B. Aycock High School, was hunting with a member of his girlfriend's family when one of the men's rifles got caught on a low-hanging tree branch and accidentally discharged, killing Lynch. The other man immediately called 911, but emergency vehicles had trouble getting to the wooded area off CappsBridge Road in the northwestern part of the county.Neighbor David Holloman said he was drinking coffee and watching the news when he heard shooting in the woods behind his home. "These boys grew up hunting, so it's not unusual to hear shots around here," Holloman said. "They've all grown up being responsible hunters, but unfortunately accidents happen." The wildlife commission declined to release any other details, citing its ongoing investigation.
CROWS LANDING, CA, 11/29/15 [NEW]: A 15-year-old girl working on a family farm was shot in the back from a stray bullet and investigators are trying to determine where the shot originated. The 15-year-old is expected to recover from her gunshot wound. At this point the bullet has not been removed, which leaves investigators clueless as to what type of gun was fired. The shooting was reported to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department around 3:15 PM Sunday at a farm that is off Marshall Road in Crows Landing. The farm is about a quarter mile east of the Turlock Sportsman Club, said sheriff spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bejaran. Sheriff’s investigators spoke to the members at the club that day and inspected all the guns, Bejaran said. The club members were not the only shooters that day, however. There were people on the northwest corner of the San Joaquin River who had also been shooting, Bejaran said. The identity of those individuals and the types of guns they were shooting is unknown to investigators. “At this point we don’t know where the bullet came from and it’s possible we may never know,” Bejaran said. “Without the round we can’t determine the type of gun used.” It is not illegal to shoot guns from the riverbank, as long as the people are not trespassing, Bejaran said. Bejaran said this was the first report of an errant round striking a person in that area. “It appears the shooting was unintentional,” Bejaran said. Investigators are hoping to speak to the individuals that were shooting from the riverbank.
EVERETT, WA, 11/29/15: An 11-year-old boy was in critical condition Sunday afternoon after what appears to be an accidental shooting by his teenage brother. Initial reports are that the younger boy was shot in the face or head. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit is investigating. It's unclear at this point who else may have been nearby at the time of the shooting or what kind of gun was fired. Deputies responded to the 12400 block of Admiralty Way at about 12:30 PM Sunday. They were told an unknown suspect had shot the boy and fled. A K-9 unit was sent out to help deputies track the shooter. “In the process of conducting their search, they determined that it was the older sibling who had been involved, not an unknown subject,” Lt. David Bowman said. The 11-year-old was taken to Harborview in critical condition. No arrests had been made as of Sunday afternoon. “At this point, the whole situation is being held static so our Major Crimes team can investigate,” Bowman said.
CENTRALIA, WA, 11/30/15: An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm after detectives determined a reported shooting early Monday morning was accidental. The Centralia Police Department responded to the reported shooting at about 1 AM Monday morning after learning a patient who arrived at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia with a gunshot wound was actually shot in Centralia. While the case was originally investigated as a first-degree assault, detectives determined the victim, a 21-year-old woman, was shot accidentally when her boyfriend’s pistol went off in his pocket, according to the Centralia Police Department. The Olympia Police Department assisted in the investigation. The woman was treated and released for the non-life-threatening wound. Police arrested the woman’s boyfriend, Austin C. Courtright, 18, of Centralia, on suspicion of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 8:58 AM Monday.
LEXINGTON, KY, 11/30/15: A shooting that was initially reported as an assault, turned out to be accidentally self-inflicted, the Herald-Leader reports. It happened at the Summer Garden Apartments on Augusta Drive early Monday morning. Initial reports indicated that a man was shot in the leg in his second floor apartment. Police later learned that the wound was self-inflicted after an accident with the gun. He was transported from the scene with non life-threatening injuries.
NASHVILLE, TN, 11/30/15: Police say a toddler accidentally shot himself in the arm at his south Nashville home on Monday night. The 3-year-old was by himself inside his parents' bedroom on Whitsett Road when he reportedly got out a .32-caliber revolver from a bookshelf. The weapon was in a cloth holster. His father and 12-year-old sister were preparing dinner in the kitchen and his three other siblings were watching TV in the family room at the time of the shooting. His mother was at work. The toddler's family members heard the gun go off and found him in the bedroom with a gunshot wound to his left upper arm, according to police. The toddler is being treated at the Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Police said no charges have been filed against the child's parents. The Metro Nashville Police Department's Youth Services Division is leading the investigation.
