19-year-old killed when handgun being examined by friends unintentionally fires

Four friends, all between the ages of 19 and 21, were in a car in The Woodlands, Texas examining a handgun. One of the young men unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet struck a 19-year-old man in the chest. The driver stopped the car to meet EMS in a parking lot and the young man was declared dead at the scene. 21-year-old Michael Galloway has been arrested and charged with criminal negligent homicide.
Ohh shoot.

Bartender playing with handgun unintentionally shoots and kills himself

52-year-old John Popinski of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was inside Salac's Tavern in Lawrenceville Wednesday night where he works as a bartender. The bar was closed but he was there with his 17-year-old son. Popinski was playing with the handgun the bar owner keeps at the bar for safety. He was twirling the .357 revolver went the gun went off, shooting him in the head. Popinski was transported to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
A co-worker described Popinski as "the greatest person in the world."
Ohh shoot.

Dog knocks gun off counter, shoots man

28-year-old John Daniels of Knightdale, North Carolina laid his loaded, 32.-caliber semiautomatic handgun down on the kitchen counter. His dog jumped up and knocked the gun to the floor. The handgun fired as it hit the floor and the bullet struck Daniels in the right knee.
Daniels told police he limped to a phone and called his parents, but no one answered. He then called his sister who took him to the hospital. He is expected to recover from his injuries.
Ohh shoot.

Security guard tries to play prank with gun, shoots himself in the hand instead

A 38-year-old security guard at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in South Carolina wanted to play "a joke" on another guard. He decided to empty the rounds from the other guard's gun and drop the bullets into the lock box where the gun was temporarily stored. He ejected the magazine from the gun but did not check to see that there was a bullet in the chamber. While unloading the magazine, he dropped the gun and tried to catch it, causing the gun to fire. The bullet hit him in his left hand and then lodged in a wall.
No one else was injured and no charges have been filed but the guard no longer works at the hospital. "This officer was a great asset to this hospital," said the hospital security director, "He did a tremendous job for us. He had a moment's lapse in judgement, and I have zero tolerance for that."
Ohh shoot.

Cop tries to turn on flashlight mounted on gun, unintentionally shoots elderly man instead

76-year-old Jose Colon was shot Saturday morning when New York City police raided his Bronx apartment. Jose was shot when Officer Andrew McCormack tried to turn on the flashlight mounted underneath the barrel of his Glock 9mm handgun. Instead of turning on the flashlight the officer unintentionally pulled the gun's trigger.
This is at least the second accidental police shooting involving this same flashlight model. Last October an unarmed man in Texas was shot under similar circumstances.
A New York firearms expert criticized the use of pistol-mounted flashlights. "A handgun should be a handgun, and a flashlight should be a flashlight. When you put a flashlight on a weapon system, there are numerous things that you have to manipulate, and under stress, things are more difficult."
Jose was not charged with a crime however his son was arrested for heroin possession. Jose is recovering in a local hospital.
Ohh shoot.

Man unintentionally shot in face while twirling guns "cowboy style" with friend

26-year-old Matthew Richie of Lexington, Kentucky was with a friend twirling loaded handguns "cowboy style" when one of the weapons unintentionally discharged. Richie was shot in the face. He was transported to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital where he is listed in critical condition.
Police are investigating the incident.
Ohh shoot.

Teen unintentionally shot and killed while hanging out with friend at Subway restaurant

18-year-old Brandon McKenzie was hanging out with his friend, 20-year-old Paul Salter, at a Subway restaurant in Millen, Georgia. The two men were passing a gun back and forth when the gun discharged. Brandon was shot. He was taken to the local hospital where he died.
Brandon was a junior at Jenkins County High School. He was a member of JROTC and also was in the school band.
Salter has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The sheriff also said the two men stole the gun in a burglary a few weeks earlier.
Ohh shoot.

