What do you have to do to get booked in this town? Fire a gun in the public library? GunFAIL CLXXV
By David Waldman
Monday Feb 22, 2016 · 9:25 PM EST
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Yes, it’s another week full of self-inflicted, accidental gunshot wounds. Because allweeks are full of self-inflicted, accidental gunshot wounds. I found 24 this time, including a two-fer at the Ohio Gun Collectors Association Show in Wilmington. The media reports of the accident danced around the issue of whether or not anyone actually shot themselves, but the gun enthusiasts in attendance were quick to report it. Though it should also be noted that the discussion eventually devolved into thatrecurring conspiracy theory in which “anti-gunners” are to blame for purposefully sabotaging the show by secretly loading rounds into other people’s previously safely cleared weapons when they’re not looking.
Also among the count for the week: 12 accidental fatalities, 11 kids accidentally shot, five rounds accidentally fired into neighbors’ homes and properties, three guns accidentally fired while being cleaned, two hunting accidents, two people accidentally shot with guns brought to work, and two accidental discharges by law enforcement officers (one during firearms training). Amazingly, that’s not a terrible week!
The flat-out dumbest story of the week is surely the one from Terre Haute, Indiana, where local gun hobbyists reserved space in the public library for a get-together, on the premise, of course, that their guns would be safely unloaded, rendering them harmless, inanimate objects. And even if they had failed to obey that simple rule, there’s always the never-fail one about not touching the trigger unless you’re ready to fire. Surely there was no way both of these inviolable rules would be broken at once! Ah, but they were. What rotten luck! And what a surprise for the folks enjoying the library’s quiet in the adjacent room! Of course, there was nothing to be done but to honor the group’s request, since the library board is powerless to restrict weapons from the building in any way beyond the provisions of state law. Which is to say, not at all.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the greatest tragedy of the week is a scenario we’ve seen play itself out before, and again this time in Rice Lake, Wisconsin: a chambered round forgotten, an accidental shooting, overwhelming remorse, and then an instant “solution,” facilitated by ready access to a firearm. Awful, but again, we’ve seen it before.
Which is really the lesson of nearly every single one of the stories we’ve read over the past few years. We’ve seen them all before. Just have a look below the fold and see if you can tell me different. And you’ll see them all again, and again, and again, too. Because where there are guns, there’s GunFAIL.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, 1/03/16: The Alexandria Police Department is investigating an incident Sunday night involving an intoxicated man who apparently shot his own foot, according to police. The incident took place about a block off of King Street. Here’s the alert sent out Sunday at 8:40 PM from the Alexandria Police Department: The Alexandria Police Department is investigating an unintentional discharge of a firearm in the 1000 block of Cameron Street. An intoxicated subject shot his own foot; it is non-life-threatening. Expect police activity in the area. No report from police on the extent of the injury or whether the man faces charges.
CHICAGO, IL, 1/03/16: Three people were injured in separate shootings Sunday on the South and West sides, Chicago police said. A woman also was hurt in an accidental shooting Sunday afternoon on the Far South Side. [A]n 18-year-old woman was accidentally shot around 3 PM in the 13100 block of South Eberhart Avenue in the Golden Gate neighborhood on the Far South Side, said Officer Amina Greer, a police spokeswoman. The woman was shot in the leg and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The shooting appears to be self-inflicted, and a weapon was recovered at the scene, Greer said. The incident is still under investigation. No one was in custody for the shootings.
ALTON, IL, 1/03/16: An Alton man allegedly went to a victim’s house wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with a revolver, but he was the one who ended up getting shot. Authorities Tuesday charged Norzell C. Pittman, 47, of the 2000 block of Brown Street, with home invasion, being an armed habitual criminal and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. He allegedly entered the home in the 1200 block of Highland Avenue on Sunday to settle a score with a man who lives at that address. Authorities claim that as soon he burst into the home he was met by a man who did not live there and whom Pittman did not expect. The visitor and Pittman allegedly got involved in scuffle, and Pittman shot himself in the hand. The visitor was not charged.
