Sun Aug 17, 2014 at 08:31 AM PDT
100 GunFAILs: GunFAIL LXXVII
by David Waldman
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Over 250 presumably responsible gun owners have claimed to have completely forgotten they were carrying guns at airport security checkpoints since our last GunFAIL publication.
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It's been a while since I published the last GunFAIL compilation. Lots of travel and other summer activity made it difficult to put the lists together on time, but I never stopped collecting the stories. Once things settled down, I realized that the sheer volume was going to make publishing the stories in the ordinary format rather awkward, too. So here's what I've decided to do: instead of publishing a week's worth of GunFAIL stories at a time, I've just picked up where I left off, and listed the next 100 incidents as they happened. I've counted up our usual categories of GunFAILs, as well. But of course, the numbers are usually for one week, and here they'll span a period of a little more than three weeks, give or take one or two leftover stories that didn't make the news or that were otherwise missed when they happened earlier.
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These 100 GunFAILs include: 10 "home invasion shootings" in which our fellow patriots' freedom projectiles were shared with neighbors; 37 people who accidentally shot themselves; 9 people who shot themselves but tried to lie to the cops about someone else shooting them; 20 kid victims; 6 accidental shootings by kids; 15 fatalities; 8 stray bullet incidents*; two accidents while cleaning loaded guns; 8 very expensive medical evacuations by air; 2 guns that went off in pockets; 3 target shooting accidents; 9 cops involved in various FAILs; 9 FAILs by carriers out shopping, dining or otherwise engaging in everyday commerce among the public; 2 bathroom GunFAILs; 1 firearms instructor who shot himself, and 1 person who thought it'd be a fun idea to have someone shoot him while he was wearing a "bullet-proof" vest.
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[* Here I have included stray bullets not fired by accident, but which missed their intended targets and hit bystanders, nearby homes, etc. "Home invasion shootings," in my categorization, typically involve unintended discharges.]
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Outstanding stories worthy of your notice: #16, from Erie Township, OH, involves a man who accidentally shot himself at an NRA-sponsored shooting competition; #17, from Lakewood, CO, in which a man shot a neighbor's dog, but also accidentally shot himself, not particularly noteworthy in itself, but in light of recent events it's worth noting that the local SWAT team was dispatched; #35, from Durango, CO, in which a police officer responding to a man barricaded in a home with a weapon fired a shot that missed and entered a nearby home; #50, from Freemont Township, MI, was an incident which gained some online infamy, involving a woman who shot herself in the face when she slammed a rifle butt into the ground during an argument "to make a point"; #66, from Prince George, VA, involving a man who accidentally shot himself in the shoulder with the .45 he kept under his pillow; #89, from Washington, DC, involving a pork industry representative from South Carolina visiting Capitol Hill while carrying a loaded pistol; #91, from Daytona Beach, FL, in which a guest at the Windham Ocean Walk Hotel accidentally fired his pistol through the wall, hitting a 12-year-old boy in the next room, and #99, involving the tragic death of a five-months pregnant woman accidentally shot by a friend showing off his gun collection.
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But let's just roll this thing out, and start getting back on track. There are another 100 GunFAILs to go before we're up to date. So without further ado, 100 GunFAILs, below the fold.
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NASHUA, NH, 5/25/14: Nashua police arrested a city man in connection with an accidental discharge of a firearm, in which a bullet was shot into a neighbor's apartment on May 25. Police said Nicholas Kolhonen, 22, of 6 Silver Drive, Apartment 20, Nashua, was charged with reckless conduct on July 5. Officers responded to the local apartment complex for the report of shots fired as a woman reported a bullet was shot into her apartment. Investigators later issued a warrant for Kolhonen's arrest. He was released on $15,000 personal recognizance bail pending arraignment in Nashua on Aug. 6.
NORTHLAKE, IL, 7/04/14: A 16-year-old gang member was charged with making a false police report and reckless discharge of a firearm after he accidentally shot himself in the foot. Police got a call from Gottlieb hospital about 9 PM on July 4 about a gunshot victim. The Northlake boy, a member of the Latin Kings gang, said he was riding his bicycle near LeMoyne and 46th when he felt a pain in his foot and realized he’d been shot. “Eventually it was disproven,” said Cmdr. Jay Militello. “He confessed to making a false police report and to accidentally discharging the gun while he was cocking it.”
ARVADA, CO, 7/04/14: Neighbor's car accidentally shot. While attempting to clear a jammed 9mm handgun that belonged to his mother, a man in the 8700 block of Chase Drive, Arvada, accidentally discharged the firearm on July 4. The bullet traveled through the floor into a carport and struck a neighbor's vehicle.
PATERSON, NJ, 7/05/14: Authorities on Wednesday announced an arrest in the deadly shooting of a 12-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet while riding a scooter in a northern New Jersey neighborhood increasingly frustrated by gun violence. Jhymiere Moore, 19, of Paterson, was charged with first-degree murder and weapons charges in the death of Genesis Rincon, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said at a news conference, as the girl's parents looked on. It was not known if Moore has an attorney. Moore was held on $2 million bail after he turned himself in late Tuesday as Rincon's parents and hundreds of others rallied the community for justice and to end the violence. The prosecutor credited the suspect's surrender to pressure from the community and an intensive police investigation. Her parents did not speak during the news conference. Police believe the suspect was aiming a handgun at someone else when the girl was struck in the head at about 8:40 PM Saturday as she rode home to a family gathering, acting Police Chief William Fraher said. Two other children who were with her were not injured.
DENISON, TX, 7/06/14: Authorities say a Denison man accidentally shot himself Sunday afternoon. It happened near Oak Ridge Rd. around 3:00 PM. The Grayson County Sheriff's Office says a 56-year-old man was sleeping at his home when a noise woke him up. Investigators say he picked up his weapon to check the residence and accidentally shot the gun, injuring his wrist. He received medical attention at Texoma Medical Center and is reportedly in good condition.
