18-year-old unintentionally shot and killed when dropped gun discharges

18-year-old Patrick Goddard, of Strafford, Missouri, was hanging out with a group of friends Monday night. According to Brockwell Rostam, one of the teens present, "We were in my room and he [Patrick] had a little handgun. He starts showing us it and passing it around and it was scaring Haley, because she doesn't like guns. So I threw it down on the table because she was so upset about it. And when I did, it just exploded; I didn't even see where it hit him. And everyone just freaked out and we thought he was faking or something."
Patrick was hit with the single bullet and died at the scene.
Police are investigating the incident but no charges in the death are filed.
"I always thought guns were to protect you," said Brockwell. "But all they did was take away our best friend and so I'll never touch another gun as long as I live. That's a promise."

Teen who unintentionally shot himself stole gun from unlocked car

16-year-old Yaredh Gaudier, of Orange City, Florida was with friends at the Volusia County library on November 15th, examining a .38 special handgun when he unintentionally discharged the gun. Yaredh was shot in the head and died later of his injuries.
Police now reveal that the gun was stolen from the car of the wife of Pine Ridge High School's football coach. One of the teens who was with Yaredh when he was shot told police that he and another friend acted as lookouts while Yaredh went into the unlocked car. He found the loaded, unlocked gun in the glove compartment of the car.
The next day, the teens took the gun into the woods and shot a few rounds and then went to the library where the shooting occurred.
The gun belonged to Shantita Subert-Odom's husband. She told reporters that they kept the gun in her car for protection and that neither she or her husband even realized the gun had been stolen.
When asked if she felt any responsibility for the shooting Subert-Odom responded, "I don't...well, as far as feeling at fault, I hate that the gun came from my vehicle. There's nothing we can do about it now but I pray for his family and I hope they find peace."
Police said the gun was stolen more than 10 years ago and the Odoms inherited it from Odom's mother.

Man adjusting his concealed weapon unintentionally discharges gun in movie theater

An off-duty Correctional Sgt. with the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation was at a screening of "The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn - Part 2" at the Regal Cinema in Sonora, California. He told police "that he's walking up an aisle looking for a seat in the theater, while doing so he was adjusting his off-duty holster and somehow the strap came undone and the firearm discharged."
The bullet ripped through an armrest and landed on the floor. A woman said she was hit from shrapnel but details are unclear.
A woman who was at the movie with her daughter told reporters, "What was rolling through my mind was the Aurora, Colorado issue, so I didn't know if this guy was going to shoot us."
Police confiscated the gun and are investigating the incident. So far, no charges have been filed.

Former candidate for governor unintentionally shot during hunting trip

Ken Miller, a former Montana State Senate and Republican candidate for Governor of Montana, was unintentionally shot while hunting Wednesday.
Miller was hunting on the family farm near Joliet, Montana when, according to his wife, "He was shot in both lower legs when a member of the hunting parties' gun accidentally discharged. His wounds are not life threatening, and the family expects a full recovery."
Miller was in surgery for more than two hours on Wednesday.
Miller served in the state senate for 8 years. He was Chairman of the Montana Republican Party from 2001-2003. He is a strong advocate for Second Amendment Rights.

Teen brings gun on school bus, unintentionally shoots and kills another student

15-year-old Jordyn Howe had a handgun in his backpack when he boarded his school bus in Homestead, Florida Tuesday morning. While Jordyn was showing off the handgun to another student he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet hit 13-year-old Lourdes Guzman-DeJesus in the neck. Lourdes was flown to a Miami-Dade hospital where she died of her injuries.
Jordyn has been charged with manslaughter and carrying a concealed firearm. Police do not say where Jordyn got the handgun. Florida law requires gun owners to secure their firearms to ensure that a person under age 16 does not gain access to the gun. There is no indication on whether or not an adult will be charged with allowing Jordyn to access the handgun.

Gun Store Employee Unintentionally Shoots Customer

An employee at the Copper County Sporting Arms gun store in Silver City, New Mexico was unloading a .45 caliber handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet hit a 65-year-old customer in the back.
Police had to block off the area to allow space for an airmed helicopter to land to take the victim to the hospital. The man was flown to an El Paso hospital for treatment. He is listed in stable condition.
Police are still investigating the incident and have not yet determined if charges will be filed.