ANDERSON, SC, 12/01/15: Anderson County's longtime chief deputy coroner, Charlie Boseman, has accidentally shot himself in the leg during a training drill. Local media outlets report Boseman's pistol fired as he was holstering his weapon after completing a "live shooter" training scenario Tuesday at the Anderson Police Department's shooting range. He wasn't seriously injured. Boseman says he believes a drawstring on his jacket became entangled with the pistol's trigger, which caused the weapon to fire. The bullet entered his right thigh and exited his right calf. He was treated at AnMed Health Medical Center in Anderson. Coroner Greg Shore says Boseman will be required to complete a gun-safety course before he can carry a weapon while on duty.
DOWAGIAC, MI, 12/01/15: A 15 year-old was struck by a bullet inside a pizza shop on Tuesday. It happened just before 4:30 PM at Saylor’s Pizza at 126 S. Front Street in Dowagiac. Dowagiac Police said officers responded to Benny’s Barbershop, which is a neighboring business. According to a press release, a 36-year-old man was showing a handgun inside the barbershop when it accidentally fired towards the wall. Police learned the bullet went through a wall and struck a 15-year-old in the ankle. The 15-year-old pizza shop worker was not hurt, police added. Authorities determined the incident was accidental, but was being forwarded to the prosecutor’s office to determine if charges would be filed.
CASPAR, WY, 12/01/15: A Casper woman is accused of mishandling a gun and shooting someone. Twenty-nine year old Stephanie Lutnes has been charged with one count of aggravated assault and battery, and one count of possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent. Investigators with the Casper Police Department say just before 1AM on Tuesday, December 1st, Lutnes had to walk home from a bar, because the victim left without her. When she arrived home, she found the victim laying on the bed and his handgun was nearby. Lutnes said she woke him up and yelled at him to get rid of the gun, then tried to hand it to him when it went off and a bullet stuck the victim in the thigh. She added that she had never used guns before, because they give her anxiety. The victim was able to tell police a similar version of events, and said he had the gun due to rising hostility with Lutnes’ ex-husband’s family. Lutnes’ bond was set at $15,000.She is awaiting trial and could face up to 10 years in prison on the aggravated assault charge, and up to five years in prison on the possession of a deadly weapon charge if convicted.
SAN ANTONIO, TX, 12/01/15: Two people were shot during a suspected drug deal gone bad late Tuesday night, San Antonio police said. The incident took place around 9:35 PM on the city’s Northwest side in the 4300 block of Vance Jackson near Loop 410. Investigators said the suspect first robbed and then shot the intended victim, as well as accidentally shooting his friend.
WASHINGTON, DC, 12/01/15: The Capitol Police arrested an employee with the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms for attempting to bring a loaded handgun into a Senate office building.
Christopher Carpenter of Stafford, Va., was arrested around 7 AM at the Dirksen Senate Office Building Tuesday morning when an X-ray bag screening required to enter the building revealed a gun. Capitol Police Spokeswoman Kimberly Schneider wrote in an email to Roll Call Wednesday that Carpenter was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun in his backpack. A Capitol Police report stated that Carpenter said in addition to the magazine, he had seven rounds of ammunition. Schneider said Carpenter was arrested with possession of an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition. He was processed at Capitol Police headquarters on D Street Northeast. The Hill first reported the arrest on Tuesday. The Capitol Police confirmed Carpenter is an employee within the office of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Frank J. Larkin, who is the chief law enforcement and administrative officer in the Senate. A source with the Senate SAA said Carpenter is the manager of the Senate ID office and has been employed with the Senate SAA for a year-and-a-half. “While law enforcement completes their processing of the charges, Chris will be on annual leave before returning to work,” the source said. In the Senate SAA office, annual leave is paid leave accumulated through service with the office. According to the Legistorm database, Carpenter has worked as a “credentialing office manager” since May 2014. Carpenter’s LinkedIn profile also notes that he served as a U.S. Marine.