Man showing off new gun unintentionally shoots his mother-in-law and his 2-year-old son

A 32-year-old Centerville, Utah man was showing his off his newly-purchased .40-caliber handgun. He was sitting on his couch, next to his mother-in-law. Thinking the gun was unloaded, he pulled the trigger. The gun fired and the bullet traveled through his mother-in-law's calf and hit his two-year-old son in the foot. The gunshot seriously damaged the boy's foot.
According to police, the father does have some experience with firearms although "he does not have a concealed weapons permit, we don't know if he's had any formal training in the use of firearms."
Utah, along with the majority of states in this country, has no requirements for gun safety training before purchasing a firearm.
Ohh shoot.

Parents sue neighbor who unintentionally shot their 3-year-old son

David & Lisa Hart, of West Valley City, Utah, have filed suit against their neighbor Ronald Ferguson. The suit claims, "Mr. Ferguson negligently discharged his pistol indoors in an environment where any reasonable person would have known of the danger posed to those present in the same building from flying bullets."
In June, 2010, the Hart's 3-year-old son, David, was playing in their basement apartment. Ferguson was in the apartment above, showing his newly-purchased 9mm handgun to his girlfriend when he unintentionally fired the gun. According to police the bullet "went right through the floor, passed through some drywall downstairs and into the room where the boy was playing." David was shot in the hip and required surgery to remove the bullet.
The lawsuit is asking for compensation in an amount not less than $20,000 for medical and other associated expenses as well as punitive damages.
Ohh shoot.

Two high school students wounded when gun in backpack fires

A 17-year-old student at Gardena High School in Los Angeles, California had a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun in his backpack. According to the school district superintendent, "He literally dropped his knapsack on the desk, and the gun went off." Two students were wounded in the shooting.
The two 15-year-old students were hospitalized. The boy is in fair condition after being hit in the neck. The bullet grazed the girl's head, causing a skull fracture and a "fairly significant blood clot on the left side of her brain." She remains in critical condition. Doctors said they will have a better idea of her recovery today, saying they would be looking to see if she could move her arms and legs.
Police are considering charges against the boy who brought the gun to school.
Ohh shoot.

Shot fired in Walmart after man drops his concealed weapon

59-year-old L.J. Johnson of Lake City, Florida was shopping in the local Walmart when he dropped his concealed handgun. The gun and it's holster landed on the floor and the firearm discharged. The bullet traveled through the holster. The surrounding area was searched for evidence of where the bullet landed, but it was never found. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Johnson was arrested and charged with culpable negligence and improper exhibition of a firearm.
Ohh shoot.

Woman having dinner in restaurant shot in butt when another customer drops his gun

A 71-year-old woman was having dinner at Raffa's Waterfront Grill in Houston, Texas when a handgun fell out of the coat pocket of a nearby customer. The handgun discharged and the bullet hit the woman in the buttocks. She was taken to the hospital where she is listed in stable condition.
The 66-year-old gun owner had a concealed weapons permit for the gun. No charges are expected to be filed however the case will be considered by a grand jury.
Ohh shoot.

Friends shooting at road signs in Montana when woman in car unintentionally shot and killed

Four friends were driving, drinking, and shooting at road signs near Libby, Montana. 30-year-old Jacob Stufflebeam was sitting in the back seat handling the gun when he unintentionally discharged the firearm. The bullet passed through the seat in front of him and struck 25-year-old Sarah Gudmundsen in the back. Sarah was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. Stufflebeam has been arrested and charged with felony negligent homicide.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff, "Alcohol appears to have been involved in this tragic incident."
Ohh shoot.

80-year-old man shoots himself while cleaning his gun

An 80-year-old Long Beach, California man unintentionally shot himself while cleaning one of his gun. He was transported to the local hospital and is expected to survive. Police removed several other firearms from the man's home as a precaution. However, they did not say what type of gun the man was cleaning when it discharged or how many other weapons were taken by police.
Ohh shoot.

Man shoots woman in apartment next door while cleaning his gun

A 22-year-old Kalispell, Montana man was cleaning his rifle in his apartment around 2 a.m. when the gun discharged and the shot went through the wall into the apartment next door. The 28-year-old woman who lives there was awakened by a burning sensation in her leg and discovered she had been shot. She was taken to the local hospital where she was treated and released.
Hours after the shooting the man called police to report the incident. He was taken into custody but later released. No charges have been filed.
Ohh shoot.