CONWAY, AR, 1/03/16: A Conway Police officer is on paid administrative leave as the department investigates an incident in which the officer's gun fired during an arrest. According to LaTresha Woodruff with the Conway Police Department, police got a call from a Walmart employee Sunday morning around 10:41 about a shoplifter. One of the responding officers encountered the suspect's vehicle and got behind it. About 8 minutes later the two vehicles entered a cul-de-sec at Gabrielle and Cherub, and the suspect backed his van into the officer's SUV. A pursuit began and the chase got up to around 80 mph. The pursuit ended at Clifton and Duncan Streets when the suspect's van stuck another vehicle at a stop sign. The occupants of the vehicle were not hurt. While multiple officers were arresting the suspect, one of the officer's weapon accidentally discharged. No one was injured. The suspect was arrested and faces several charges including theft of property, fleeing and leaving the scene of an accident.
DUBUQUE, IA, 1/03/16: Police in Dubuque confirm a little boy was critically wounded in a late night shooting that may have been an accident. Investigators say the shooting happened around 11:45 PM Sunday night at 942 Main Street, near the downtown area. A 2-year-old boy was airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. There is no word on his condition. "Not sure of the current condition right now," said Lt. Scott Baxter with Dubuque Police. "It was a very serious injury, hence the transportation to University of Iowa." Police believe the shooting may have been an accident but are still investigating what led up to the gun going off and whether someone shot the child or if the child had the gun when it went off. No one has been arrested but police say charges are still possible in the case. "There were several people inside the residence when it did happen," said Lt. Baxter. "Obviously interviews have to be conducted, the scene has to be processed, all of that is still on going." MORE: The parents of a Dubuque toddler who shot himself now face federal charges. Raven J. Harris, 25, and Willie E. Horsley Sr., 29, both of 2831 Central Ave., No. 1, are each charged in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, prosecutors announced Friday. They made initial court appearances Tuesday, and both are scheduled to be back in court on Tuesday, Feb. 23. "(Willie Horsley) initially told police that (Jeremiah Horsley) had been cut by glass," according to court documents. Medical professionals determined the boy had been shot, court documents said. The bullet entered Jeremiah Horsley's right cheek, traveled out through his left jaw, entered his left shoulder and exited from his left arm. The boy was taken to University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City for treatment. "Harris also stated that she carried the (handgun) with her when she went to pick up Horsley from work on Jan. 3, 2016, and when she arrived home, she placed the firearm on top of the television in her bedroom," court documents said. Court documents state Harris' other children, ages 7 and 4, said they were playing with the gun in a bedroom when Jeremiah Horsley shot himself in the face.
EDEN, AZ, 1/03/16: A 62-year-old man was hospitalized Sunday after he accidentally shot himself in his leg at his residence. According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, first responders were dispatched to 11013 West Eden Church Lane at about 3 PM. Upon arrival, a deputy discovered Mickey Bartlett on the floor of his living room with blood coming out of his lower left leg. A Pima officer applied pressure to Bartlett’s wound to help stop the bleeding until he was relieved by paramedics from Southwest Ambulance, who then treated Bartlett and transported him to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center. Pima Fire also responded to the scene to assist. According to Bartlett’s statements to police, he was in the living room and forgot his gun was loaded. He then accidentally shot himself in his rear calf area. The injury was described as a through-and-through with an exit wound by a Pima officer. Bartlett’s wife retrieved his Hi-Point 9-mm handgun for a deputy, who discovered it still had a loaded magazine with a round in its chamber. The deputy then cleared the firearm and secured it. A spent 9-mm shell casing was located in the kitchen/living room area, according to the report.
MEMPHIS, TN, 1/03/16: Memphis police were investigating after a teenager shot himself, apparently by accident, Sunday morning, officials said. The incident happened a little before noon in the 300 block of Gaston in South Memphis. According to police, the 15-year-old boy's father was approaching the house when he heard two shots. The teen opened the door and said he shot himself. The boy was taken to the Regional Medical Center in critical condition, police said.