PORT TOBACCO, MD, 12/01/15 [NEW]: On the first day of the two-week firearms season—Maryland’s most popular deer season—officers issued 30 citations and 39 warnings, and seized three deer during statewide enforcement efforts. They checked 141 hunters. A serious injury to a hunter occurred in Southern Maryland. According to Maryland Natural Resources Police, shortly after 6:30 PM Saturday, Nov. 28 a Charles County man was the victim of a hunting accident when his muzzleloader exploded and caused substantial injury to his left hand. The victim was deer hunting in the woods behind his house. The hunter, identified as Daniel Patrick Rice, 34 of Port Tobacco was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for non-life threatening injuries. The NRP reports no foul play was suspected and no charges will be filed.
CHAMBERSBURG, PA, exact date unknown, State Police at Chambersburg reported Monday that sometime between 12:01 AM Nov. 30 and 4 PM Dec. 1, a bullet from a hunting rifle struck a home in the 2300 block of Crottlestown Road in Franklin County.No injuries were reported, but the home belonged to an 80-year-old Chambersburg man, according to police.
QUEENS, NY, 12/02/15: An alleged rental dispute in a South Ozone neighborhood ended with two men wounded, one dog dead and another injured, all by police bullets, witnesses told PIX11. The incident started around noon when two apartment building owners confronted a female tenant who they accused of not paying rent. When her boyfriend showed up to confront them, resident Gurmeet Kumar told PIX11, the dispute escalated and police were called. When officers arrived, one of the building owners’ dogs, along with a neighbor’s dog, ran toward police. At least one of the officers opened fire, accidentally striking the dog owner and his partner before killing one of the dogs, named Hectic, and shooting the other dog, a terrier mix named Coco owned by Kumar, in the leg. Police confirmed that there was a police-involved shooting, but refused to release any details pending an NYPD press conference Wednesday afternoon. According to the same witness, police took the tenant’s boyfriend into custody at the scene.
FAYETTEVILLE, AR, 12/02/15: One man is arrested after shooting a woman at a Fayetteville apartment complex, according to police. The incident happened around 9:30 PM Wednesday (Dec. 2) when officers responded to a call regarding three men fighting at the Fair Park Apartments on Althea Drive. Police said 23-year-old Robert James was fighting with two other men, and to get the other men to back off he pulled out a fire arm and accidentally shot a round; hitting the woman’s foot. James was arrested for domestic battery, public intoxication, obstruction of governmental operations and discharging a firearm, according to the jail’s website. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center without bond and will face a Washington County judge Friday, December 4.
BARLOW, OH, 12/02/15: The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating an accidental shooting in Barlow Wednesday. Officials say it was a hunting accident on Bell Road just before 3:00 PM. Deputies say 54-year-old Daniel Long was out hunting when he was shot in the hip.Officials are still investigating how he was shot. Long was airlifted to Grant Hospital in Columbus for serious injuries. The Ohio Division of Natural Resources is also investigating the incident.
LOWELL, OH, 12/02/15: The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting incident in Lowell. Officials say a 15-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the leg at his home Wednesday morning. The boy was transported to Marietta Memorial with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators do not know if anyone else was home at the time. Officials will continue investigating to find out how a minor got a gun in his possession without adult supervision. "It's still under investigation so we'll look at the totality of all the circumstances and see if there was any criminal activity involved and make a determination. It was non0life threatening injuries which is better than obviously shooting someone else and it being a fatality," says Captain Troy Hawking, WCSO. Officials are looking into if any gun laws were violated. They say charges could be possible. The Ohio DNR also responded in case it was a hunting accident.
COLUMBUS, OH, 12/02/15: The four nonfatal shootings included the wounding of a toddler on Dec. 2 at an apartment on the West Side. A man told police that he had been baby-sitting the girl “when she retrieved the handgun from his rear pants pocket and accidentally shot herself in the right leg,” according to a search warrant filed in the case.
COLUMBUS, OH, 12/03/15: A 3-year-old boy is hospitalized this afternoon after police say he accidentally shot himself with a gun in his South Side home. The shooting occurred just before 3 PM at a home on Kelton Avenue, according to Sgt. Rich Weiner, spokesman for the Columbus Police Division. Weiner said the boy, whose name hasn’t yet been released, is in stable condition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. The boy was home with his mother when he apparently shot himself in the upstairs of the house. Weiner didn’t say where the mother was at the time or who owned the gun, which was found upstairs. Weiner said police continue to question the mother. When police arrived, they found the boy and mother in a neighbor’s car, about to leave for the hospital. The neighbor had come home and heard screaming inside the child’s home. She ran inside and found the injured child and was going to take him to the hospital with the mother. Police and paramedics arrived as they were about to leave because someone else had called 911.