PHARR, TX, 7/06/14: Authorities are investigating a shooting that ended with a stray bullet hitting a woman in the face at a popular place for mud racing and off-road vehicle. Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office deputies reported that the shooting happened in the "Mud Pits" off Whale and South Jackson Roads south of Pharr around 5:30 PM Sunday. The area is private property but is often bused by off-road vehicle enthusiasts because of the terrain. Investigators told Action 4 News that a deputy was patrolling the area when he was flagged down by two women leaving in a car. One of the two women had a gunshot wound to her face. The woman was able to speak and told the deputy that she heard several shots before she was hit in the face by a stray bullet. Paramedics rushed the woman to a local hospital where she was listed in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. Law enforcement officials surrounded the area and detained several people for questioning. No arrests have been made and no criminal charges have been filed at this time but the investigation continues.
CHATTANOOGA, TN, 7/06/14: Friends of an 18-year-old high school student who died from a gunshot wound on Sunday called him an athlete and a fun person. Melvin Crayton, whom friends called HK, died at a hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to his leg, according to Chattanooga police. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation, according to police. If police determine that his death was a homicide, it will be the 14th of the year, equal to the total number of fatal shootings in the city last year. But people sitting on the porch just a few doors down from 2525 Sixth Avenue Court where he was hit, said Crayton accidentally shot himself in the leg.
ELKHART, IN, 7/06/14: A man accidentally shot a woman while cleaning a firearm Sunday evening, July 6, according to Capt. Jim Bradberry of the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department. Phillip Vincze shot himself through his hand while he was cleaning his gun, which he believed to be cleared of all bullets, and one round hit Jennette Collins in both legs, according to a press release. Medics were called to the 22000 block of C.R. 10 between C.R. 15 and C.R. 17 at about 5:48 PM, and the man and woman were taken to Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries according to Elkhart County Dispatch. This incident is under investigation by the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department.
SOUTH BEND, IN, 7/06/14: Formal charges have been filed against Michael Taylor for his alleged role in the shooting death of Michael Gillam over the weekend in South Bend. Taylor, 55, has been charged with Murder and Unlawful Possession of Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon with an additional sentencing enhancement for being a habitual offender. Court documents cite two previous felony convictions on Taylor's record. Gillam was found shot to death shortly after midnight Sunday morning inside a building at 229 N. Olive St. On Monday morning, crews responded to a fire set at the same location. In court documents, police report that Taylor told them that Gillam, 55, was a friend of his and that his gun accidentally discharged during a fight with another person at the scene. Police say Taylor told them he went to the location at 229 N. Olive St. because it was a known gambling establishment, and he expected to confront a man he suspected of robbing him at another location where he had been gambling. When Taylor found the man he was looking for, he told police a fight began.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, 7/06/14: Friends and family are mourning the death of a Wilmington woman who was struck and killed by a stray bullet during a street brawl. A vigil was held for 44-year-old Crystal Brown Monday night. Brown’s mother sobbed uncontrollably as loved ones tried to console her. “They killed my baby,” she said. “I don’t know what to say.” Brown, who lived alone in Wilmington and worked at a collection agency, was leaving Adams Market on North Adams Street around 9:45 PM on Sunday when she encountered several people fighting in the street. As the crowd formed, at least one person took out a gun and fired several shots. Brown, who was not involved in the fight, was struck in the chest by a stray bullet. Bernard Reyes says he heard the gunshots, saw people running and then saw Brown lying in the middle of the street. “It happened so fast you didn’t see nothing,” Reyes said. Brown was taken to Christiana Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, 7/07/14: A 4-year-old child is recovering at Community Hospital North after being shot by another child Monday. Police said the child was brought to the hospital around 3 PM with a gunshot wound to the arm. FOX59 was told the child is in stable condition. Investigators said it appears one child accidentally shot another. Officials with the Department of Child Services is conducting interviews to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
BAXTER CO., AR, 7/07/14: A man who lives in northeastern Baxter County is recovering from a gunshot wound to his upper left chest on Monday afternoon. Jeffrey Lanham, 42, told sheriff's deputies that a .22-caliber revolver accidentally fired. Someone called 9-1-1 about the shooting around 4:05. Deputies and emergency medical personnel went to the home at 841 Fout Road, southeast of Gamaliel, and found Lanham lying in bed with his wound. An air ambulance flew him to the hospital in Mountain Home. Sheriff John Montgomery says an investigation continues.
WILKES-BARRE, PA, 7/07/14: A woman reportedly suffered an accidental gunshot wound tonight at an apartment house on South Franklin Street. Luzerne County 911 received a report at 8:23 PM. relating that a woman was accidentally shot in Apartment 3 at 412 S. Franklin St., a 911 supervisor said. Police on-scene said the victim was transported to an area hospital for a non-life-threatening wound. Wilkes-Barre police Lt. Steve Olshefski said that based on initial reports, the woman suffered a “very minor” injury to her foot after someone dropped a gun on the floor, it discharged and a bullet struck the woman in her foot. Police continue to investigate, but it does not appear that any charges would be filed, barring any incidence of unlawful gun possession, Olshefski said.
