U of Montana student unintentionally shoots, injures another student

20-year-old Michael Ream, a student at the University of Montana in Missoula, was showing off his brand-new 20-gauge shotgun when he unintentionally discharged the firearm, striking his 19-year-old friend in the hand. The wound was not serious and the friend was treated at the local hospital and released. Ream was charged with misdemeanor negligent endangerment.
The incident happened in a parking lot on the campus on the first day of fall semester classes. University of Montana allows students to bring weapons on campus only if they are locked in a private vehicle or stored in one of the gun closets in a residence hall. Concealed weapons are not allowed on campus, even if you have a concealed weapons permit.
A university spokesperson said that as hunting season approaches more students bring weapons on campus. But he can only recall three or four times when firearms were discovered in a student's dorm room. "Sometimes I think they're somewhat forgetful about checking it in," he said. Adding that the concern was not so much about the gun owner but about other people, like roommates, having access to these guns.
Ohh shoot.

Movie prop gun turns out to be real gun, actor unintentionally shot

21-year-old Tracci King, of Toledo, Ohio, and his friends were making an amateur action film. It was a shoot-'em-up film where the actors were wielding realistic looking toy guns. During a break in the filming they put the guns on a table. One of the friends, who has a concealed weapons permit allowing him to carry a loaded, hidden gun in public, laid his loaded, .45-caliber handgun down on the table along with the toy guns. Randy Schimmel picked up the gun, thinking it was one of the toy guns. He pulled the trigger. The gun fired, shooting Tracci in the leg as he sat on a couch across the room. Tracci was taken to the hospital for treatment. Police have classified the incident as an accidental shooting and no arrests have been made, although the investigation continues.
Ohh shoot.

15-year-old unintentionally shoots himself while at gun range

A 15-year-old boy was shooting handguns with his father at the Davis County Rifle Range in Fruit Heights, Utah. The boy was holding a .45-caliber handgun when he went to sit down on a swivel chair. He stumbled and fell, losing control of the gun and unintentionally discharging the firearm. The boy was shot in the head. He was flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City where he is listed in critical condition.
His family has asked that the boy's name not be released but they have reported that the boy was improving and "responded" to hospital workers and family members, though he is still not able to speak.

19-year-old accidentally shoots, kills herself outside of California Starbucks

19-year-old Turisha Lashay Huston of Sacramento, California was meeting with friends at a Starbucks on Power Inn Road. Police think that Turisha was reaching into her purse when she unintentionally discharged a handgun in her bag. She was shot once and died at the scene.

Man unintentionally shoots friend, tries to comfort him while he dies

60-year-old Anthony Kelich of Carson City, Nevada was in the desert with his two roommates, Mike Scott, 46, and Kennith Johnson, 47, drinking and shooting a rifle. They were heading back when Johnson stopped the truck to urinate. When he went to get out of the truck he handed the loaded rifle to Kelich who was sitting in the front passenger seat. Scott was standing outside, next to the driver's door.
Kelich told police he had his finger on the trigger and when he went to put the gun down he unintentionally discharged it. The bullet went through the open door and hit Scott in the left side of his face.
In a panic, Johnson took off in his truck, taking all the cell phones with him, and leaving behind the wounded man and his roommate. Johnson neglected to send help back and the next morning Kelich stumbled out of the canyon where he finally found help.
Kelich told police that he had stayed by Scott's side all night, trying his best to comfort him. He said Scott died a short time before dawn.
Because Kelich has a felony record and is therefore prohibited from possessing a gun and because he admitted to drinking while using the gun he has been charged with felony involuntary manslaughter.
Police are still investigating the incident, including trying to figure out where Kennith Johnson was all night and why he never called for help.

Husband unintentionally shoots and kills wife while testing gun at local gun shop

61-year-old Beverly Dively Klepic and her husband went to Miller's Munitions shop in Huntington Township, Pennsylvania to buy a gun. The couple went to the back of the shop to test fire weapons. Beverly's husband was handling a Kel-tec 9mm handgun when he unintentionally discharged the gun and struck Beverly in the abdomen. Beverly was flown to a York hospital where she died a short time later. Police are investigating the incident.
The shop has no visible business signs and appears to be just a two-story residential home. A neighbor commented that he was not aware the property was a gun shop although the property owner always seemed to have a lot of weapons.

Man unintentionally shoots two friends while examining newly purchased handgun

A 24-year-old San Diego, California man was loading his newly purchased .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun for the first time. When he put the gun down on the coffee table he unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet hit his girlfriend in the leg, then exited her leg and lodged in the thigh of a 19-year-old male who was visiting.
According to police the handgun owner apparently had his finger on the trigger of the gun when he put it down on the table, causing him to accidentally fire one shot. The two people hit by the bullet were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover. The gun was seized by police and the gun owner is expected to be charged with negligent discharge of a firearm.
Ohh shoot.