WAVERLY, OH, 12/03/15: A Pike County Sheriff's deputy has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following the shooting death of his neighbor, which occurred on Thursday night. Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader reported that he received a call from a dispatcher at 11:41 PM who indicated that Deputy Joel Jenkins had called the office and reported that an accidental shooting had occurred at his residence, 501 E. Seventh St. in Waverly. Reader said that units from the Waverly Police Department were dispatched to the residence. Jenkins was off-duty at the time of the incident. Reader said that while on the phone with the dispatcher, he could hear the radio traffic in the background and heard that the victim had received a gunshot wound to the head. At that time, Sheriff Reader, Waverly Police Chief Larry Roe, and Pike County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Junk went to the scene, along with prosecutor's investigator Brian Reader and the prosecutor's victims advocate, Dave Dickerson. Pike County Coroner David Kessler pronounced the victim, Jason Brady, 40, dead at the scene. Following the incident, Reader stated that the only thing he was aware of as far as how the incident occurred was that when Jenkins called in about the incident, he stated that he was showing his neighbor a gun and it had accidentally discharged and shot his neighbor in the head. Sheriff Reader said that Sgt. Joe Taylor of the Waverly Police Department secured the scene and the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) was contacted to conduct an investigation and search warrant. "Sheriff Reader and I knew that we wanted to refer this out of the county and make sure that we had an independent investigator working on this case, due to the fact that an officer was involved," said Pike County Prosecutor Rob Junk. "BCI sent their Special Investigative Unit down, along with the Crime Scene Unit, and they searched the house and conducted interviews." Reader reported that death notifications were made to Brady's mother, roommate, girlfriend, girlfriend's mother, and his 15-year-old son. "Based on BCI's investigation, one of the agents filed an involuntary manslaughter charge against Deputy Jenkins, due to the fact that he was using a weapon while intoxicated, which is a misdemeanor," said Junk. "Whenever you commit a crime, say using a weapon while intoxicated, and you kill someone or their death results from the incident, that is involuntary manslaughter, a third-degree felony. I'm in contact with the Special Prosecution unit and they are already handling a case on Jenkins for the officer-involved shooting which occurred on the west side of the county earlier this year. Because of the type of incident it is involving an officer, we want to have someone neutral from outside of the area to come take a look at the case." Reader said that Jenkins was one of the deputies involved in the March 28 officer-involved shooting on Fields Hollow Road that resulted in the death of Robert C. Rooker. This occurred before Reader was sheriff, and then-Sheriff Richard Henderson placed Jenkins on administrative leave at that time, according to Reader. Reader stated that he put Jenkins on administrative leave again when he was appointed sheriff and that he did not put Jenkins back to work until a mental health professional sent Reader written notification that Jenkins was fit for duty. During Friday's press conference regarding the incident, Junk said that officer-involved incidents are especially difficult in small communities where everyone is very interconnected. "Pike County is a very small community, and we all know each other. In some ways that is good, and in some ways it is bad," said Junk. "I've worked with Deputy Jenkins multiple times on cases, and he has testified in front of grand jury for me in the past. Sheriff Reader has worked with him, and the Waverly Police Department has worked with him. In a small community, things like this affect everybody. In this case, we have a 40-year old victim with a teenage son who is going to grow up without his dad because of what this officer did. It is fair to say that everybody is pretty upset about this." Junk says the incident is not a reflection of the Pike County law enforcement community. "We have plenty of good, upstanding officers who would never dream of being involved in something like this," said Junk. "I have zero tolerance for people drinking alcohol and messing around and using weapons ... You cannot touch a gun and consume alcohol, period. I don't care who you are. It is just wrong and should never be done." During a 1 PM press conference on Friday, Junk reported that Jenkins was taken into custody and transported to the Franklin County Jail, where he will remain until his arraignment in Pike County Court on Monday. "They will set up a preliminary hearing within 10 working days to determine whether or not there is probable cause to go forward with the case," said Junk. "It will then go to grand jury and evidence will be presented by BCI to make a determination of whether or not there is enough probable cause to indict Deputy Jenkins."