MANSFIELD, OH, 7/07/14: A man in custody after the gun death of Deborah Hovestadt has a history of criminal offenses and abusive behavior, according to documents from the Mansfield Municipal Clerk of Court. Darryl Jerome Taylor, who was arrested Tuesday on a weapons under disability charge and later a receiving stolen property charge, was Hovestadt’s boyfriend, authorities say. The couple was living together at 1273 Kings Corners Road East when Hovestadt reportedly was shot in the head Monday. Taylor was the first to call 911 after the gun went off around 10:13 AM Monday. In the call recording, he can be heard telling dispatch, “I need the police now,” before handing the phone over to Hovestadt’s daughter, Bonnie Tittle. When police arrived, Taylor was “sobbing in the street yelling, ‘the gun accidentally went off,’” the statement of facts report said. Hovestadt was found in a back bedroom of the home with a gunshot wound to her face. A silver .44-caliber pistol was lying in her right hand, the report said. The Richland County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to investigate a possible suicide. In Tittle’s 911 call, she told dispatch Taylor thought Hovestadt shot herself, but said she couldn’t think of a reason why her mother would harm herself. “According to several witnesses, Hovestadt was scared of guns and afraid to touch them,” the report said. Hovestadt still was responsive when emergency crews arrived, Sheriff’s Maj. Joe Masi previously said. She was officially pronounced dead at 10:37
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, NJ, 7/07/14: Bullets entered two bedrooms during an apparent gunfight early Monday morning, injuring two residents, authorities said. A 13-year-old girl was sleeping in her room in the unit block of Hathaway Drive around 12:45 AM when a bullet came through the wall and hit her in the lower back, according to a statement by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Channel 6 Action News identified the girl as Tiya Hudson. The teen was taken to Cooper University Hospital in Camden and was in stable condition Monday. The second victim, a 56-year-old woman living in the same block, was cut by broken glass sprayed when bullets entered her room, investigators said. The woman was treated on scene by EMS workers and declined further treatment. The prosecutor’s office said the errant rounds were fired in what appeared to be a gunfight outside on Haywood Drive, near its T intersection with Hathaway.AM.
ERIE TOWNSHIP, OH, 7/08/14: Ottawa County Sheriff Stephen Levorchick said a man shot himself in the hand at the National Matches at Camp Perry in Erie Township Tuesday morning. The man was cleaning a handgun when he accidentally discharged the weapon, Levorchick said. The man sustained injuries to his hand and nothing else and the injuries are not life-threatening, he said. Someone called for an ambulance but the man did not want to wait so he tried driving himself. But he passed the ambulance on his route to the hospital and was transported by Mid County EMS, Levorchick said.
LAKEWOOD, CO, 7/08/14: A Lakewood man shot his neighbor's dog during an afternoon dispute and then accidentally shot himself. When the Lakewood Police Department was called to a shooting at 2:23 PM Tuesday in the 1600 block of Eaton Street, officers began looking for a shooter and a victim, said Steve Davis, a department spokesman. The department's SWAT unit was called for back up as officers began searching for a shooter in an apartment building, Davis said. In the end, "The shooter and the victim were the same guy," he said. "The guy who shot the dog must have accidentally shot himself, too." That didn't stop police from citing the man for shooting the dog, Davis said. Davis did not know the shooter's name or the specific charges. The dog was injured but was expected to survive his wound, Davis said. The man was able to walk to an ambulance to receive treatment for his leg. Davis did not know the cause of the dispute, including whether the dog was the focus. The two men involved in the fight are neighbors in an apartment building, Davis said.
MERCER CO., KY, 7/08/14: A 15-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the thigh Tuesday night at her home in Mercer County, officials said. The teen was flown to the University of Kentucky Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. She is being treated and recovering well, according to her mother. Officials say the victim and her mother's fiance, age 24, were playing video games and when the fiance got up to leave, he picked up what he thought was an unloaded gun striking the teen. The mother said all handguns have been removed from the house since the incident. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and child services have also been notified.
ST. CLOUD, MN, 7/08/14: St. Cloud Police believe a shooting victim in North St. Cloud on Tuesday was accidentally shot with a gun that was in his pants pocket. The incident happened at about 5:15 PM in the 1300 block of 12th Avenue North. Dimitri Accardo, the 21-year-old victim in the incident, originally told police he was shot during a drive by shooting. After gathering evidence, investigators believe Accardo was accidentally shot in his left leg after a gun in his pants pocket went off. Evidence includes a bullet trajectory going through the upper thigh and damage to his inner pants pocket. Accardo was re-interviewed by police with the evidence and is still saying that he was shot during a drive by. Accardo has been previously arrested and was charged with a felony level terroristic threat back in 2012. His criminal history shows that he pled guilty to that offense and was convicted of a gross misdemeanor. By state law, this guilty plea means Accardo couldn’t have a gun in his possession. Investigators plan to send the case to the Stearns County Attorney Office to have him charged with illegally possessing a firearm.
MIRAMAR, FL, 7/09/14: A 3-year-old girl was taken to the hospital after being shot in Miramar, police said. The shooting happened around 9:15 PM Wednesday at 4396 Southwest 132nd Way. Miramar police said the girl was taken to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital after being shot once. The girl's mother called 911. The two were the only ones at home, according to the preliminary investigation. A man claiming to be the child's godfather told Local 10 News the shooting was accidental. He said the girl was going to be OK. The mother spoke with detectives Wednesday night at police investigated at the scene. MORE: Miramar police have confirmed that a 3-year-old girl hospitalized after being shot on Wednesday night, accidentally shot herself with the unsecured gun that was in the home. The grandparents of the child identified her as Sini Dupont. Deirdre Ashe told CBS4 News the child had surgery and doctors were able to remove a bullet from her abdomen. She is currently listed in stable condition at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood.
DOLAN SPRINGS, AZ, 7/09/14: A woman is in critical condition after a rifle in the back seat of her station wagon, allegedly stolen by her husband during a home burglary, accidentally fired and hit her in the stomach while she was unloading groceries, according to the Mohave County Sheriff's Office. Mohave deputies responded to a trespassing call from a homeowner at roughly 7 AM on July 9th. The caller said two men broke into his house by breaking a bedroom window and that he was barricaded in his garage with a pellet gun. By the time officers arrived, the suspects were gone and the victim said they had stolen a laptop, $18 and a .22-caliber rifle. The victim was able to identify one suspect as Justin Wayne Thompson and described the other one as having tattoos on his arms, chest and back. A witness said the two suspects left in a red car. A few hours later, at about 10 AM, deputies responded to an accidental shooting with a .22-caliber rifle. The victim was being taken to be airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital while police were en route.. When the police arrived, they saw two men and a woman standing near a red station wagon. The officers were able to identify one of the men as Thompson, and they took him into custody. The woman at the scene said she and her daughter were unloading groceries when a rifle in the backseat fired and hit her daughter, who was also Thompson's wife. The rifle was broken into two pieces, but police were able to identify that it was the one stolen in the burglary earlier that morning. Investigations so far have shown that no one else was in the car when the rifle fired. Deputies found a man matching the other suspect's description in a trailer on the property and took him into custody. The second suspect was identify as Michael Blaine Turner. Turner was on parole after being released from prison for armed robbery. Officers also found the stolen laptop in a trailer. Turner and Thompson are both facing felony charges of burglary and possession of a weapon by prohibited persons. Thompson's wife, the accidental shooting victim, is currently listed in critical condition after being airlifted to Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas.