Homecoming queen unintentionally shot and killed at fraternity house

Ashley Cowie had been homecoming queen in high school. A sophomore at Florida State University, Ashley was shot and killed Sunday morning at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house on the FSU campus. 20-year-old Evan Wihelm has been charged with manslaughter in Ashley's death.
Wilhelm told police he was showing friends a new flashlight accessory on his rifle and he didn't realize the gun was loaded. The gun discharged and the bullet hit 20-year-old Ashley in the chest before hitting another student in the wrist. Ashley died at the scene.
Firearms are prohibited on public university campuses in Florida. The fraternity is a private building, but the lease agreement specified that no guns were allowed in the building. The State Attorney's office is looking into whether any gun-related charges will be added.
Ohh shoot.

Teenage boy thought his cousin was a burglar, gets his gun and shoots her dead

26-year-old Joy Logan of Bay Minette, Alabama was visiting her aunt in Mobile. They went to visit a family member in the hospital and her aunt told Joy that because it was late, she should spend the night in Mobile instead of driving home. Joy took her aunt's key and went to the house. Meanwhile, Joy's cousin, 18-year-old Daniel Johnson was home alone, not knowing his cousin was coming over. He heard a noise, thought it was a burglar, went and got his gun and fatally shot his cousin.
The Mobile County Sheriff's Office said there was "no evidence the shooting was anything other than an accidental death." As is standard procedure, the case will be presented to a grand jury.
Ohh shoot.

In nursing home at age 26 due to unintentional shooting

Last year, Adam Martin was unintentionally shot in the neck by his stepbrother. The shooting left Adam a quadriplegic.  Today, the 26-year-old Florida man is in a nursing home in Sarasota.
"It's a depressing place to live," says Adam. "I'm stuck here. You don't have no privacy at all. People die around you all the time. It starts to really get depressing because all you're seeing is negative, negative, negative."
The number of under-65 residents in nursing homes has risen about 22 percent in the past eight years. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid estimate about 203,000 people under the age of 65 are currently in nursing homes.
"Its lonely here," Adam says, as a single tear drips from his eye.
Ohh shoot.

Father and son injured in unintentional shooting while cleaning handgun

63-year-old Gerald Palanzo, Jr. and his son, 25-year-old Gerald Palanzo, III, of Danbury, Connecticut, were both injured as the result of an unintentional discharge from a .40-caliber handgun while the gun was being cleaned.  Gerald, Jr. was shot in the back and his son was shot in the hand.
Both were taken to Danbury Hospital for treatment. Gerald, Jr. is in serious condition while his son is in stable condition.
"You couldn't have better neighbors," commented the woman how lives next door to the Palanzos, "I can't imagine what might have happened."
Ohh shoot.

Congresswoman on Sarah Palin's "target list" shot in head

Representative Gabrielle Gifford of Arizona was shot in the head today at a public event outside of a grocery store in Tucson. While events are still unclear, it has been reported that 18 people were shot, six of them have died, including Arizona Judge John Roll, a member of the Congresswoman's staff, and a 9-year-old child. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and the families of this horrible tragedy.

In March, Sarah Palin posted a "target list" on her Facebook page. Congresswoman Gifford was on this list.

Man taken off life support, dies after unintentionally shooting self in the head

29-year-old Jared Walker, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was showing his gun to friends on New Year's Day. He had used the gun for target practice a few days earlier and even though he unloaded the gun a bullet was left in the chamber. While showing off the gun he unintentionally discharged the firearm and shot himself in the head.
Jared was taken to the hospital where he was put on life support. Doctors told the family he was in a vegetative state with "zero percent" chance of recovery. Jared was removed from life support yesterday morning and died soon after. It wasn't possible for Jared to be an organ donor as his family had hoped.
Ohh shoot.