TOLEDO, OH, 12/03/15: A food delivery employee was accidentally shot by a customer's gun in West Toledo. Ryan Brill, 18, of Toledo was on a delivery about 8:15 PM Thursday to a home in the 5800 block of Rambo Lane. The customer, Anthony Wulf, told police he was placing his gun on the table before answering the door when his dog knocked it away. The firearm hit the ground, fired once, and shot Mr. Brill's right leg. Mr. Brill was treated at ProMedica Toledo Hospital for injuries police said appear not to be life threatening. “I've delivered to this guy before. Never shot me,” Mr. Brill said. Mr. Brill, who works for Wild Wings N Things on West Alexis Road, said his leg felt warm and then numb from the shooting. “The sound went off, and immediately I knew it was a gunshot,” Mr. Brill said. Mr. Wulf performed first aid and called police, he said. Mr. Brill left the hospital after about two hours of treatment. He said he will require crutches for about three weeks. Charges have not yet been filed against Mr. Wulf. Mr. Brill said the shooter apologized for the accident, and he likely will not pursue charges.
KINGSTON, AR, 12/03/15: Newton County authorities say a deer hunter died after accidentally shooting himself in the chest. The county sheriff's office says in a news release that 42-year-old Aaron Villines of the Kingston area was killed in the shooting Thursday near Elkhorn Church in western Newton County. The release says Villines and another hunter were walking to check on a deer that one of them had shot when Villines apparently slipped on a moss covered rock and fell onto his loaded rifle, which then discharged and shot him in the chest. Villines was pronounced dead at the scene.
HUTCHINSON, KS, 12/03/15: Law enforcement authorities in Reno County continue to investigate an accidental shooting that injured a teenager on Thursday. Eric Valleau, 18, was shot in the face with a 22-caliber rifle around 9:40 PM, at an apartment in the 500 Block of East 3rd Street in Hutchinson, according to Hutchinson Police. He was shot by 18-year-old Luke Dawson in the kitchen area of the apartment while three others were also present. Valleau was first taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and then airlifted to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Police detectives have spoken with all five who were there and have determined that as of now, the shooting appears accidental and no arrests have been made. The Reno County District Attorney’s Office is working with law enforcement to determine if any charges should be filed in the case.
BOYNTON BEACH, FL, 12/03/15: A man cleaning a handgun accidentally shot himself Thursday evening, city police said. The incident happened shortly before 6 PM at an apartment in Renaissance Commons, off Gateway Boulevard and east of Congress Avenue. The man accidentally shot himself in the groin area while cleaning a Glock handgun, police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said. He was taken to Delray Medical Center in serious condition.
NIAGARA FALLS, NY, 12/03/15: A 30–year–old Niagara Falls man was wounded when a handgun was discharged late last week in the 2200 block of Cudaback Avenue. Ronnie H. Chandler of Townsend Place said a man he only knows by his first name, Jeremy, pulled out a handgun and tried to rob him at the corner of 22nd Street and Cudaback Avenue on Thursday afternoon. Chandler told police he grabbed the man’s arm and in the struggle the gun discharged. Chandler said a bullet struck him in his groin and left calf. Chandler was driven to Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital by an unknown woman where he was treated for his injury, police reported. Detective Lt. John Conti said Monday that detectives investigating Chandler’s story believe that the man gave them false information and the gun shot injury was self-inflicted.
WEBB CO., TX, 12/03/15: Plans are underway to honor the memory of a former Whitehouse Independent School District student who died in a hunting accident. Tanner Douglas, a former freshman student at Whitehouse High School, died Thursday afternoon in Webb County while visiting his father, Todd Douglas. His mother, Heather Ogg, said people wore blue attire Friday in memory of the 16-year-old and a vigil was held at the high school by classmates. Ogg said another vigil is planned for next week. She addressed her son's influence, saying, "(He) touched many people's lives." Webb County Sheriff's Office said officials there are investigating a hunting accident that occurred at a ranch on Farm-to-Market 2050.
CONVERSE, TX, 12/04/15: The Bexar County Sheriff's Office is investigating an accidental shooting at the Lone Star Handgun Shooting Range in East Bexar County. The shooting happened around 3:45 PM Friday. Sheriff's say when they arrived they found a man in his 20s who had accidently shot himself in his thigh as he tried to take his gun out of his holster. BCSO did not release the man's condition, other than to say he was stable when taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center for treatment. Hours after the shooting, the owner of the shooting range posted the following video on the companies Facebook page.