MEMPHIS, TN, 1/04/16: Three people have been shot and two are dead after a pair of shootings. One of those shootings was accidental. According to police, a man accidentally shot a gun through the floor. On the floor below, the bullet hit a 13-year-old girl. The girl was also holding a 12-week-old baby, who was grazed by a bullet. The 13-year-old was taken to LeBonheur in critical condition; the baby was taken there in non-critical condition. The 13-year-old later died from her injuries. After the accidental shooting, another person went upstairs to locate the person that fired the shot. That person shot and killed the original shooter while the original shooter tried to run away. Both shootings occurred in the 1400 block of Briercrest Lane at the Corning Village Apartments. Police have not found the second shooter. They are working to get a description of the suspect.
LAGRANGE, GA, 1/04/16: Police are continuing to investigate the accidental shooting of a 2-year-old LaGrange girl by another child Monday night. The girl, identified as Calvinyanna Sanders, was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston hospital Monday night with a gunshot wound to the torso. She remains in critical, but stable condition after surgery Monday night, according to LaGrange police. The shooting occurred just after 4 PM in the apartment of Shynobia Huguley at the Wood Glen Apartments, according to LaGrange police investigators. Calvinyanna and her mother, Dashavey McCamey, were visiting the apartment at the time. Huguley told investigators that she was in her bedroom when the shooting occurred. She said her young son, Korbin Willis, was in the living room with Calvinyanna. She said Dashavey McCamey and Kamiyah McCamey were also in the living room at the time of the shooting, according to a police incident report. Three other children — ages 10, 3 and 1 — also were in the apartment, investigators determined. Huguley told investigators that the handgun was under the couch in her living room. One of the children apparently found the handgun, fired it and hit Calvinyanna, police said. Officers recovered the weapon inside the apartment.
ST. CLOUD, FL, 1/04/16: A 2-year-old remains in critical condition after what authorities are calling an accidental shooting in St. Cloud on Monday night. A large presence of Osceola County deputies could be seen at the Michigan Avenue home after a family member called 911 around 6 PM. The child was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. According to the sheriff's office, the evidence points toward the child accidentally shooting himself; however, the incident remains under investigation. Family members indicated the boy located a small caliber handgun in a truck parked at the home. It's unclear whether the boy accidentally fired the weapon or it somehow discharged on its own and struck him, officials said. Authorities have not yet said whether charges would be filed in the case.
SANTA ROSA, CA, 1/04/16: A man who accidentally shot himself in the hand was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials said. Francisco Javier Yanez, 20, of Santa Rosa shot himself with an illegal short-barreled shotgun while two children were at the Ludwig Avenue home, Sgt. Cecile Focha said. A caller reporting the shooting led deputies and an ambulance crew to the home at about 10 AM Monday on the western outskirts of Santa Rosa, but Yanez was gone, Focha said. Deputies found him at a hospital and, once treated, booked him into the Sonoma County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail, the sergeant said. He was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment and illegal weapon possession, Focha said. He was not in custody at the jail Tuesday.
DUNDEE, IA, 1/04/16: A northeast Iowa farmer has died in a farm-related accident. Fifty-seven-year old Randy Kelchen of Dundee was found dead at his farm Monday afternoon. According to the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Kelchen had been working with livestock and used a shotgun to euthanize an aggressive bull. Authorities say as he was climbing the gate out of the barnyard, when the shotgun accidentally discharged and the gunshot wound was instantly fatal.
