4-year-old shoots mother after expressing curiosity about guns

A 23-year-old mother from Gig Harbor, Washington was unintentionally shot in the back by her 4-year-old son. The mother was talking on the phone with her back to her son when she was shot. She was shot on her left side with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The boy found the unloaded shotgun on the bed. "All the kid did was drop the shell in the chamber, touch the bolt release and pull the trigger," police said. "He had probably seen his dad do it a hundred times."
Before the incident the boy's father gave the boy a shotgun cartridge so he could learn to handle it. According to police, "The boy had expressed curiosity about firearms and his father provided him with one shotgun ammunition round."
Ohh shoot.

9-year-old injured when shotgun fired from neighbor's apartment

A 9-year-old girl was injured when a shotgun blast came through the wall of her Apache Junction, Arizona apartment. Two teenage boys in the neighboring apartment are facing charges of an accidental discharge of a weapon.
The girl was sitting in her apartment when she was struck in the chest and abdomen by the shotgun pellets. Her injuries were not life threatening and she is recovering in a Phoenix hospital. According to police, "she is an extremely lucky little girl" that she was not more seriously injured.
Police were not able to recover the shotgun because it had been discarded by the suspects.
Ohh shoot.

Two unintentional shootings: Ohio man shoots wife; California woman shoots husband

29-year-old Brian R. of Mansfield, Ohio was cleaning his gun when the gun discharged. The bullet struck his wife in the left forearm, continued through the living room wall into the kitchen and lodged in the refrigerator door. Brian was charged with negligent assault. His wife was taken to the local hospital and treated for minor injuries.
A couple in Ventura, California had just purchased a new handgun. The wife had the gun and thought it was unloaded. She pulled the trigger and fired a bullet that hit her husband in the abdomen. The man was treated at the local hospital for a non-life threatening wound.
According to police, "it appears that alcohol and unfamiliarity with handguns contributed to the incident."
Ohh shoot.

8-year-old target shooting with parents unintentionally shoots and kills 4-year-old sister

A family was target shooting in the Arizona desert. An 8-year-old was practicing on a .22-caliber rifle. While she was shooting her 4-year-old sister darted in front of her. The 8-year-old pulled the trigger and shot her sister in the head. The 4-year-old was airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix where she was pronounced dead.
The area of the shooting is popular with target shooters.
Ohh shoot.

Woman hit by stray bullet at California campground

A woman was walking back to camp from the restrooms at the KQ Ranch RV campground in Cuyamaca, California when she was hit in the chest by a stray bullet. The shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. The woman was holding her baby when she was shot but the baby was not injured. She was flown to a hospital for treatment.
According to the sheriff the shooting was accidental, but he did not know exactly how it happened, the extent of the woman's injuries or if the shooter will be charged with a crime.
Ohh shoot.

Man shoots himself in the face while trying to kill a skunk

31-year-old Daniel M. from Sarasota, Florida was visiting his friend in Myakka City when the two spotted a skunk. Daniel got his .22 rifle out of the trunk of his car in order to shoot the skunk. He placed the butt of the rifle on the ground and went to load the gun, not realizing that the gun was already loaded. His fingers slipped and hit the trigger, causing the gun to discharge. The bullet went through a finger of his right hand, entered his face through his left cheek and lodged in his head.
His injuries were not life-threatening. Daniel was alert and talking as he was transported to the local hospital.
Ohh shoot.

Teen shoots best friend in back, family asks for prayers so their son can walk again

18-year-old Seth K. unintentionally shot his best friend, 16-year-old Donavan A. in the back with a .22 caliber rifle. Donavan remains hospitalized and doctors say he is paralyzed from the waist down. His parents have asked for prayers for their son so that he can walk and "be a kid again."
Hundreds of people gathered Sunday night in the parking lot of a shopping center in Troy, Ohio. Holding candles and wearing t-shirts that said "Walk for Donavan" friends and family prayed that Donavan would one day walk aging.
Donavan's grandmother said, "There is a very good possibility that in our hearts and with the man upstairs that things will change and he will have the capability of walking again."
Ohh shoot.