YOAKUM CO., TX, 12/04/15: Texas Game Wardens working in conjunction with Yoakum County Sheriff's office completed an investigation regarding hunting on private property without consent, with the arrest of two Denver City, TX residents. On the afternoon of Friday, December 4th, two Denver City men entered private property with a vehicle to hunt rabbits. During the hunt, one of the men who is a convicted felon, accidentally shot himself in the foot. Upon attempting to leave the scene, the individuals' vehicle became stuck in mud on the property. Unable to leave, they then contacted a mutual acquaintance to pull their vehicle out. The Yoakum County Sheriff's office was notified about the incident and received a statement from Lovington, NM Police Department, where they contacted one suspect as he was seeking treatment at the Lovington hospital for his gunshot wound. After Yoakum County learned that the incident potentially involved illegal hunting, they contacted the local Game Warden to conduct a joint investigation. The Game Warden and a Yoakum County Deputy collected additional evidence, and three warrants of arrest were issued. The suspects were located and taken into custody Monday afternoon by Texas Game Wardens, and Yoakum County Sheriff's office. Lubbock district Public Information Officer Aaron Sims, spoke about the relationship between the two agencies. "I am proud of the strong working relationship between Texas Game Wardens and the Yoakum County Sheriff's office. As with Game Wardens across the state, the partnerships between Sheriffs as well as private landowners are key to protecting the wildlife and natural resources." Sims also reminds potential hunters to get permission before entering private property. "This case should serve as a reminder to all. No matter the animal or the means and methods, hunters need to be aware of who owns the land, and get permission prior to entering the property." Both suspects are being charged with hunting without landowner consent, a Class A misdemeanor, and one of the suspects who is a convicted felon, is being charged with illegal possession of a firearm, a 3rd degree felony. A Class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of $4,000 fine and/or 180 days in jail, and a 3rd degree felony carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 fine and/or 10 years imprisonment.
GARDERE, LA, 12/04/15: Deputies are investigating a deadly shooting near Gardere Friday morning where a woman was shot in the head. EBRSO spokesperson Casey Hicks said the shooting was initially called in as an accident but they're still investigating exactly what happened. Neighbors told WBRZ’s Michael Vinsanau that they heard one gunshot and that a baby was also in the apartment at the time of the shooting.
BATON ROUGE, LA, 12/04/15: Police have arrested a 14-year-old in connection with the shooting death of another teen Friday. Baton Rouge Police announced the arrest in a news release Saturday morning. Police did not identify the suspect because of his age, but said the boy was booked into juvenile detention on charges of negligent homicide and illegal use of a weapon. The department also released the name of the 16-year-old who was killed. The victim was identified as Kejohn Carroll. Police said the teenagers were playing with guns at an abandoned duplex on Spain Street when Carroll was accidentally shot. Neighbors said the building, in the 2300 block, is a popular hangout for kids. The WBRZ Investigative Unit learned Friday, the building is in jeopardy of being demolished by the city. A shrine was set up on the fence line of the property Friday, too.
ROSEBURG, OR, 12/04/15: A Roseburg man was arrested after he accidentally shot a handgun inside his room at a downtown motel Friday afternoon. Mark Waldrop, 52, of Roseburg, was reportedly handling his handgun inside Room 163 of the Rodeway Inn, located at 511 S.E. Stephens St., when he accidentally fired it and sent a bullet through his window, nearly hitting his neighbor and that person’s 3-year-old son who were outside. The Rodeway Inn was evacuated soon after. Nobody was injured except for Waldrop, whose right hand was struck by the bullet when the gun fired. At approximately 1:16 PM, officers from the Roseburg Police Department arrived and attempted to contact Waldrop inside his room, but he would not answer. The neighbor, Ryan Collis, 28, of Roseburg, said he was just next to the window smoking a cigarette and talking to his son when they heard a muffled shot, then heard the glass break. “I could have been walking right by it, head-level shot,” Collis said. The arrest took roughly an hour. Officers in tactical gear, some carrying automatic weapons or riot shields, drew the attention of a slew of pedestrians and nearby motorists on the busy Southeast Stephens Street. A pole cam was brought in to safely peek into Waldrop’s room, so as to safely check the room because Waldrop would not respond. Waldrop was arrested at about 2:20 PM on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon and multiple counts of reckless endangerment. He was taken to Mercy Medical Center for treatment for his hand wound and then was lodged at the Douglas County Jail.