TRINIDAD, CO, 1/04/16: A 9-year-old boy who was accidentally shot in the head after he and his younger brother found and handled a loaded handgun while inside of a parked car last week in Trinidad died Sunday at a Denver hospital, according to the Trinidad Police Department. The boy, who police did not identify, was shot in the head Jan. 4. Police said the 9-year-old boy had been inside of a parked vehicle with his 8-year-old brother at a Shell station on Goddard Street. The two boys found a loaded gun in the vehicle and the gun was discharged while it was being handled, and a bullet struck the 9-year-old boy in the head. The victim was transported to Mt. San Rafael Hospital and then flown via Flight for Life to Denver Children’s Hospital. He had undergone surgery and was listed in critical condition before he died. Police said they received information that the boy was removed from life support Sunday and died around 12:54 PM. The two boys were in the care of family friend James Howard, 63, of Trinidad, while the boys’ parents attended a medical appointment, police said last week. Howard is an employee of the Sparks Natural Gas station, which is near the Shell station on Goddard, and was working on a pump at the time of the incident. The police department’s communications center received a call around noon Jan. 4 that the 9-year-old boy was injured and needed medical attention at the Sparks station and medical personnel responded to that location. Police said no arrests had been made as of Monday, adding that once the investigation is complete, it will be reviewed by the district attorney to determine what charges, if any, will be filed.
SAN ANTONIO, TX, 1/04/16: A shooting in the courtyard of a north side apartment complex prompted a massive air and ground search which included the SAPD helicopter, but was quickly ended when the victim admitted that he had shot himself by accident, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports. A police officer was at the apartment complex in the 11700 block of Parliament, not far from Churchill High School, taking a report on another offense when he heard a shot and saw a man lying on the ground. He rushed to the scene and the 18 year old victim told him that a man called 'reefer' had shot him and then run away. Police called in officers who scoured the area, only to have the victim fess up and tell them that 'reefer' does not exist, at least 'reefer' isn't human. The man said he accidentally shot himself in the foot. The man was rushed to the hospital, where officials say he lost his big toe.
HENDERSON, TX, 1/05/16: Anthony Clifton, owner of Clifton’s Barber Shop, was found dead by police Tuesday afternoon of an apparent gunshot wound.Henderson police officers and detectives, Department of Public Safety, Champion EMS and the Henderson Fire Department responded to a call at around 4:50 PM Tuesday in reference to a male at Clifton’s Barber Shop, located at 208 U.S. Highway 79 N., with a possibly self-inflicted gunshot wound.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, 1/05/16: Colorado Springs police say one man is hurt and another is behind bars after an accidental shooting. It happened on the 2600 block of Avalanche Heights on the north side of Colorado Springs around 10 PM on Jan. 5th, 2016. Police say a man had called police to report a shots fired call. When they arrived to the mans house, he said he accidentally fired his gun while he was cleaning it. The bullet had gone through the wall of the apartment and hit his neighbor who was sitting on the couch. The neighbor was taken to the hospital, suffering from non-life threatening injuries, and is expected to be OK. The man who shot the gun, Frank Dawkins, was arrested for illegal discharge of a firearm and was taken to the El Paso County Criminal Justice center.
HAINES, AK, 1/05/16: Tuesday at around 1:15 PM, Haines Borough Police Officer Brayton Long, 52, accidentally shot himself in the lower arm while conducting firearms training at the shooting range out Mud Bay Road. Long was transported to the Haines Clinic before being Medevaced to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment. A spokesperson from Harborview said Wednesday morning that Long is in stable condition. According to acting police chief Josh Dryden, no foul play is suspected. Dryden said that after to speaking with Long on Wednesday, he seems to be doing fine under the circumstances. Dryden added that Long said the round didn’t hit anything “important.” An investigation by Alaska State Troopers continues. Long is the newest member of the Haines Police Department. He started a couple of months ago after having worked as a police officer in Skagway for five years. Dryden said “he’s a great officer and an even better human being.”