Close combat class firearm instructor unintentionally shoots instructor during training class

Former Russian soldier and current firearms trainer and video host Sonny Puzikas was teaching a "close combat class" at the Texas Defensive Shooting Academy in Ferris, Texas.
According to the founder of the academy, the range "allows shooters the ability to shoot the way they want, without the stringent rules imposed like most other ranges."
The class was being held in a section of the range called "the city", a live fire area with multiple rooms and targets. This particular class had a three room shoot house, each room with multiple targets. Students were taken through the house one at a time and used live ammunition to shoot at the targets.
The last students were going through the shoot house and it was getting dark. According to Sonny:

"I knew the last shooter was going inside to shoot. I heard the shooting shop. I did not hear shooting for a while. I finished saying good-bye so I decided to make a run in the house before I left. I made the statement, 'I am going to do a run' and then I heard a person standing behind me respond to me saying, 'OK' I did not turn around so I don't know who said OK to me. I, wrongfully, assumed it was clear to go. I pulled my pistol out and set up and started coming around the corner. I shot three quick shots at the far left target, then three quick shots at the far right target and then three quick shots at the close right target just insdie the room. I then heard someone say, 'You shot me.'

Sonny had unintentionally shot his assistant instructor, Gene Smithson. Smithson was shot three times, twice in the abdomen and once in the right bicep and hand. He was taken to the local hospital and is expected to survive.

Man cleaning gun unintentionally shoots 2 neighbors

Ethan Chriman, of Fayetteville, North Carolina was cleaning his gun in his apartment when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet went through the wall into the neighboring unit were it struck two people. It hit a man in the arm and a woman in the leg.
Chriman went to the apartment to make sure everyone was alright. He called 911 and the two were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Chriman has been charged with discharging a firearm inside city limits.
The incident comes less than a year from a similar shooting in nearby Chadbourn, NC. James Blackwell was cleaning his rifle when he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet traveled across the street and struck three people. A 16-year-old girl died of her injuries.

Utah man killed while target shooting with family members

24-year-old Joshua Hooper of Salt Lake City, Utah was target shooting with three family members in Manning Canyon. The four had just reloaded and were walking back to shoot when one of the family members unintentionally discharged his gun.
Josh was shot in the back of the head, killing him instantly.
According to police, "The gun went off. The person who was holding the gun said he believed he just tapped the trigger. It was a sensitive trigger. There's no question that some rules of firearms safety could have been followed better but it doesn't change that you have a number of people suffering right now because of the loss of Mr. Hooper."
Josh leaves behind a wife.

Two injured at University of Colorado when staffer with concealed weapons permit unintentionally fires gun

An unidentified staff member of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Colorado took out a gun in his office and unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The staffer and another person in the office were injured. While the university has not released the details of the injuries neither person had to be hospitalized.
The staff member is on administrative leave.
In March, the Colorado Supreme Court struck down the University's ban on guns on campus. Starting this semester those with concealed weapons permits were allowed to bring guns onto the campus. The staff member in question had a concealed weapons permit.
Other recent unintentional shootings on college campuses include:
- A criminal justice professor at Long Island University in New York, unintentionally shot himself while standing in the hallway outside of class.
- A student at Weber State University in Utah, unintentionally shot himself while walking across campus.
- A sophomore at Florida State University was shot and killed at a fraternity house when a student showing friends his rifle unintentionally discharged the gun.

Woman trying to learn how to handle a gun unintentionally shoots her husband

Jacob Cherry, of Colorado Springs, Colorado was cleaning his handguns when he started to show his wife how to safely handle a gun. During the lesson on safety, his wife unintentionally discharged the gun.
Cherry was shot in the left hand and left leg. He was taken to the hospital and is listed in good condition.
Police are still investigating the incident and no charges have been filed.

Policeman trying to shoot dog unintentionally wounds fellow officer

32-year-old police officer Willie Bryant, of Memphis, Tennessee, was part of a multi-jurisdictional gang unit task force that was serving a drug-related warrant at a home in Memphis.
The police were inside the home when a Cane Corso dog charged the officers. One of the officers attempted to shoot the dog, but missed and shot Bryant in the back.
Bryant was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery and was listed in critical condition.
The task force found crack cocaine, three body armor vests, and five handguns inside the house.
The mayor of Memphis said homes that contain drugs and guns are too prevalent in Memphis and officers take their lives in their hands when they execute such high-risk searches. "The key is officers are in jeopardy, they are in danger, whether it's friendly fire or whatever," he said.
Memphis police director laid the blame for the shooting at those inside the home. "Dogs, armed parties, you never know what you are going to encounter when you kick a door in," he said. "We have to make life or death decisions, not only about our lives, but about other people's lives, in less than a second's notice."