Father talks of how he always taught his children gun safety after son unintentionally shoots and kills daughter

A 10-year-old Radford, Virginia boy was home alone with his 14-year-old sister, Jessie Kessinger. The boy grew concerned after hearing news reports of a dangerous man on the loose in Radford so he searched the house until he found the key to his father's gun cabinet. While handling a hunting rifle the gun unintentionally discharged. The single bullet hit his sister, Jessie, killing her.

Leonard Kessinger, the children's father, gave an interview to a local news station. "I taught 'em gun safety from the time my son was 4 and my daughter was 7," he said. "We hunted together, we'd to go shooting ranges together, I mean, I showed them the correct way."
According to Leonard's brother, he has now gotten rid of all his hunting rifles.

Man hit by stray bullet while stopped at a red light

55-year-old Lee Wallace of Austin, Texas was driving to work to pick up bagels and make deliveries when he was shot while stopped at a red light. The shot came from a gathering of people in a nearby Wendy's parking lot. Wallace was not involved in the incident that sparked the shooting and was not the intended target.
Wallace was shot in the neck and was able to pull his car off the road and flag down a police officer. According to his son, "Luckily the bullet missed both arteries and did not sever his spinal cord." He said his father has sever throat damage but is conscious and has a tracheotomy.
Police are looking for the people involved. No arrests have been made.
Ohh shoot.

17-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills her friend

17-year-old Renee Addison was visiting a friend in East Memphis, Tennessee. While looking at a 9mm handgun that belonged to someone in the house she was checking to see if the gun was loaded when she unintentionally discharged the firearm. The bullet struck 17-year-old Sarah Galbraith, killing her.
Renee has now been charged with reckless homicide. Her father doesn't understand why she is being charged with a crime. "I thought an accident was an accident," he said. "The cop told me Sunday night it was a terrible, tragic accident, but they had to charge her with something." He added that his daughter doesn't even like guns so he was shocked when he was told of the tragedy. He said his daughter lives in Michigan with her mother and had just returned to Memphis for a visit. "Now one girl's dead and one girl's never going to be the same again."

Man unintentionally shoots self in supermarket parking lot

72-year-old Ronye McKay of Omaha, Nebraska was walking into the Super Saver supermarket in Omaha when the handgun he was carrying fell out of his pocket. When the gun hit the pavement it discharged. The bullet struck McKay in the calf. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
McKay did not comment on why he felt he needed to carry a loaded, hidden gun with him while grocery shopping. Police report that he does have a valid permit to carry the weapon but note that McKay did not have the gun in a holster but had simply stuck the gun into his pants pocket.
Ohh shoot.

NY Legislator's Car Hit by Random, Stray Bullets

40-year-old William Boyland, Jr., a member of the New York State Assembly who represents a section of Brooklyn, was driving with his 8-year-old son when their car was struck by gun shots. One bullet went over the car, the next crashed through the rear window, and a third bullet tore into the seat belt on the passenger side. "I thought I was shot," said the assemblyman, who said he began screaming his son's name "trying to see if he's okay." Neither was injured.
Police say the shooting was random and that Boyland was not the target but simply someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Detectives are trying to determine where the shots were fired from. No arrests have been made.
Several residents expressed annoyance at all the attention the shooting was receiving. "It was a random shooting," said Kim, a resident of a public housing complex. "That happens around here every other day."
"Look, a politician's window got shot out," added Karon, age 26, "We're in the 'hood. That's how it goes down."
Ohh shoot.

Sheriff Deputy's 4-year-old son unintentionally shoots himself

A Richland County, South Carolina deputy sheriff was getting ready for work. He told his 4-year-old son to go get dressed and get ready for the baby sitter's. Instead the boy went into the deputy's bedroom, found a gun and unintentionally shot himself. The deputy, who has not been identified, heard the gunshot around 9:30 a.m. and found his son lying on the bedroom floor with a gunshot wound to the upper body. The boy was transported to the hospital where he is in critical but stable condition.
The gun involved was a department issued secondary weapon, it was not the deputy's service weapon. Police are investigating how the boy gained access to the gun. All deputies are issued a gun safety lock box when hired.
Police are reminding gun owners to use safety precautions if they choose to bring guns into a home where children live. They should remember to always:
- take the ammunition out of the gun.
- lock the gun and keep it out of reach of children.
- lock the ammunition apart from the gun.
- store the keys for the gun and the ammunition in a different area from where you store household keys.
- keep the keys out of reach of children.
- lock up gun-cleaning supplies, which are often poisonous.
- talk to your family about gun safety.