Man cleaning his gun shoots 4-year-old son and mother

Aaron E. of Chaparral, New Mexico was cleaning his 9mm semi-automatic handgun when it unintentionally discharged. The bullet hit his 4-year-old son, went through the boy's chest, and shot his mother. Both the child and the woman were rushed to the hospital where they are listed in critical condition.
According to Aaron's father, Aaron is an Army veteran who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. "He has experience with guns, but it was an accident, it always happens, and those who have guns at home, be careful with them," he said.
A picture on Aaron's MySpace shows him teaching his young son to hold a handgun. The caption reads "never to [sic] early to play with guns."
Ohh shoot.

23-year-old buys gun at gun show shortly after unintentionally shoots self in leg

23-year-old Michael H. and 23-year-old Andrew S. of Manchester, New Hampshire bought guns at a gun show in Manchester. They then drove to Andrew's apartment. While in the driveway, Michael unintentionally shot himself with Andrew's .40-caliber handgun while trying to find the gun's safety. Michael was taken to the hospital where he is listed in fair condition.
New Hampshire, like 45 other states, has no requirements for gun safety training prior to purchasing a gun.

Florida boy dies after being shot with gun from 17-year-old friend's arsenal

12-year-old Anthony A. of Deerfield Beach, Florida died from injuries suffered when he was unintentionally shot by his 17-year-old friend Jose. Anthony was shot in the face, the bullet then exited his neck and severed his spinal cord.
Jose told police that he pulled a suitcase from under his bed and each boy grabbed a gun. Anthony took the small revolver while Jose took the 9mm Ruger. He knew the gun was loaded but didn't think there was a round in the chamber.
Police searched Jose's bedroom and found an arsenal of weapons including knives, swords, brass knuckles, and a suitcase containing two 9mm semi-automatic pistols, a .45-caliber handgun, a Tech 9 machine gun, and a 12 gauge Mossberg shotgun.
Jose's parents say they knew nothing of the arsenal and Anthony's family say they too were in the dark. The local sheriff said this should serve as a wake-up call to parents to pay attention to what's going on with your kids.
"I'm calling on parents. You have to know what your kids are doing! I can't think of any excuse as a parent, not to know that your child, especially a juvenile, has this type of weapons in your bedroom."
Ohh shoot.

Man falls asleep holding gun, wakes up when he shoots his wife

A Connecticut man was sleeping when he heard a noise downstairs. He grabbed his gun and went to investigate. Finding no intruder he went back to bed, and took his gun with him. He was awakened when the gun discharged, shooting his wife in the hand.
The wife was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Police continue to investigate and say they expect to file charges.
Ohh shoot.

Man dies in son's arms after being unintentionally shot in back.

47-year-old Richard J. of Casco, Maine went to Rattlesnake Mountain for some target shootings. He took his two sons, ages 9 and 12. Police said Richard was shot in the back when a .22-caliber rifle fired in the hands of a young boy. Police would not identify the boy, saying "it would compound a tragedy."
Richard died at the scene. According to his obituary "He was a great father who loved his kids and was a devoted parent."
Ohh shoot.

Gun goes off inside bar after falling on floor

Saturday night a fight broke out at a bar in Lorain, Ohio. As two men fought on the dance floor one man pulled a gun and pointed it at the other man's face. The bar's bouncer stepped in to break things up. Soon the police arrived. As the bouncer and the police were struggling to restrain the man the gun, which the man had placed back in his pants, fell to the floor and discharged. Fortunately, no one was hit by the bullet.
The man escaped but police found a small .32-caliber handgun in the doorway of the bar and bullet fragments in the same area.
Note - four states, Tennessee, Arizona, Georgia and Virginia, recently enacted laws explicitly allowing loaded guns in bars. Eighteen other states allow weapons in restaurants that serve alcohol.
Ohh shoot.