LAKE SHORE, UT, 12/04/15: Our sweet, loving, son and brother, Connor Evan Gappmayer, returned to the loving arms of his Heavenly Father on Friday, December 4, 2015 due to an accidental shooting. Connor was born to Roy H. and Sheri Stewart Gappmayer on July 17, 2005 in Payson, Utah. He lived in Lake Shore and was in the 5th grade at Brockbank Elementary School in Spanish Fork. He was an excellent student and especially enjoyed reading fantasy books. He also excelled in math and science.
FANNIN CO., GA, 12/04/15: A Carollton, Ga. man is recuperating at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tn. after being shot while hunting in the Cohutta Wilderness. The incident happend Friday evening. According to Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officer Casey Jones, 65-year-old David Vinson Foster was hunting in the wilderness area in Fannin County. His camp was in Murray County. He was shot by another hunter just before 5:30 PM. Mitchell Burchett, 52, of Woodstock, was not with Foster but hunting in the same area as well as camping nearby. Foster was struck in the lower back and airlifted to Erlanger. Burchett was charged in Fannin County with felony misuse of a firearm in Fannin County. Radio and cell reception in the area is spotty at times and Murray County detectives were called out to the scene. The shooting was determined to have occurred in Fannin County. According to reports, detectives had left the area when they received notification that Burchett may have been in possession of a firearm illegally and returned to question him. He was charged with marijuana possession after officers found him smoking marijuana upon their return to the scene. According to Jones, the case is still being investigated, but it does not appear that the shooting was intended.
BARRINGTON, NY, 12/05/15: Dundee firefighters were called to a Gray Road residence in the town of Barrington Friday for a propane tank that was leaking gas. Victoria Davis and the other occupants of the home were evacuated safely. Investigators determined the tank was shot by a hunter. A spent casing was recovered by the Yates County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit from the area of the suspected shooter. The investigation was turned over to the DEC.
HOUSTON, TX, 12/05/15: Some dangerous weapons that belonged to the Waller County Sheriff's Office are now in the hands of the wrong people, according to KTRK-TV in Houston.
Thieves broke into two Waller County vehicles that were parked outside a Saltgrass Steakhouse along the Katy Freeway Saturday. The thieves got away with eight guns and one of the Sheriff's law enforcement jackets, according to the Houston Chronicle. Details on the stolen guns have been entered in national and Texas crime data bases, according to the paper. One of the weapons is a sub-machine gun. The Houston Chronicle reports the vehicle was parked in the rear lot. Restaurant officials say security cameras in the area were not working.
PHOENIX, AZ, 12/05/15: Authorities say a man was accidentally shot at a gun show in Phoenix but is expected to recover. Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Raul Garcia says the shooting happened around 11 AM Saturday at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. According to Garcia, the man’s friend was looking at a semi-automatic handgun he had recently bought when it somehow discharged. The bullet went through the man’s upper torso. He suffered injuries that weren’t non-life-threatening but was taken to a hospital. DPS is investigating. Garcia says it is not known yet if any criminal charges will be filed. The two men were attending the Crossroads of the West Gun Show. Signs at the show as well as on the Crossroads website say loaded firearms are not permitted.
DAYTON, OH, 12/05/15: A boy was sent to the hospital after he was accidentally shot in the leg. Police were called to the 600 block of Hulbert Street Saturday around 1:30 PM. Officers said a group of kids, playing in the backyard of a vacant house found a rifle inside a shed. They stated a girl saw the victim holding the weapon and tried to get it away from him when the gun went off. The bullet accidentally hit the boy in his right leg. The victim was taken to Dayton Children’s Hospital. Police said his injuries were non-life-threatening and the boy will recover. Police recovered the rifle from the scene loaded with 11 live rounds.
MOORHEAD, MN, 12/05/15: A man was injured Saturday when he was shot in the stomach, police said. Just before 8 PM at 605 24th Ave. S., Moorhead, 49-year-old Wayne Hogenson’s .22 caliber rifle slipped from his hands and discharged when it hit the floor. The bullet struck Hogenson in his abdomen causing injury. He was unaware the rifle was loaded at the time of the incident, according to a statement released by the city of Moorhead. Detectives determined it was an accidental discharge. Hogenson was taken to a hospital for his injuries.
