Woman shot when officer unintentionally discharges weapon during drug raid in apartment above

A 25-year-old woman from Japan was sleeping on a friend's couch in Brooklyn, New York when she was grazed by a bullet fired from the apartment above her.
Brooklyn South Narcotics officers were on an early morning drug bust, looking for pot and crack cocaine. The first officer to enter was carrying a ballistic shield in one hand and a 9-mm handgun in the other. The officer yelled "Hands up" as he approached the suspect, 28-year-old Ernesto Oritz. Oritz, who was sleeping on a sofabed, kicked the officer's shield with his foot. This caused the officer to unintentionally discharge his weapon.
The bullet went through the sofa mattress, through the floorboard, and into the apartment below where it grazed the woman's left forearm. She had just arrived in New York city a few days earlier and was planning to fly to Barbados later in the day. She was taken to Kings County Hospital for treatment and the police arranged to drive her to the airport in time to make her flight.
Ortiz, who had been arrested 25 times before, including three times for criminal possession of a gun, was arrest on various charges, including drug charges. His girlfriend was also arrested.

3 boys playing video games start playing with real gun. 12-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills 10-year-old

Three boys, ages 8, 10 and 12 were playing video games at a home in Augusta, Georgia. The 12-year-old went into the kitchen and grabbed his parent's unlocked, loaded handgun from above the refrigerator.
According to the county sheriff, "He retrieved his parent's .22 semi-automatic pistol, began waving it around; he informed us that he didn't believe the firearm worked properly. According to witnesses, he was squeezing the trigger and at some point he had the gun pointed at Hunter. He squeezed the trigger and the gun fired."
10-year-old Hunter Morris was shot and died at the scene. The 12-year-old boy panicked and tried to drag Hunter's body to a dumpster outside. A neighbor saw they boy and called the police.
The boy is now at the Youth Detention Center, charged with pointing a weapon at another and involuntary manslaughter.
The parents have not been charged for leaving the loaded, unlocked gun in the kitchen. Georgia law does not penalize a person who negligently stores a firearm, even if a minor gains access to it.

8-year-old unintentionally shot by his stepfather showing off gun

8-year-old Samuel Eschevarria was playing in his yard in Monmouth, Oregon when he was shot in the left shoulder. His stepfather, 33-year-old Steven Hanna, was showing off a .38 caliber handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
Hanna was arrested on charges of felon in possession of a firearm, assault, reckless endangering, tampering with a witness, and tampering with evidence.
Samuel's mother, Michal, was also arrested for tampering with a witness. Police say that while she was driving Samuel to the hospital she coached him on how to answer questions about the shooting.
Samuel underwent emergency surgery for his injury. His condition was not released.

Man receives face transplant 15 years after unintentional shooting destroyed his face

37-year-old Richard Norris of Virginia has just received the most extensive full face transplant yet completed.
Norris was injured 15 years ago when he was unintentionally shot in the face. Few details of the shooting incident have been released but since the accident Norris has lived with his parents in a small southwest Virginia town. He has not had a full-time job and has lived like a recluse, covering his face with a mask and shopping at night to avoid stares from children and adults.
The operation, performed by surgeons from the University of Maryland, took 36 hours and included transplantation of the teeth, tongue, upper and lower jaw and all facial tissue from the scalp to the base of the neck. Doctors report he is recovering well, has begun to feel his face and is already brushing his teeth and shaving. He also regained his sense of smell, which he had lost in the shooting.
Norris is eager to start living a normal life again.

4-year-old shot while jumping on bed where handgun was stored under the mattress

A 4-year-old Chicago, Illinois girl was shot when a gun that was stored between the mattresses discharged as she was jumping on the bed. She was shot in the ankle and rushed to Comer Children's Hospital where she is listed in good condition.
The gun was put between the mattresses by 21-year-old Jarquise Upton, the boyfriend of the victim's mother. He told police he needed the gun for "protection from my girl's baby's daddy who messes with me."
Upton has been charged with one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, one count of misdemeanor possession of ammunition and one count of misdemeanor theft of lost or mislaid property.

Woman taking firearm self-defense course unintentionally shoots herself

A 49-year-old Granite Bay, California woman was taking an all-female class at the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona when she unintentionally shot herself. According to the Gunsite's website they offer "personal gun training and how to learn the responsible, safe and effective use of small arms in self-defense gun training courses."
A statement from the sheriff's office said, the woman was "reholstering her gun when she accidentally shot herself in her upper leg and was flown out to Flagstaff Medical Center." She remains in the hospital, listed in good condition.
In May 2010, there was another unintentional shooting at Gunsite. A man was mistaken for a target when he walked out on a catwalk and one of his colleagues shot him. The incident happened in a "live-fire tactical simulator", a large building for indoor shooting exercises with a catwalk around the perimeter for observers. The man was struck in the abdomen and recovered from his injuries.