Arrest made in shooting that killed innocent bystander

15-year-old Nicole Cartwright of Longview, Texas was out with her friends on Christmas Eve. They decided to stop at William's Chicken, in Tyler, for a snack before heading home. While they were sitting in their car a disturbance broke out between two other groups in the parking lot. Shots were fired. One stray bullet struck Nicole in the head and she died at East Texas Medical Center.
Police have arrested 26-year-old Gregory Polley and charged him with first degree murder. Also charged in the murder was 22-year-old Adrian Blakenship. Blakenship did not fire the weapon, but he is charged because the gun belonged to him and he told Polley to go get the gun out of the trunk of his car.
Ohh shoot.

6-year-old girl killed in drive-by shooting

6-year-old Kenyatta Kendrick was asleep in her bed in Eclectic, Alabama when a car drove by her house and someone fired 18 rounds from an assault rifle into her home. Kenyatta was struck in the chest by a bullet. She died at the scene. Her uncle, 19-year-old Darren, was sleeping in a chair next to her bed. He was hit in the left hip and left ankle and underwent surgery at a hospital in Jackson. He is listed in fair condition.
Three men, ages 17, 18 and 25, have been arrested and charged with capital murder and assault.
"I don't know what's going on these days," commented a local merchant, "In my day if you had a problem with somebody you settled it with your fists. There young cats these days, the first thing they do is reach for a gun. They think they a man 'cause they have a gun in their hands."
Ohh shoot.

10-year-old gets guns for Christmas, 8 days later he shoots and kills his mother

A 10-year-old Holmesville, Ohio boy is in custody, suspected of shooting his mother to death. 46-year-old Deborah McVay was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head Sunday night.
Four guns were found in the boy's bedroom. On his bed were the .22-caliber rifle believed to be the weapon that killed his mother and a 12-gauge shotgun. A gun rack mounted on the wall had two more .22-caliber rifles. Family members told police the guns were a Christmas present from the boy's grandfather.
"It's not unusual for boys of that age to hunt and shoot," said the County Sheriff's Chief Deputy, "I think it's unusual that those weapons were permitted to be in the boy's bedroom."
Police are not saying if they think the shooting was unintentional or not but the County prosecutor said authorities do not plan to prosecute the boy as an adult.
Ohh shoot.

Stray bullets fly into homes: one incident in Massachusetts, one in Alabama

18-year-old Wayne Moore of Mobile, Alabama was lying in bed New Year's Eve, watching television when he heard a loud pop and found himself covered in shards of glass. A bullet had just come flying through his window. Fortunately, Wayne was not injured. Police believe the bullet came from the gun of someone shooting in the air to celebrate the New Year.
Mobile is plagued by residents who continue to shoot guns in the air on New Year's, even though police issue reminders that falling bullets can be deadly. Last year a 7-year-old Mobile girl was struck in the leg by a stray bullet from such gunfire.
Meanwhile, in Lynn, Massachusetts, 55-year-old Cheryl Marino was getting ready for work New Year's Day when a bullet came through her window and hit her in the chest. Police said that prior to the shooting there had been some sort of disturbance outside Cheryl's house, but she was not involved in the incident. Cheryl was taken to a nearby hospital where she is expected to survive.
"I was shaking because this could happen to anybody," commented one of her neighbors.
Ohh shoot.

Man unintentionally shot and killed at annual neighborhood New Year's Eve party

35-year-old Jose Ramirez was attending the annual neighborhood New Year's Eve party at his neighbor's house in Niles, Michigan. Shortly after midnight Niles and a group of friends had just finished some beer and a game of pool. According to his 16-year-old daughter, who was also at the party, "They were all in the garage and they were looking at this pistol and all of a sudden, we heard the gunshot go off."
His wife, Irene, recalls what happened next, "He started bleeding and everybody started screaming and then he looked at me and he put his hand on his chest and fell right to the ground."
Jose was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead. He leaves behind a wife and four daughters, the youngest only seven months old.
The neighbor who fired the shot is being held in jail awaiting charges. While police continue to investigate the case they do not believe the shooting was intentional.
Ohh shoot.