NEW WAVERLY, TX, 7/09/14: A New Waverly man escaped a life-threatening injury after he was accidentally shot by a neighbor while walking through the woods Wednesday afternoon. The 45-year-old man was struck in the arm by a gunshot on his property off FM 1375 East near New Waverly in what the Walker County Sheriff’s Office said was a target shooting accident. According to Detective Tom Bean, a 14-year-old boy was sighting in his rifle at his family’s residence on an adjacent property. One of the bullets either passed through the target or ricocheted and traveled through the woods before striking the victim. The sheriff’s office did not want to release the name of the victim or the boy since a minor was involved in the accident. “The victim is expected to make a full recovery and he has been released from the hospital,” Bean said. “This was a straight accident. The minor did not know that his neighbor was walking in the woods when he was trying to sight in his rifle.”
PULASKI, VA, 7/09/14: A Pulaski Man suffered an accidental gunshot wound to the neck at his home on Pike Place Wednesday, July 9, according to Major Alderman of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. James D. Gwynn, age 54, reported the incident to Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office himself and was transported to LewisGale Hospital-Pulaski. From there, he was airlifted to Roanoke Memorial Hospital by a medic chopper. As of yesterday, Gwynn was in stable condition and Alderman said they would be checking on him again later today.
SHARON, WI, 7/09/14: The uncle of the 11-year-old boy who was fatally shot Wednesday in the town of Sharon is calling for more awareness and accountability on the part of gun owners. “I do believe you should be responsible if you are going to have guns and keep them under lock and key, and definitely not let a child have any way … of getting hold of them,” said Donny Orick. Orick's nephew, Eric Gutierrez, was shot in the head in what Orick called “an accident that could have been prevented.” Eric was declared brain dead early Thursday morning at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, Janesville. Eric suffered a gunshot wound to the forehead, according to a post on Galarza's Facebook page. She, too, called it an accident, Orick said. The shooting was reported at 12:33 PM Wednesday. Walworth County sheriff's deputies and Sharon police responded to a 911 call of a person shot in the head in a wooded area behind a home at N1602 County K. A 13-year-old was reportedly with Eric and witnessed the incident. According to Orick: Eric went over to the 13-year-old's home to hang out Wednesday. They found a gun in the house and traveled on a four-wheeler out to a wooded area. It was there the boys set up targets and the 13-year-old shot the gun and Eric “ran through the line of fire” and was hit.
DOUGLAS, GA, 7/09/14: A Florida man who shot a Douglas Police Department officer on Wednesday night, July 9, following an armed robbery was taken into custody on Thursday evening, July 10, at a residence in the Bethel community. During the apprehension of the teenage suspect, a deputy with the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office accidentally shot a 10-year old boy in the leg. According to multiple local law enforcement officers, 19-year old Christopher Barnett of Florida was tracked to a residence in the Bethel community located on Burton Road on Thursday, and officers with the GBI and CCSO were the first to arrive at the scene. Barnett was wanted for shooting a Douglas police officer the night before following an armed robbery. The officers drew their service weapons in an attempt to apprehend the suspect, but Sheriff Doyle Wooten said a bulldog then “charged” CCSO Deputy Michael Vickers, who fired a single round at the dog but missed. The stray bullet struck a 10-year old boy who lives at the residence in the leg. The Enterprise has learned the 10-year old boy is Dakota Corbitt. Sheriff Wooten said the bullet “hit the boy’s leg somewhere between the thigh and the knee,” and he was transported to Coffee Regional Medical Center before being taken to a hospital in Savannah. Law officers still managed to detain Barnett and he was arrested.
ANNISTON, AL, 7/09/14: An 11-year-old returned to Chicago Wednesday from a visit to Anniston, but only after receiving treatment for a gunshot wound caused by an accidental shooting, police say. On July 9 the boy, visiting family in Golden Springs for the summer, found a handgun that an older teen relative had hidden in bushes at the home on the 3900 block of Greenbrier Dear Road, according to a press release from Anniston police. “When the relative saw the victim with the firearm, he attempted to snatch it away from the victim, causing the victim to pull it away from the relative and the firearm to fire,” wrote Anniston police Capt. Allen George. Police recovered a .25 caliber handgun at the scene. The bullet struck the boy in the right side, exiting in the left lower chest. He was treated locally before being flown to UAB Hospital for further treatment, the release states, and he is expected to make a full recovery.
YONKERS, NY, 7/10/14: A 70-year-man was shot in his apartment Thursday afternoon and detectives later arrested a man they say accidentally discharged an illegal firearm upstairs. Eston R. Kershaw, 21, 119 Glenwood Ave., Yonkers, was arrested about 11 PM Thursday after being interviewed by detectives, said Detective Lt. Patrick McCormack, police spokesman. "He admitted to accidentally firing a handgun into the floor of a third-floor apartment," McCormack said. "That round subsequently struck the victim." The victim was a man just going about his life in his apartment at 7 Jones Place at 2:57 PM. He was struck in the stomach and taken to a hospital. McCormack said the man was in stable condition and might be released from the hospital Friday afternoon. Kershaw was charged with second-degree assault and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, felonies, and second-degree reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. He did not have a permit for the gun, police said. He was to be arraigned Friday in Yonkers City Court. The weapon was a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, McCormack said.