Fort Bragg soldier unintentionally shoots self in head

A 33-year-old Fort Bragg soldier unintentionally shot himself in the head Saturday night. James G. was with four other military men in a hotel in downtown Raleigh. They were getting ready to go out for the evening and were securing their weapons. James was unloading his 9mm handgun when it fired, hitting him in the head. James is listed in critical condition at WakeMed hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Ohh shoot.

Two people target shooting in backyard unintentionally shoot neighbor

Bob R. of Eaton Township, Ohio was filling a birdfeeder near the pond on his 12-acre property when he was shot in the leg. The bullet was fired by his neighbors who were shooting at logs on their property. Detectives believe the bullet may have hit the ground and ricocheted over trees that separate the two properties before hitting Bob.
The neighbors, 32-year-old Krissie G. and 30-year-old James B. were arrested on charges of negligent assault and falsification and obstructing official business for lying to investigators. Krissie and James admitting to shooting shotguns but denied firing a handgun of the type that hit Bob.
Local police noted that people are allowed to shoot both as long as they have a safe backstop. "Since the bullet hit someone else quite a distance from the logs," police said, "the backstop wasn't safe, which led to the negligent assault charge."
Ohh shoot.

12-year-old girl shot by dad who was cleaning gun

A 12-year-old Macomb Township, Michigan girl was shot by her father Tuesday night. Her father was cleaning a handgun he had recently purchased and didn't realize there was a bullet in the chamber. He pulled the trigger and unintentionally shot his daughter. The bullet hit her wrist and then went into her leg. She was treated at a local hospital and released.
Ohh shoot.

Two children unintentionally shot in three days

A 5-year-old Ashland, Tennessee boy unintentionally shot himself in the mouth with his grandparents' .22 caliber handgun Monday morning. The boy was rushed to the hospital where he is reported in stable condition.
The shooting comes three days after a 12-year-old Lewis County, TN girl was shot in the back of the head by two young boys. Police believe the shooting was accidental. The girl is still in the hospital, her condition unknown.
Police have reminded the public of the importance of using safety devices, such as gun vaults or gun locks, to keep firearms out of the hands of children.
Ohh shoot.

Student unintentionally shot at fraternity house party

A 19-year-old student at California University of Pennsylvania was unintentionally shot while visiting a fraternity house this weekend. Raylynn P. of Pittsburgh told police she was at a party at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house, standing in the kitchen when she heard a loud bang and felt a burning sensation on her left side.
19-year-old Dustin F. was in the bedroom above looking at a shotgun his friend had recently purchased. Dustin picked up the gun without checking to see if it was loaded and was pointing it at the floor when the gun went off.
Raylynn was treated by a university nurse and released. Dustin has been charged with reckless endangerment. The fraternity has been placed on temporary suspension pending the outcome of an investigation.
Ohh shoot.

Missouri hunter dies after unintentionally shooting himself in the leg

A 76-year-old Poplar Bluff, Missouri man died after unintentionally shooting himself in the leg while hunting alone. Lowell F. was struck by a single shot from his 12-gauge shotgun while either getting in or out of his ATV. Lowell tried to stop the bleeding by using a bungee cord wrapped around his leg.
According to a Wayne County conservation agent, this is the third hunting-related accident in the last month.
Ohh shoot.

Gun shot kills baby sleeping in apartment below

21-year-old Akeem Page of Reading, Pennsylvania has been arrested on charges of involuntary manslaughter. Page is charged with the shooting death of 2-month-old Michael Johnson. Page discharged a shotgun that was pointed at the floor in his apartment. The bullet traveled through the floor and struck 7-week-old Michael in the head as he was sleeping in the apartment below. Michael was rushed to the hospital but died of his injuries.
Investigators say it remains unclear why Page had the shotgun but believe the shooting was accidental. The investigation is continuing.
Ohh shoot.