Woman files lawsuit over unintentional shooting at gun range

Nan Bassett, of Salt Lake City, Utah, has filed a lawsuit against the Sun Valley Gun Club, Idaho "alleging that improper instruction at the gun club contributed to a shooting accident there last summer." Bassett was in Sun Valley for a convention when she went to the gun club to try trap shooting. She told the club she had never shot a gun before and was told she would receive instruction.
According to the complain, "The instructor gave a brief demonstration of how to load and shoot the gun and each participant took turns shooting at the targets. At no time did the instructor give specific details and/or safety precautions related to loading the gun. On one occasion when it was Ms. Bassett's turn to shoot, the instructor was not next to her. He was sitting a short ways back going paperwork, but yelled to Ms. Bassett to go ahead and take her turn. Ms. Bassett went to load the gun, heard a loud shot and looked down to see blood running down her leg."
Bassett was hit by spraying shrapnel and gravel. She was taken to the hospital, treated and released. The suit asks for unspecified damages.
Ohh shoot.

Man unintentionally shoots himself in the penis

27-year-old Joshua Seto of Chandler, Arizona was shopping with his girlfriend in a local grocery store. He was trying to put her pink handgun into the front waistband of his pants when he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet went through his penis and then continued through his left thigh. According to dispatch records heavy bleeding started immediately. During the 911 call the operator told his girlfriend, Cara Christopher, to apply direct pressure to the wound but to avoid looking at it. "I did look at it," she replied. "It's pretty bad."
Seto was taken to the hospital where his condition has not been released. It is not known if he will suffer any permanent damage. Police are warning people who carry loaded, hidden guns in public to use holsters, not waistbands. Police are also investigating possible charges against Seto.
A local television station interviewed several men, asking how they felt about the story.

11-year-old girl shot and killed by stray bullet while watching tv

11-year-old Carmelia Holley was watching television in her sister's apartment in Akron, Ohio when a bullet came through the wall and struck her in her back. Carmelia was taken to Akron Children's Hospital where she died of her injury.
The bullet was the result of a gun fight between 18-year-old Terrance Roane and 25-year-old Vernon Singleton that took place outside the apartment complex. Roane has been arrested and charged with one count of murder. Police are still searching for Singleton, who is considered armed and dangerous.
Meanwhile, Carolyn Frederick wonders if what happened to her is connected to this shooting. Carolyn was outside the same apartment complex a few days earlier when she was grazed by a bullet in the back of her head. "I was plopping the stroller up," said Carolyn, "I heard a 'pow,pow' and then it felt like a softball hit in the back of my head." Carolyn was 39-weeks pregnant when she was grazed and gave birth soon after.
Ohh shoot.

Man who unintentionally shot and killed his 3-year-old son and tried to blame it on a drive-by shooting sentenced to jail

Hector Garcia-Salas, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was handling a gun inside his apartment when he unintentionally discharged the firearm, striking and killing his 3-year-old son. Garcia-Salas was a felon, on probation, and was prohibited from possessing a gun so in an effort to cover up what had happened, he carried his son's body outside, put him on the sidewalk and told police the boy had been killed in a drive-by shooting.
This week, Garcia-Salas pleaded guilty to charges of abandonment of a child resulting in death, tampering with evidence, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Man shooting at metal target struck by ricocheted bullet

Gregory Holton, of Fort Myers Flordia was target shooting with his friend, John Crews. The pair was shooting a Kel-tec .223 caliber rifle at metal targets. When Holton fired the rifle at one of the targets, the bullet ricocheted off the metal and struck Holton in the stomach.
Holton was taken to the local hospital where he had to undergo surgery to remove the bullet. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Ohh shoot.

Sleeping man shoots himself in the leg

74-year-old Don Mozdren of Warsaw, Indiana thought he heard "rustling" outside his house so he grabbed his Bersa Thunder 9 mm handgun and went to investigate. Finding nothing, Mozdren sat down in the recliner in his living, his gun on his lap. Mozdren then proceeded to fall asleep while holding the gun. While sleeping he discharged the gun and shot himself in the thigh.
When medical crews arrived they found Mozdren sitting in the chair with a towel on his right thigh. Investigators also found a hole in the wall from where the bullet struck after entering and exiting Mozdren's leg. He was taken to the local hospital for treatment.

101-year-old woman caught in crossfire when her grandsons start shooting at each other

101-year-old Naomi Taggart of Richmond, Virginia was caught in the middle of a gunfight that took place between two of her grandsons, 28-year-old Steven Taggart and his brother, 36-year-old Kevin McCray. Taggart and McCray were arguing about money when they both pulled out guns and started shooting. Mrs. Taggart was shot in the neck. The bullet was removed from her neck and she is in the hospital in serious, but stable condition. According to her daughter, Mrs. Taggart is breathing on her own, she has her eyes open and she is trying to talk.
Neighbors describe Mrs. Taggart as a kind woman who enjoys watching television game shows, particularly Jeopardy and The Price is Right.
Ohh shoot.