HUNTSVILLE, AL, 7/10/14: A Huntsville woman is recovering from injuries sustained after an accidental shooting Thursday evening. It happened on the 2700 block of Atlantic Street just after 7:30 PM. A man told officers he was showing the victim a handgun when it accidentally went off, striking the woman in the leg. The woman was taken to Huntsville Hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury. She was in stable condition during her transport to the hospital.
FRANKLIN, IN, 7/10/14: A man was injured when he accidentally shot himself in the leg in a Franklin parking lot. Franklin police have investigated the shooting that happened Thursday and ruled it accidental, according to a news release from Franklin Police.
WEST COVINA, CA, 7/11/14: A West Covina man accidentally shot his son-in-law while showing him a handgun Friday afternoon, police said. The incident, which was being investigated as an accidental shooting, was reported about 4:40 PM at a home in the 900 block of South Russelee Drive, West Covina police Lt. Dennis Patton said. A 9mm bullet penetrated a 28-year-old man’s wrist after the handgun, which his father-in-law was holding, discharged, the lieutenant said. “He was reportedly showing a weapon to a relative when the weapon inadvertently went off,” Patton said. Paramedics took the injured man to a hospital with an injury not considered to be life-threatening. The men’s account of the shooting was corroborated by other witnesses at the scene, Patton added. Police seized the involved gun, Patton said. Though it appeared the shooting was an accident, “We will do a comprehensive investigation.”
CHICO, CA, 7/11/14: According to Chico police Thomas Cadotte, 31, shot himself in the hand Friday but tried to claim a black man shot him. Police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of North Cedar Street around 11:00 AM. Upon their arrival they found Cadotte suffering a gun-shot wound to the hand. According to police, Cadotte said he was involved in a verbal altercation with a black man who pulled out a gun and shot him in the hand. Cadotte was then transferred to a local hospital while officers continued their investigation. Police said the evidence found during the investigation contradicted the information they were given by Cadotte. According to police the evidence showed that the shooting actually occurred inside Cadotte's home. Officers said Cadotte accidentally shot himself in the hand and then fabricated the story of being assaulted. The Chico Police Department intends to request charges of felon in possession of a firearm and false reporting of a crime. Both are felony charges. Officers are still looking for the firearm used and they believe Cadotte may have given it to a friend.
WILKESBORO, NC, 7/11/14: A gunshot that injured a man and locked down some stores Friday was likely accidentally discharged, Wilkesboro police said. The incident happened around 7:20 PM near PetSmart on Winkler Road Extension. A man was treated at Wilkes Regional Medical Center for a minor gunshot wound and released. A man and his wife were going into the PetSmart when someone's .22-caliber gun discharged somewhere near the building, police said. The shot hit the building and then hit the man's shoulder, police said. Several nearby stores were locked down just in case the incident was serious. However, police don't believe there is any threat to the public. The investigation continues.
RIDGECREST, LA, 7/11/14: The story of a startled man accidentally shooting a Ferriday boy to death changed Monday to a tale of horseplay gone wrong. Henry Plain Jr., 21 353 Bayou Drive, Ferriday, was booked at the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office Saturday on charges of manslaughter after he turned himself in for the fatal Friday shooting of Lakitress Williams, 15. At the time, Plain and other witnesses told CPSO investigators Plain was sitting in the house at 406 Vidalia Drive with a 9-mm pistol in his lap when Williams entered at 11:30 p.m. and startled him, leading to the shooting. Williams was pronounced dead on the scene, with the bullet having entered his chest and exited through his lower back. Monday, however, Plain reportedly changed his story, CPSO Investigator Phillip Webber said. Investigators interviewed Plain a second time after his testimony and the testimony of witnesses did not match up with physical evidence, Webber said. "The victim and (Plain) were kidding around, the boy was sucking his thumb and (Plain) was making fun of that, and he pointed the gun and pulled the trigger to scare him," Webber said. Plain was initially sitting during the incident, but had stood and walked over to Williams and pointed the gun at the victim from a downward angle. "He pulled the slide back on the gun so it would make the clicking noise when he pulled the trigger, but he didn't realize the clip was still in the gun and he chambered the bullet," Webber said. "The intent to kill was not there, but it is still considered manslaughter." The gun used in the killing was Plain's, Webber said, and the gathering at the house the night of the killing was of family members. At Plain's initial court appearance Monday, Judge Leo Boothe set the defendant's bail at $250,000. While Plain is charged with manslaughter, a grand jury can upgrade the charge to murder or downgrade it to negligent homicide, Webber said. The investigator said the matter is still under investigation and further charges are pending. In Louisiana, a manslaughter conviction carries a penalty of no more than 40 years in prison.