OXFORD, MS, 1/05/16: The fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man is still being investigated as an accidental shooting, according to Oxford Police Department officials. However, the tragic event has families reeling from shock and heartbreak. The two men involved in the shooting were first cousins, but some say were more like brothers. They recently had moved into their own place together, and the two had grown up together. OPD investigators responded to their home at 110 Old Taylor Road at about 5 PM Tuesday in response to a caller who told 911 dispatch that someone had been shot and was unresponsive. Hunter Escue, 18, was found unresponsive with obvious injuries from a gunshot wound. He was immediately taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi where he was pronounced dead, according to Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy. Officers interviewed Austin McLarty, 20, of Oxford who said he was the one who called 911. Investigators said the men were handling firearms, when a shot was reportedly fired from Austin’s pistol, striking and killing Hunter. OPD Maj. Jeff McCutchen said no charges had been filled as of Wednesday afternoon and that the case is still under investigation. Police are conducting interviews and results from evidence were sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab along with an autopsy report. OPD officials could not be reached for comment or updates this morning. McLarty is the oldest son of Lafayette County Supervisor Chad McLarty. Board president Jeff Busby said the board’s thoughts and prayers are with both families. “It’s a tragic accident,” Busby said. “I hope the community keeps both families in their thoughts and prayers as well. Our hearts go out to them. This board will certainly do all we can do show them love and support.” McLarty was not injured but was transported to the hospital for observation, according to a family member. Debbie Paine with Deborah Kaye School of Dance is helping to raise money for Escue’s family, who apparently did not have burial insurance for Escue, according to a mass email sent by Paine this morning. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the family can put a check in the mailbox at the dance studio. Put all donations in an envelope with “Donation” written on the outside. Paine will collect donations today and Friday and will write one check to the family Friday afternoon.
COTTAGE GROVE, OR, 1/05/16: A man shot and killed another man Tuesday in what may be an accident, police said. The Cottage Grove Police Department received a 911 call from a man reporting another man had been injured with a firearm and help was needed. Officers found the man on S. 6th Street with an apparent gunshot wound. Officers and EMTs attempted to revive the male victim, who later died at the scene. Police said Kyle David Ledford, 22, died from a single gunshot wound. Police are talking to two witnesses. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Cottage Grove Police Department and talk to Corporal Doug Skaggs or Corporal Chris Joyce. Police said they questioned and released a man who apparently accidentally shot and killed the victim. Police are working with District Attorney to determine if a crime was committed.
TERRE HAUTE, IN, 1/05/16: It’s where you go to get away from the noise, but a scary moment broke the silence when a gunshot rang out at the Vigo County Public Library. On Tuesday police were called to the scene of an accidental discharge. It happened during a small meeting being held in the lower level of the library. “We did have an incident where proper precautions weren’t taken,” said Kristi Howe, Director of the Vigo County Public Library. The library offers meeting rooms, which provide an extra sense of comfort and security for community organizations or groups. On Tuesday afternoon “gun hobbyists” reserved a room, and it was during their discussion when a person in attendance had a gun accidentally discharge. “Throughout the course of their meeting they were handling firearms that were intended to be unloaded, and in fact one of them did still have a live round in the chamber,” said Howe. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident, and because of the seclusion of the room not many heard the shot either. The bullet caused minimal damage to a wall, which has since been repaired. “You know you do what you can to try to make sure your environment is as safe as it can be, but sometimes accidents do just happen.” Hoosiers who have a permit can take a firearm on public property, with the exception of schools, courts, and law enforcement offices, the measure was approved back in 2011. “There’s always the possibility that guns are in the building and we’re not even aware of it. The library board does not really have the ability to implement additional regulation beyond Indiana code, we just comply with what the code states for us,” said Howe. The library is working with the group to make sure a similar incident does not happen again in the future. “We’re not interested in the gun control debate, our first priority is safety.” MORE: Witnesses told police that the husband was demonstrating a laser bore guide, which was inserted into the barrel of the firearm to emit a light that is aimed at a target. When the man's wife put the guide in her firearm and pulled the trigger of the gun, a live round fired, entering the wall and damaging the bore sighter. Two people were in an adjoining room, but were not injured by the gunfire, Tompkins said. Howe stated that no one outside the area knew about the incident. The lower level also houses the children's area of the library. "There were people in the children's area," she said, "and no one even heard the shot."