20-year-old playing with gun unintentionally shoots his friend in the chest

20-year-old Michael Hallock, of Geddes, New York, and 20-year-old Thomas Devine were at Devine's home with several other friends. According to police:
Hallock and Devine begain playing with Devine's weapons. The two were pointing guns, including a military-style 7.62 mm assault rifle, around the apartment and at each other during the night.
Just before 1 a.m. Hallock fired the rifle as it was pointed directly at Devine. Devine was wounded in the chest and taken to the local hospital where he is in serious condition.
Hallock was arrested and charged with second-degree assault in the shooting as well as two misdemeanor counts of criminal possession of a weapon for having metal knuckles and a combination mental knuckles and knife.

Man on probation for unintentional gun death violates no firearms provision, posts picture on Facebook with gun

24-year-old Fredrick Lavin, of Globe, Arizona was on four years intensive probation for the unintentionally shooting death of his friend, Kyle Keller.
In Feb. 2008, Lavin, Keller and another friend, Ryan McKelvy, were target shooting with an AK-47 and a handgun. Lavin picked up the handgun, thinking it was not loaded. According to police reports, "He pointed the gun in an unspecified direction and pulled the trigger to dry fire it. The bullet hit Keller in the head and killed him."
Lavin was sentenced to four years probation and was ordered to not use or possess weapons while on probation. But recently a Gila county Sheriff's detective discovered a photo of Lavin on Facebook posing with a rifle and a three-point buck. Records show that Lavin had been drawn for a deer hunting permit this year. (Arizona, like many other states, does not coordinate the list of those prohibited from possessing firearms with the list of those receiving hunting permits.)
Lavin's probation was revoked and he was sentenced to five years in prison, including 2.5 years for negligent homicide and 2.5 years for weapons misconduct.

Georgia man unintentionally shoots, kills wife

47-year-old Otis Hammock, of Dalton, Georgia was in his apartment with his wife, 47-year-old Tammie. He told police that Tammie was handing him his handgun when the gun unintentionally discharged, shooting Tammie in the head.
Tammie was rushed to the hospital where she later died of her injuries.
Police are investigating the incident and are working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. No arrest has been made and no charges have been filed.

10-year-old boy unintentionally shoots man while deer hunting

48-year-old Mark Maniscalshi, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sitting in a deer blind with two young boys when the 10-year-old boy unintentionally discharged a .22-caliber handgun he was holding.
The bullet struck Maniscalichi in the forearm. He was able to walk out of the woods and drove himself to the hospital where he was treated and released later in the day.
The is no minimum age for youth hunting in New Hampshire. Youths under age 16 must be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter. There is also no required hunter education or gun safety course requirements for youth hunters under age 16.

Man distraught after unintentionally shooting roommate kills himself

20-year-old Chris Carter and his roommate, 21-year-old Phillip Villa were in their apartment in Fairbanks, Alaska. According to police Carter was playing with a gun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon and shot Villa.
Distraught over the shooting, Carter turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the chest. Both men were taken to the local hopsital. Carter died of his injuries. Villa was transported to a hospital in Seattle where he is in critical but stable condition.
Sources say both men may have been consuming alcohol when the incident occurred.

Father says gun that teen used to unintentionally kill his son bought off Craigslist

When 15-year-old Nicholas King, of Indianapolis, Indiana knocked on the front door of his friend's house, his friend opened the door and pointed a Romarm 7.62 rifle at him. His friend wanted to scare Nicholas and thinking the gun was unloaded, he pointed and pulled the trigger.
The rifle fired and a round struck Nicholas in the neck. Paramedics were unable to revive the boy and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two adults were in the house at the time of the shooting and they did not know there was a rifle in the home. The gun belonged to 18-year-old Kevin Edwards. Kevin let his 15-year-old stepbrother handle the gun. It was the stepbrother who shot and killed Nicholas.
Nicholas' father told reporters that he believes Kevin bought the gun off Craigslist. He said is was too easy for his son's friend to get a gun.
Indiana allows for the private sale of guns, where there will be no background check run, no records kept. All Kevin had to do to purchase a gun was find what he wanted on Craigslist, arrange to meet the seller somewhere and give him the money. No paperwork, no background check, no waiting, no safety training.
Both Kevin and his stepbrother have been arrested. Kevin has been charged with criminal recklessness and his stepbrother has been charged with reckless homicide.