STOCKTON, CA, 12/05/15: Police are investigating after a 15-year-old was shot by a younger sibling Saturday night. Joe Silva with the Stockton Police Department says the teen was shot in the foot by a 3-year-old. The injuries are not life threatening, police say, and the teen has been transported to the hospital. It is unclear where exactly the shooting happened, as police learned about the incident when the teen showed up at urgent care just after 8 PM. Apparently, the children were playing hide and seek and went into the closet of the master bedroom and found the gun. Investigators believe the 3-year-old grabbed the gun and accidentally shot the 15-year-old. Police say the gun belongs to the stepdad. The children’s parents are cooperating with the investigation. MORE: A 3-year-old boy used a California Highway Patrol officer’s gun to accidentally shoot his teenage brother. It happened at their Stockton home. The officer is the boys’ stepfather and was home when his gun went off.
FRESNO, CA, 12/05/15: [A] third incident was reported near Fresno Street and Highway 99. A man called police around 10 AM saying he accidentally shot himself in the hand. When police arrived the victim told officers that the shooting happened the night before at a different location. Authorities are investigating each of these incidents.
ENGLEWOOD, CO, 12/05/15: A teenager is dead after what may have been a tragic accident. Witnesses say the 18-year-old was shot to death by his friend. Police responded to a call of shots fired around 9:45 PM Saturday on South Santa Fe Drive near Dartmouth Avenue.
Officers found the teen victim shot dead inside of a car in the parking lot of a mobile home park. CBS4’s Melissa Garcia spoke exclusively with the mother of one of the boys involved in the deadly incident. “It was an accident,” said Emma Rios, the mother of the victim’s friend. In Spanish, Rios said that her son had been hanging out with some friends outside of her Englewood home when the gun went off. “They were playing with the pistol,” said Rios, “they didn’t realize the gun was loaded.” The 17-year-old boy who fired the shot is in police custody, charged with second degree murder. “He’s a good kid,” said Rios, of the shooter. “He used to come over here a lot with my son.” As Englewood police actively investigate the shooting, they haven’t released details including where the teens got the handgun. Police have not released the name of the suspect because he is a juvenile. The release of the victim’s identity is pending notification of his family.
CHICAGO, IL, 12/05/15: A man standing at a bus stop is recovering at home after being wounded by a stray bullet during a shootout between a shop owner and an armed robber on the South Side, according to police. The shop owner, who has a valid concealed carry license, was closing his cell phone store for the night about 7 PM Saturday in the 3300 block of West 79th Street in the Ashburn neighborhood when someone with a gun approached and tried to rob him at gun point, police said. The shop owner, who was with several employees, pulled out his gun, and the two began shooting at each other, police said. During the exchange, a 27-year-old man at a bus stop across the street was shot in the chest, police said. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he was treated and later released. The robber fled and no one else was reported injured. David Terrazas, who lives around the corner from the store, said a bullet from the shooting flew through his house, but no one was hurt. Terrazas, his wife and their three children returned home from having dinner Saturday night when he said he saw white powder on the floor and a bullet hole in the wall. The bullet traveled diagonally through the room before hitting the television set. No one was home, but he said he was a little shaken by the incident.
ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, MI, 12/05/15: An incident involving a man fatally shooting himself in the head late Saturday is considered accidental. Cory Newville, 20, suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound while with friends, Kent County Undersheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said. An investigation shows that the group was drinking, she added. It happened around 10:53 PM Saturday, Dec. 5, at a home on Rector Street NE in Algoma Township. The group of people Newville was with left him just after the shooting, thinking they could get in trouble, LaJoye-Young said. Another individual discovered Newville and contacted police immediately. Authorities arrived shortly thereafter. Newville was pronounced dead at a Grand Rapids hospital. LaJoye-Young said a toxicology report and gunpowder testing is ongoing. The Kent County Sheriff's Department says Newville recently got a handgun and was playing with it. Lee Newville, Cory's brother, confirms to WZZM that Cory recently bought the gun and was showing it to friends when the accidental shooting happened. Witnesses to the shooting were located and are fully cooperating with police. The investigation is ongoing.
NORTH MIDDLETON TOWNSHIP, PA, 12/05/15: North Middleton Township Police reported that a stray bullet fired by a hunter on Dec. 5 went through a 14-year-old’s bedroom window and hit a wall in the 800 block of Easy Road around 3 PM. No one was injured in that incident and the teen was in another room at the time. Police turned the investigation over to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
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