LOUISVILLE, KY, 7/11/14: Louisville Metro Police say a man who wasn't suppose to have a gun in the first place ended up in a hospital after shooting himself. Police were called to University of Louisville Hospital on July 11 after Patrick Daugherty arrived there with a gunshot wound. Daugherty, a convicted felon, told police he had accidentally shot himself. Daugherty was arrested July 18 for possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
DURANGO, CO, 7/11/14: A man in Edgemont Ranch is upset it took the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office two hours to check on his welfare after firing a gunshot into his house in the early-morning hours of July 11. Bud Andersen and his 6-year-old daughter, Shelby, were at home asleep when the stray bullet pierced a wall, flew through his closet and hit a refrigerator in the kitchen. Sheriff Duke Schirard said his team got busy dealing with the fallout from the shooting and was unable to make contact with Andersen until later that morning. The shot, fired by a deputy, went through the wall of Andersen’s house and through a closet before ricocheting off the refrigerator and landing on the kitchen floor, Andersen said. The shot was fired about 2 AM, Schirard said. Andersen said deputies came to check on him and his daughter about 4 AM, but he was not notified a bullet had whizzed through his house until about 6:30 AM, when deputies were looking for the bullet. “I can understand his frustration and being upset, but we were trying to accomplish so many things at once that perhaps we overlooked giving him any explanation,” Schirard said. The incident began about 12:50 AM July 11 when Andersen’s neighbor, Andrew Gregory Baros, reportedly became suicidal and barricaded himself inside his home at 281 Silver Queen Road in the Edgemont subdivision, about five miles northeast of Durango on Florida Road (County Road 240). Deputies cautiously approached Baros’ apartment on foot. After 20 minutes, Baros came out of his condo armed with his shotgun. Deputies ordered Baros to drop the weapon, but he refused. He then shouted that his gun was in a “low ready” position and warned deputies not to shoot, according to the police report. In an interview Thursday morning, Schirard said Baros raised his weapon and aimed it toward Deputy Zach Farnam. In an effort to avoid a possible shooting, the deputy fired a shot while the suspect was moving, Schirard said. The shot missed Baros, who, at the time, was standing in front of Andersen’s condo, which is connected to Baros’ condo. “That was the only shot fired, and it went into the building,” Schirard said. After the shot was fired, Baros ran back inside his condo and subsequently surrendered, Schirard said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI, 7/12/14: A 14-year-old is in custody after he shot his younger brother in a Grand Rapids home, then called police to say the injury was from a drive-by shooting. Police also determined the weapon was a stolen handgun. Grand Rapids police responded about 1:10 AM Saturday, July 12 to a home in the 1000 block of Houseman Ave. NE on a report of a drive-by shooting of a 12-year-old. Police then determined the story was false, fabricated by the 14-year-old. Officers said the two boys were handling a handgun in the basement of the home while their parents were away. The 14-year-old discharged the gun and a bullet fragment struck the 12-year-old's jaw. Police said it was then that the older brother decided to call 911 with the drive-by story. The 12-year-old's injury is not life-threatening, but he was taken to the hospital for treatment. The older brother was taken to the Kent County juvenile detention center on charges of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling, false report of a felony and receiving and concealing a stolen firearm. The weapon, police say, had been stolen out of Wyoming in 2010.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, 7/12/14: On Saturday, a man was arrested after shooting himself in the genitals with a gun he planned to sell. Police met 36-year-old Tavares Donnell Colbert at the Southwest Medical Center in Oklahoma City after he went to the emergency room. Colbert claimed that the weapon went off while he was checking to make sure it worked. Colbert reportedly bought the gun on a Kansas street and planned to sell it near a convenience store on Southeast 44th Street and Shields Boulevard. When Colbert pulled over to check the weapon, he accidentally shot himself in the groin. According to NewsOK, police arrested Colbert on one count of possession of a firearm at the hospital after he was declared fit by medical staff. It is illegal for Colbert to possess a gun because of his prior felony convictions.
MINEOLA, TX, 7/12/14: The Mineola Police Department is investigating an accidental shooting that occurred Saturday morning at the Best Western Inn on Debby Lane. According to Police, a gunshot was reported at the motel around 2 AM Saturday. When Police arrived they discovered that 27-year-old Amanda Soape of Mineola, had been shot one time. Soape was transported to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. After further investigation it was found that Soape and another female had rented the room. Police say two men stopped by the room to visit the women. One of the men had a small caliber handgun. Police say initial reports show that one of the men was showing the gun to the women when it was accidentally discharged causing it to strike Soape. Soape's injury was listed as non-life threatening. No charges have been filed. The investigation is ongoing.
YORK, SC, 7/12/14: A loaded gun was found sitting atop a toilet paper dispenser in a bathroom at the York Walmart as customers shopped Saturday afternoon, police say. Officers were called to Walmart on East Liberty Street at about 3 PM when an assistant manager reported that a customer told him a gun was in the men’s restroom near the back of the store, according to a York Police report. The manager locked the bathroom door and called police. Police went inside the bathroom and walked to the last stall, where they found a gray Smith & Wesson revolver on the toilet paper dispenser, the report states. An officer found five live .38 caliber rounds inside the gun. Officers checked the gun’s serial numbers and realized it was not stolen. Some time later, a man called police about the gun, the report states. He described the gun to officers and explained he left it in the bathroom. Police instructed him to report to the police department on Monday to pick up his firearm. It’s unclear if the gun’s owner had a concealed weapons permit. Walmart stores follow all state and local laws about customers carrying firearms.
ALTON, IL, 7/12/14: An 18-year-old died in the early morning hours of Saturday after accidentally shooting himself with a handgun, according to Madison County Coroner Stephen Nonn. Austin J. Wilcox, of Alton, was found dead seated in a living room chair at his apartment at 746 Washington Ave. at 1:34 AM July 12. Witnesses watching television in the apartment said Wilcox had been "playing" with a recently obtained semi-automatic handgun when they heard a gunshot. The witnesses turned to see Wilcox had shot himself in the head with the handgun.
YORKVILLE, IL, 7/12/14: No one was injured Saturday when a southwest suburban man accidentally fired a handgun through the floor of his apartment and into the unit below. Timothy Cavanagh, 30, of the 100 block of Marketplace Drive in Yorkville, called police around 3:20 PM Saturday to report that he’d been cleaning his handgun when it accidentally fired. Police said the bullet went through the floor and was found in the apartment below. No one was in the lower apartment when the shot was fired, police said. Cavanagh was charged with disorderly conduct. Police said damage is estimated at $5,000.
ALLENTOWN, PA, 7/13/14: A 53-year-old man accidentally fired a gun during a family dispute Sunday on Cumberland Street, the bullet striking him and his girlfriend, Allentown police said. Rolando Reyes, of Allentown, allegedly pulled a gun during the dispute that involved him, his girlfriend, his girlfriend's daughter and his girlfriend's daughter's boyfriend at 4 PM in the 600 block of Cumberland Street, according to police Capt. Bill Reinik. Reyes was allegedly upset with the daughter's boyfriend and pulled a gun on him, Reinik said. His girlfriend's daughter intervened and Reyes struck her in the head with a gun, he said. Reyes' girlfriend then got involved and all three began to wrestle around, Reinik said. Reyes accidentally fired the gun with the bullet hitting Reyes in the hand, then going through and striking his girlfriend in the arm, Reinik said. The daughter's boyfriend took both his girlfriend and his girlfriend's mother to the hospital, he said.