9-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills grandfather while turkey hunting

A 9-year-old Florida boy was at his grandfather's hunting camp in Zolfo Springs, Florida. The two had been hunting wild turkeys for a few days. Around 8 in the morning the boy was holding a shotgun when he unintentionally fired the gun, striking his grandfather, 69-year-old Kenneth Beach. The boy ran about a mile to get help but police indicated that Beach died instantly.
Beach, who was nicknamed Fat Cat, was an experienced hunter. According to a longtime friend, "He loved hunting. It was his life. It's strange that he was that good with guns and this could happen."
The shooting remains under investigation, although police said it appears to be accidental.

Man sleeping with handgun under pillow unintentionally discharges gun, shoots self and niece

An unidentified 46-year-old South Memphis, Tennessee man was sleeping with a handgun under his pillow. At about 6 o'clock in the morning he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet hit his hand and continue through a wall into the room next door where it struck his 20-year-old niece as she lay sleeping with her two-month-old daughter. The baby was not injured but the mother was struck in the arm.
The uncle and niece were taken to the hospital where they were listed in good condition. Police consider the incident an accident and don't expect to file charges. Reports did not indicate why the uncle was sleeping with a loaded, unlocked handgun under his pillow.

17-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills his mother

A 17-year-old Selah, Washington youth was examining a handgun he had received as a present when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet went though a wall and hit his mother, 33-year-old Vonda Willis-Jean, in the head. She was taken to the local hospital but died soon after.
"It was a real sad deal," said the local chief of detectives. "He had just received a handgun as a gift and was manipulating it somehow when it discharged."
The sheriff's office has called the incident an accident and no charges have been filed.

Georgia Tech basketball player kicked off team after being charged in unintentional shooting incident

21-year-old Glen Rice, Jr. was kicked off the Georgia Tech basketball team this week after being involved in an unintentional shooting incident outside an Atlanta nightclub. London Warren, a graduate student manager for the team, who was involved in the incident was also kicked off the team.
According to the police report, a Cadillac Escalade was stopped after leaving a nightclub near the Georgia Tech campus after reports of shots fired. Warren, the driver of the car, "was glossy-eyed with the odor of alcohol on his breath and was unable to stand, swaying back and forth." He was charged with DUI.
Another passenger in the car, Steven Pryor, admitted to firing a shot from his 9mm Ruger pistol. He said he unintentionally discharged the weapon while trying to remove the gun from between the seats. Pryor, who has a concealed weapons permit, was charged with discharging a firearm while under the influence.
Rice was charged with permitting unlawful operation. Police recovered two handguns from inside the vehicle.
Rice, who was already on suspension from the team for disciplinary issues, was kicked off the team. He will remain enrolled at Georgia Tech.
Rice is the son of former NBA All-Star Glen Rice who played for the Miami Heat.

Boyfriend puts loaded gun under seat when he gets out of car. 3-year-old finds gun, tragedy follows

A Tacoma, Washington woman and her boyfriend stopped for gas late Tuesday night. While she went inside the convenience store he got out to pump gas. Before getting out of the car he put his loaded, unlocked handgun under the seat of the car. Also inside the car were the woman's two children, ages 3 and 1.
While alone in the car, the 3-year-old boy got out of his car seat, took the gun from under the seat and unintentionally shot himself in the head. The toddler was declared dead at the hospital.
The boyfriend has a concealed weapons permit but reports did not indicate what he feared, why he felt the need to carry a loaded, hidden gun in public, or why he would place an unlocked, loaded gun under a seat and then get out of the car.
Police are investigating but are unclear if charges will be filed. Washington does not have a child access prevention law that would hold an adult responsible if a child gains access to a firearm.
The shooting comes just days after a similar tragedy where a Marysville, Washington boy found an unlocked, loaded gun in the glove compartment of a van and unintentionally shot and killed his 7-year-old sister.

7-year-old police officer's daugher unintentionally shot and killed by her brother

The 7-year-old daughter of a Marysville, Washington police officer was in a van with her brother when they found a loaded, unlocked handgun in the glove compartment. The children took out the gun and were handling it when the boy unintentionally discharged the gun, striking the girl.
The girl was taken to a local hospital and then transferred to a larger facility in Seattle but died of her injuries the next day.
It is not known if the gun was the father's service weapon or a personal gun. The age of the brother has not been released.