WHARTON TOWNSHIP, PA, 1/05/16: An Austin man was injured when a gun accidentally discharged into his leg on Jan. 5, state police released in a report today. Isaac Mark Vanwhy, 22, was reportedly opening his co-worker's truck door in a parking lot at Williams Gas Pipeline when his co-worker's .44 caliber revolver feel from the inside of the door. The gun reportedly discharged when it fell to the ground. The bullet entered and exited Vanwhy's left leg, and then entered and was lodged in his right leg. Vanwhy was transported to the Austin Firehall, and was taken to Cole Memorial by Austin Ambulance. He was then airlifted to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre.
LITTLE ROCK, AR, 1/06/16: The teen arrested in Wednesday's bank robbery and shooting in Little Rock has been ordered held on a $1 million bail. Tyrone Randolph, 16, made an initial appearance by video in Little Rock District Court Thursday, during which a judge set the high bond. A prosecutor told the judge Randolph has no known prior convictions, but requested a bail of $2 million because of the severity of the crimes he is charged with. Randolph faces charges of aggravated robbery, theft of property and criminal attempt to commit murder in the shooting at the Bank of America on Cantrell Road east of Taylor Loop Road in west Little Rock.
Police said the robber, who was armed with a sawed-off shotgun and wearing a Halloween mask, turned around and opened fire as he left, hitting a bank employee in the shoulder. According to a Little Rock Police Department arrest report released Thursday, Randolph "accidentally shot the man while trying to hold the gun tighter." The employee was said to have suffered non-life threatening injuries.
TRENTON, NJ, 1/06/16: A Trenton man who appears to have accidently shot himself in the abdomen Wednesday night is hospitalized in extremely critical condition, police said. The 20-year-old man was found on the third floor of a building on the 500 block of Southard Street with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen shortly before 7 PM, Lt. Stephen Varn said. The man was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, where he was rushed to emergency surgery. He was listed in "extremely critical" condition Thursday, Varn said. The shooting response team and the Mercer County Homicide Task Force investigated and found that the man's wound was accidentally self-inflicted, Varn said.
MURFREESBORO, TN, 1/06/16: A man unloading his gun around 9 PM Wednesday accidentally fired it, sending the bullet through his wall and into his neighbor’s bedroom, where she was in bed, according to Murfreesboro police report. Daniel Hermey of Fortress Boulevard told police he was attempting to unload his Polish Star 9mm when he noticed the slide was slightly opened. He said he ejected the magazine and unloaded it but when he put it back in the gun, the firearm fired one shot into the wall. Herney said he immediately checked on his neighbor. Police contacted the neighbor, Kayla Mankin, who said she was in bed when a bullet shot through her room, next to her bed and went into a window frame on the opposite wall.
LEBANON, TN, 1/07/16: Authorities have cited a man for having a firearm in a government building after a child found it in a bag. Officials in Lebanon said they responded to the Department of Children’s Services in the 200 block of East High Street around noon Thursday in reference to someone with a weapon. It was discovered that a 10-year-old child, who was in a cubicle for an interview with a DCS worker, had noticed a handgun in a bag. The juvenile got the weapon out of the bag and showed it to the worker. Authorities confirmed the gun was pointed at the worker to display it, but not in a threatening manner. Police said the gun belonged to 34-year-old Nicholas Collier who has a handgun carry permit. Collier, a contract worker for DCS through Omni Community Health, had placed the bag in the cubicle with the weapon inside. He has been cited for possessing a weapon in a government building where signage indicates weapons are not allowed. Officials said the weapon was seized. Collier has been issued a date to appear in court. Omni representatives confirmed Collier has been suspended without pay pending the investigation. The company released the following statement Thursday: “Earlier today, an Omni Community Health employee, Nicholes Collier, mistakenly left a handgun in his briefcase while onsite at the Lebanon-based Department of Children’s Services office. We are relieved to report that everyone at the location is safe. Omni Community Health takes safety very seriously. Our priority is to ensure a safe environment for both the clients in our care as well as the community we serve. Possessing a weapon in the workplace is a violation of Omni Community Health’s workplace safety policy. Upon talking with local law enforcement, the employee was cited with a misdemeanor. Mr. Collier, who has been a family services worker with Omni Community Health since June 2014, has been suspended without pay pending the results of an internal investigation.”