PORTERVILLE, CA, 7/13/14: Rodrigo Gallo, 32 of Porterville, was taken to community Regional Medical Center in Fresno early Sunday after he accidentally shot himself in the head, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department reported. It was determined that the victim was traveling in a vehicle with friends and playing/ mishandling a handgun. While the victim was handling the firearm, the firearm discharged striking the victim in the head. The driver of the vehicle drove directly to the hospital to obtain treatment for the victim. The case is currently under investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit and no other information is being released at this time. The shooting occurred just after midnight Saturday in the area of Westwood Street and W. North Grand Avenue.
HARRIS CO., TX, 7/13/14: A home invasion suspect accidentally shot another suspects during a scuffle with a Harris County homeowner, deputy constables said Monday. Pct. 4 Captain Stewart said it happened at a home in the 2400 block of Green Knoll. Three men broke into the home, and the homeowner grabbed his shotgun to defend himself. Authorities said the homeowner got into a scuffle with one of the suspects, and the suspect’s gun went off. The bullet struck one of the two other suspects who broke in. He was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, but the other two got away, deputies said. The homeowner was not hurt.
OXFORD, GA, 7/13/14: A man who allegedly had been waving around a gun throughout the day Sunday was arrested that evening after he apparently shot a female friend in the leg. Deputies were called to a home on Edge Drive in Oxford around 7:45 PM Sunday where witnesses said a man later identified as Timothy Tyler, 47, had been standing outside his ex-wife’s home, shooting off rounds from a revolver and yelling obscenities at neighbors. Before deputies could arrive, Tyler had left in a black car driven by an unknown female. Tyler’s ex-wife also told deputies that Tyler had allegedly shown her daughter’s boyfriend a gun he had while they were at Stonecrest Mall in Lithonia earlier in the day, said Newton County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Cortney Morrison. Deputies then drove to Tyler’s home to arrest him, but just before arriving at the Duncan Road residence in Oxford, they saw a black vehicle similar to the one witnesses said Tyler was riding in, pull out of the driveway. Deputies pulled over the vehicle and one of the deputies spoke with the female driver. “The deputy observed the driver siting on a burgundy towel with right leg and hand on top, and her hand and leg were shaking,” Morrison said. “The deputy advised the driver to get out and when he opened door, the female lifted the towel to reveal a gunshot wound to her right thigh.” The victim told deputies she and Tyler began arguing in the car while they were still parked in the driveway. “She stated she began assaulting him in the face because he wouldn’t get out of the vehicle, and when he eventually did, he came around to her side of the car and that’s when he accidentally shot her in the leg,” Morrison said. Tyler was arrested and charged with simple assault, criminal trespass, two counts of reckless conduct, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and discharge of a firearm while under the influence.
FEDERAL WAY, WA, 7/13/14: Man accidentally fires gun: At 5:48 PM July 13 in the 900 block of SW Campus Drive, a man accidentally fired his gun while unloading it in his apartment. No one was injured.
SEATTLE, WA, 7/14/14: 5:56 PM: The big emergency response – police and fire – is for a shooting at 16th and Henderson. 16th is being closed to traffic for now, between Barton and Henderson, because police are looking for shell casings in the street. One person is reported to have been shot in the foot, per scanner discussion, in which the suspect was described as a medium-complexion black man in his 20s, 150 pounds, 5-8, not a stranger to the victim, (added: dressed in black plus a white shirt/T-shirt), last seen walking northbound. 6:04 PM UPDATE: The victim is described as a 25-year-old man, shot in the right foot. 6:30 PM UPDATE: Per scanner – again, with the caveat that it’s still early in the investigation – the victim is reported to have confirmed what police say a witness told them, that this was self-inflicted/accidental.
HOUSTON, TX, 7/14/14: Constable deputies are searching for two robbery suspects accused of breaking into a home and accidentally shooting a third suspect during a confrontation with the homeowner. Authorities say the three suspects broke into a home on Green Knoll Street near TC Jester around 6:30 AM Monday. According to investigators, the homeowner confronted the suspects with a shotgun and in the confusion, the suspects shot their accomplice and fled. The wounded suspect was taken into custody and is expected to survive. The two other suspects, described as in their teens or early 20s, remain at large.
KANSAS CITY, MO, 7/14/14: Jackson County prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 22-year-old Kansas City man with assault in connection with the accidental shooting of a 4-year-old boy on Monday in the 6000 block of Blue Hills Road. According to court records: Before the shooting, a woman allegedly took the gun away from her boyfriend because she feared he was going to “do something stupid.” She allegedly handed the gun to Delaney R. Singleton, who was visiting the apartment. Later, as he handled the gun, it fired. A bullet crashed through a bathroom door into a bedroom and struck a 4-year-old boy in the lower back near his spine. The boy began yelling and crying. Asked what happen, Singleton allegedly told witnesses, “I don’t know. It fell on the floor and went off.” Later, when talking to detectives, Singleton said that he had been trying to “clear the gun” when it went off. Prosecutors charged Singleton with second-degree assault.
FREMONT TOWNSHIP, MI, 7/14/14: A 51-year-old woman accidentally shot herself in the face after she slammed the butt end of a shotgun on the floor, causing it to discharge, the Tuscola County Sheriff's Department reports. Deputies were called about 10 AM Monday, July 14, to a house on Waterman in Fremont Township for a report of a gunshot victim. Upon arrival, deputies found that a family dispute had taken place and the victim, a 51-year-old woman, told officers that she had taken a shotgun out to "make a point." She told police she slammed the butt end on the floor, the gun discharged, and she was shot in the face. FlightCare transported the victim to St. Mary's of Michigan in Saginaw, and she is expected to recover, police said. The complaint remains under investigation. The Mayville Police Department, the Mayville Fire Department and a Mobile Medical Response ambulance crew and Mayville ambulance crew assisted the sheriff's department.