Man unintentionally fires gun at VA hospital, causes lockdown of nearby elementary school

An outpatient at the Jefferson Barracks VA Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri dropped a small caliber handgun in the foyer area of the mental health outpatient center. When the gun hit the floor it discharged. While police were investigating the incident an elementary school and early childhood center located next to the hospital were put on temporary lockdown.
No one was injured and the man does have a concealed weapons permit. However, guns are not permitted on the premises. According to a spokeswoman for the hospital, "There is tremendous signage posted around the center and staff are very vigilant in making certain our patients and guest are aware of that policy."
The man had been to the hospital before. Police have not indicated what, if any charges, may be filed.

Father cleaning handgun unintentionally shoots son

34-year-old James Phillips, of Municie, Indiana, was in his bedroom cleaning his 9mm handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. According to reports the gun "slipped out of his hand" and when he went to grab it he "accidentally pulled the trigger back and the gun discharged in his hand."
The bullet hit Phillips' hand and then went through the wall and hit his teenage son in the neck. They were taken to the hospital for treatment. Their conditions have not been released.
Police caution that Phillips took the magazine out of the handgun before cleaning the gun but failed to check to see if there was a round in the chamber.

Teen who posted video shooting handgun unintentionally shoots and kills himself with same gun

19-year-old Jacob Limberios, of Castalia, Ohio, shot himself in the head while friends watched. His friends told police they are certain the shooting was unintentional and that Jacob didn't realize the gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger.
Just last week Jacob posted a video on his Facebook page showing him shooting the handgun. Another photo on his Facebook shows a friend of his posing with a gun Jacob identifies as "my AK-47."
Jacob leaves behind a young daughter, Ella.

Woman killed when husband unintentionally fires homemade cannon into home

A Potrero, California man was drinking with a friend and tinkering with a homemade cannon when he unintentionally fired the cannon into his mobile home. The man's 33-year-old wife, who was inside sleeping at the time, was killed. It is not immediately clear if the projectile or the cannon blast killed her.
A Cal Fire dispatcher said that when the husband called to report the incident he was "freaking out." The woman was pronounced dead at the scene at about 12:15 a.m. The couple's 4-year-old son was also inside the home at the time of the blast but he was not harmed.
The husband was taken to the hospital with injuries suffered in the blast. The extent of his injuries are unclear.

4-year-old picks up gun, shoots father

A 4-year-old boy was in a pick-up truck with his father, 29-year-old Christopher Upenieks, of Mason City, Iowa, when the boy picked up a handgun and fired it. The bullet hit Upenieks in the knee.
When police arrived the two were in the parked truck outside their home. Upenieks was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Upenieks, who has a concealed weapons permit, has been charged with child endangerment and allowing a minor access to a firearm for leaving a loaded, unsecured firearm where the child could access it.

19-year-old looks back on a year of recovering from an unintentional gunshot injury

Last March, 19-year-old Tyler Oatts, of Sheridan, Wyoming was on his way with two friends to the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains to shoot prairie dogs. As they were getting ready to leave, Tyler decided to do some target practicing. He set up a can, stepped back and fired his .22 caliber handgun. The bullet ricocheted straight back and hit Tyler in the neck, severing his carotid artery and fracturing two vertebrae below his skull.
Miraculously, Tyler survived his injury, despite losing a massive amount of blood. Following surgery, Tyler was bedridden for two months. He wore a neck brace for four months and his weight dropped from 180 pounds to 140. A year later he still has an 11-inch scar across his neck and his right eyelid continues to droop. He also has an 8-inch scar on his thigh from where surgeons took a piece of femoral artery to repair the damaged artery in his neck. His shoulder is still numb and bullet fragments remain in his neck.
Tyler hopes to return to college in the fall. "I stopped all of my bad habits," he said. "I live life for everyone else, not just for myself."

82-year-old man wrestling with burglar unintentionally shot with his own gun

An 82-year-old Severn, Maryland man was awakened by a noise coming from the kitchen. He grabbed his handgun and went to investigate. In the kitchen he encountered a man he didn't know who had broken into the home. The two men fought and the resident was shot in the leg by the gun he was carrying.
The burglar managed to wrestle the gun away from the resident and ran away with the gun.
The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police are still looking for the suspect.