PORTAGE TOWNSHIP, HANCOCK CO., OH, 1/07/16:The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office has identified a man who suffered a fatal gunshot wound while hunting Thursday in a field east of McComb. Kevin G. Myers, 51, of McComb, was found in a field on the east side of Portage Township 135, just south of Ohio 613 near the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks, according to the sheriff’s office. Myers suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies said it appeared the man had been hunting when the shotgun he was carrying discharged, causing the fatal wound. The incident is still under investigation by the sheriff’s office and the Hancock County coroner’s office.
RHODES, IA, 1/07/16: The Marshall County Sheriff's Office says two people in Rhodes suffered gunshot wounds while cleaning a handgun Thursday night. A news release shows Richard Jones, 74, and Ilene Jones, 69, both suffered minor injuries when the firearm accidentally discharged. The release shows the incident remains under investigation.
SMITH CO., TX, 1/07/16: A Smith County man is recovering in a Tyler hospital after he was accidentally shot in the abdomen by his father. Around 5:40 PM Thursday, Smith County deputies were called to the 18000 block of County Road 446 in northern Smith County on a report of a discharged weapon. When deputies arrived, officials say they met with the family and learned that Jesse Wiggins, 21, had been shot in the abdomen while his father, Tracey Wiggins, 54, was trying to show him how to unload a weapon. Jesse was airlifted to a Tyler hospital for surgery. He is listed in fair condition and is expected to make a full recovery. The shooting has been ruled as accidental in nature.
GULFPORT, MS, 1/07/16: Gulfport police have made two arrests in yesterday’s shooting that left two people injured, including one of the alleged gunmen. Police have charged 23-year-old Dominique Mikell of Gulfport with aggravated assault and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. Forty-six year-old Phyllis Frazier, also of Gulfport, was charged with possession of a weapon by a felon. The two are allegedly behind a shooting at New Village Apartments yesterday morning that left an adult male with a gunshot wound in the upper torso. Police say Mikell accidentally shot himself in the groin area while trying to restore his weapon. There were no life-threatening injuries. Both suspects were taken to the Harrison County Jail on $70,000 and $25,000 bonds.
JEANETTE, PA, 1/07/16: A bullet fired from a .40-caliber handgun held by a Jeannette man during an argument with his father late Thursday nearly struck a 15-year-old girl who was sleeping next door, according to police. Andrew M. Klingensmith Jr., 33, was arraigned Friday on charges of simple assault, reckless endangering and illegally carrying a firearm without a license. Jeannette police say Klingensmith was arguing with his father, Andrew Sr., about 10:30 PM Thursday at his father's home at 323 Lentz St. when he discharged the firearm. Police Cpl. Mark Allen said in an affidavit of probable cause that the bullet went through the dining room wall and pierced the house next door, hitting a bed where a teenage girl was sleeping. Police said the girl was not injured. “A fired .40-caliber bullet was found on top of the bedsheets, next to her,” Allen wrote in the affidavit. When police questioned the younger Klingensmith, who officers said was intoxicated, he denied intentionally firing the handgun. “The defendant stated, ‘I didn't fire it. (Klingensmith Sr.) tackled me and the gun just went off,' ” Allen said in the affidavit. He said Klingensmith's gun was equipped with two safeties “that have to be squeezed simultaneously in order for the weapon to be discharged.” Allen noted in police reports that Klingensmith did not have a legal carry permit. Klingensmith was ordered held in the county jail after failing to post $50,000 bail set by Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14 before DeMarchis.