LAFAYETTE, GA, 7/14/14: A Catoosa County man was shot in LaFayette early this morning, but how it happened remains a mystery. At 12:45 AM Christopher Blake Bice, 28, of a Catoosa County address, called 911 reporting that he had been shot in the knee. According to Walker County sheriff Steve Wilson: Deputies responded to Cooper Road and Ga. 95, finding Bice near his vehicle, which had been traveling westbound and parked in the eastbound lane. Bice initially told authorities that he was at a convenient store, less than a mile away, and had called a friend for help. He stated that when the friend arrived, and exited a vehicle, he had a gun that discharged striking Bice in the leg. Deputies sought the name of the friend and Bice became evasive, changing his story and stating that he accidentally shot himself. Authorities searched the parking lot at the convenient store, but did not find the weapon, shell casing or any blood to indicate the incident occurred either way that Bice described. A few hours after receiving treatment, Bice checked himself out of a local hospital. Bice is currently on parole, released Jan. 24, 2014 on a 17-month sentence at Wheeler Correctional Facility for violations of the Controlled Substances Act in 2010. He also has a 2005 arrest for possession of marijuana. There are currently no charges in this shooting, but officials are seeking Bice for further questioning.
MOBILE, AL, 7/14/14: Another young mother is dead. It’s is the third time this month that a young woman has been killed, allegedly by her boyfriend. But this case as you said is different. Investigators don’t believe it was an intentional shooting, and neither do some friends of both the victim and the suspect. There a white tarp, and a piece of police tape in the yard on Cloverleaf Circle Tuesday where police were called to a shooting Monday night. Neighbor Evelyn Williams was in bed when she heard a loud noise. “I heard something shooting. That’s all I heard. I thought it was a firecracker. I went on back to sleep I said somebody shooting firecrackers this late,” Williams said. Police found 19-year-old Selena Edwards with a single gunshot wound. A few hours later they arrested Edwards boyfriend, 24 year old Raphiel Quinnie. He’s charged with manslaughter. “The victim was shot while the victim and the defendant were playing with and loading and unloading the weapon,” District Attorney Ashley Rich said. Rich said investigators found no evidence of an intentional shooting. “I knew her she was a good girl , they never had not conflicts or arguments on nothing,” a neighbor said. A neighbor who said his name is Charles told Fox Ten News he knows both the victim and the suspect. ”He took the clip out was going to show her, and handed it to her and it went off. Things happen, things happen, and I know he wouldn’t hurt her for nothing in the world,” he said. Neighbors tell Fox Ten News the couple had an infant daughter. Quinnie is also charged with receiving stolen property. So far, we have been unable to determine if that charge involves the weapon in this case.
GLASGOW, KY, 7/14/14: Glasgow Police are releasing little information about an officer accidentally firing a gun. Police say they are investigating an incident where an unnamed officer discharged a weapon on July 14. While they haven't given any details about the accident, police say no one was hurt when the gun went off. Police plan to release more information when the investigation is complete. In a similar situation earlier this year, Glasgow Police Officer Darrell Smith shot himself in the hand while looking at a gun at Barren Outdoors. No one else was hurt in that accident.
CINCINNATI, OH, 7/15/14: A 17-year-old girl is expected to recover after she was accidentally shot in the arm on a West Price Hill street Tuesday night, Cincinnati police said. The teen was outside with friends in the 1300 block of Manss Avenue when a juvenile fired on the group about 8:30 PM, said Lt. John Rees, the night chief. The teen was an innocent bystander and was not the intended target, he said. She was struck nonetheless, and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The teen gunman fled the area and remains at large. Two teens who were with the girl fled the scene as officers arrived to investigate, but they were tracked down, questioned and released, Rees added.
SPRINGFIELD, MA, 7/15/14: Authorities responded to a Tuesday morning report of an "accidental gunshot victim," but Springfield police officials declined to provide further details. Police received a report of a "self-inflicted, accidental gunshot victim," who apparently was transported from Mercy Medical Center to Baystate Medical Center for treatment shortly before 2 AM. A patrol unit, a detective and a ranking officer went to the hospital to investigate. Officials reached by MassLive / The Republican were unable to provide information. A detective said he couldn't comment about the call, while a shift commander said he didn't respond and had no documentation related to the matter.
TUSCALOOSA, AL, 7/15/14: Tuscaloosa investigators say a 16-year-old's gunshot wound appears to be from an accidental shooting involving his older brother. A 21-year-old man brought his 16-year-old brother to the ER at DCH around 1 PM on Tuesday. Homicide investigators responded to the hospital and interviewed the older brother about the incident. The brother told investigators they were at home on Hillcrest School Road when he asked his younger brother to go get his pistol from the car, Sgt. Dale Phillips said. The older brother said he heard a single shot and then saw his younger brother on the sidewalk. But after interviewing family members and examining the scene, investigators determined that the 21-year-old actually fired the shot the hit the 16-year-old victim. "This incident, at this time, appears to have been an accident. No determination has been made, as to what, if any, charges will be filed," Sgt. Phillips said. The victim was treated at DCH for his gunshot wound and transported to a Birmingham hospital for further treatment. Sgt. Phillips says the case is still under investigation.
GRAFTON, ND, 7/15/14: A Grafton woman is recovering, after shooting herself in the leg with a pistol, while scaring away a burglar from her home. Kenny Moberg says his wife, Kristina Moberg is in good condition at Altru Hospital with a gunshot wound to her leg. Police are still looking for the suspect in the case, who ran away, uninjured on foot. It happened at 441 Western Avenue in Grafton at 11 o’clock Tuesday morning. Police say a man was trying to pry open this screen door at Kristina Moberg’s home. Her husband was at work. Reporter: “The guy was trying to break into her house and she takes a shot at him?” Anthony Dumas, Grafton Police: “Correct, and was startled when the round went off and accidentally discharged a second round, which pierced her lower leg.” Police say they have not recovered the bullet from the woman’s first shot at the suspect, which flew back in those woods. However, police say they have recovered the second bullet, when t