RICE LAKE, WI, 1/07/16: Six days after two people were killed by gunshots at a downtown Rice Lake apartment building, their deaths were still being probed by investigators from the Rice Lake Police Department, with assistance from the Barron County Medical Examiner and the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. Killed in the incident were Cheri Fullarton, 37, and Justin Lowrie, 32, who both reportedly were Rice Lake residents.
Although investigators declined to comment, the Jan. 7 incident is being described as an accidental shooting, followed by a suicide, according to the father of one of the deceased. Earl Lowrie, of Cameron, Justin Lowrie’s father, said that Fullarton’s death was a tragic accident, and that his son would have felt immense responsibility for it. “They were drinking, he was playing with his gun,” Earl Lowrie said via phone on Tuesday, Jan. 12. “He had removed the clip, thought it was empty, and didn’t realize it was chambered. A round went off and killed Cheri.” Earl Lowrie said that he knew that his son would have been distraught over what happened, as Fullarton was the fiancée of Justin’s best friend. “A few minutes later, he took his life as a consequence of what he did,” the father said. “He went back to his own apartment and that’s when he took his life.
NICHOLS, SC, 1/07/16: A Nichols man, who was apparently trying to frighten a dog from his property, accidentally shot a man who was flagging adjacent property, according to the Horry County police report. Police found a resident, who appeared to be very upset. The police report says he told them he accidentally shot a man while attempting to scare a dog, according to the police report. The police report says the resident told officers he has been having trouble with a neighbor’s black labrador coming onto his property and relieving himself for the past few months. When he saw a black lab on his property this past Thursday, he said he grabbed his shotgun and fired underneath the dog to scare it away. After firing the gun, the suspect heard a man yell, “What are you doing? You shot me.” The resident told the victim that he didn’t see him and was very sorry. He told officers that he didn’t see the victim in the woods when he shot toward the dog, which was a black lab belonging to the victim. The officer located a spent shotgun shell near a tree where the resident said he was standing when he fired the weapon. The officer also found a small amount of fresh blood on the ground. The officer searched all of the trees in the general area and found no pellet marks, leading him to believe that the resident did fire toward the ground. An officer met with the victim at Marion Hospital. He said he was flagging property that his company had recently purchased. The victim said he was inside the property line, talking on the phone with the dog running in front of him. The victim said it felt like he stepped on a bomb and he fell to the ground. The victim said the shooter was about 20 yards away, and he staggered toward him asking, “What did you shoot me with?” The shooter fired a 2.75-inch 00 buckshot. The victim called the man that the property was purchased from and he took him to the hospital. Hospital staff advised officers that the victim’s right tibia was fractured from the shotgun pellet.
CONWAY, SC, exact date unknown: Police responded to a residence on Hunting Swamp Road this past week in reference to shots being fired into a dwelling. The homeowner told police he had been gone for about three weeks and upon returning he discovered a spent projectile on a bed that apparently came through the wall. The officer took pictures of the damage from inside and outside of the residence.
LITTLE FALLS, MN, exact date unknown: WEAPON—A 32-year-old man was arrested at 2:09 AM on First Street Northeast after a caller reported he accidentally fired a handgun inside her car, causing a bullet hole in her windshield. The man is a convicted felon and was arrested following a traffic stop. A loaded handgun was located under the passenger seat where the man was seated.
LUDLOW, MA, 1/08/16: A man who was showing a gun to a friend ended up accidentally shooting both himself and his friend. Ludlow Police Lt. Michael Brennan told 22News that the man had his friend over his house, and was showing him the handgun shortly before 11:00 Friday morning, when the gun went off. The homeowner was wounded in the hand, while his friend was wounded in the leg. Both men were taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center, and are expected to recover. Brennan said that at this point, they are not releasing the location of the house where the accidental shooting took place. No charges have been filed.
CARLSBAD, TX, 1/08/16: Last night at around 10 PM, what was re