Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Gun store owner unintentionally shoots himself

82-year-old Robert Buchanan owns Pioneer Gun Shop in Juniata, Pennsylvania. He was working on a rifle, which was not feeding rounds properly, when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The 7.62 by 39 mm round struck Buchanan in the torso. He was taken to the hospital where his injury required surgery.
Some people familiar with Buchanan were surprised to hear of the shooting because of his reputation for knowing guns and how they should be handled.
While Buchanan's condition hasn't been released, a sign on the door of Pioneer Gun Shop says that Buchanan will be okay and back at the store in the future.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Two injured in unintentional shooting at gun show in Idaho

Police are still investigating an unintentional shooting that happened Saturday at the Fort Boise Gun Show at Expo Idaho.
According to police, they received a call just before 3 p.m. that a gun was fired inside the exhibit hall. Apparently, a person attending the show picked up a gun that was on display and didn't realize there was a round left in the chamber. The gun discharged when the man pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit two other guns and sent shrapnel flying that hit two bystanders. One person was hit in the arm and treated at the scene. A 23-year-old man was hit in the eye and taken to the hospital for treatment for a serious eye injury.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Man goes to threaten wife with gun, unintentionally shoots himself instead

60-year-old Randall Lovett, of Columbia, Tennessee was arguing with his wife, Sarena. According to the sheriff's report:
Mr. Lovett sat on the couch so Mrs. Lovett stood in front of him and leaned over toward him while they continued to argue.
Mrs. Lovett says that Mr. Lovett reached across his body with his right hand and stuck it down into an armrest on his left side. As he was pulling his hand out of the armrest, Mrs. Lovett saw the gun and it immediately discharged into his left knee."
Mr.s Lovett said that she thought he was pulling the weapon to 'kill' her because of a long history of domestic violence in their marriage. She adds that in November of 2012, Mr. Lovett shot through a den wall and living room wall before sticking a gun to her head."
In addition to the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun that Lovett shot himself with, police also removed a Taurus .38-caliber handgun, two .22-caliber rifles and ammunition for all the firearms.
Lovett was taken to the hospital for treatment and then arrested and charged with aggravated assault.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Man unintentionally shoots and kills sister's boyfriend

20-year-old Henry Gonzalez-Galay, of Kissimmee, Florida, was with this sister, Maria, and her boyfriend, 25-year-old Henry Ortiz-Reyes. They pulled into a gas station and Maria went inside to pay for the gas.
After she left the car, Ortiz-Reyes took out a gun from a book bag to show Gonzalez-Galay. When Gonzalez-Galay went to hold the gun he put his finger on the trigger and unintentionally fired the gun, hitting Ortiz-Reyes in the right shoulder.
They took Ortiz-Reyes to the hospital where he died from his injuries. In an effort to cover up the incident, Gonzalez-Galay threw the ammunition in the bushes and put the gun in a hospital dumpster. The police later recovered both the gun and the ammunition.
Gonzalez-Galay has been arrested and charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Security guard unintentionally fires gun, injures student on other side of wall

A security guard at an apartment complex for Butler Community College students in El Dorado, Kansas, was in an office area of the apartments handling his gun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
According to police, the bullet went through furniture, a computer and a wall into a room where 18-year-old Tyler Berry, a Butler student, was working. The bullet grazed Berry's lower back. Fortunately, the injury was minor.
The Dean of Student life said, "It was an accident. It's very unfortunate. These are my kids. So I was shaken."
The security guard was been relieved of his duties.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

4-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills Deputy's wife

48-year-old Josephine Fanning, of Lebanon, Tennessee, and her husband, Daniel, who is a Wilson County Deputy, were having a cookout with friends and family at their home Saturday afternoon. Daniel was showing others his guns in a bedroom when he put a loaded handgun down on a bed.
According to the sheriff: "Within seconds this small 4-year-old comes into the room, unbeknownst to the officer, and just picked up the gun and shot Josephine Fanning. Danny Fanning is going to have to live with it. Our prayers, our thoughts go out to him and the child."
Josephine was pronounced dead at the scene. The child is not related to her or her husband.
Tennessee ranks among the highest in the nation for accidental firearm deaths according to the CDC.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Man unintentionally shoots son while test firing a gun

36-year-old Kenneth Fagin, of Marion County, Tennessee was working on his 9 mm Beretta semi-automatic handgun. He had taken the gun apart and after replacing the firing pin he took the gun outside to test fire it.
Fagin didn't realize that his 13-year-old son, Harley, was outside in the woods and in his line of fire.
According to police reports, "the bullet entered [Harley's] shoulder on the left side and didn't exit. The family transported him to the emergency room."
Harley is recovering from surgery and will likely remain in the hospital for a few days before returning home.
"We have a lot of complaints about people shooting guns out in the woods and in backyards," said the local sheriff. "It's a good example of what can happen."

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Bullet goes through three apartments when man unintentionally discharges gun

29-year-old Lawrence Wach, of Troutdale, Oregon, was cleaning his handgun in the living room of his apartment when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet traveled through three apartments before finally stopping. A 26-year-old woman who was sitting on the coach in the apartment next to Wach's was injured by falling drywall when the bullet tore through her apartment. She said the bullet came within a foot of her as it continued into the next apartment.
No one was home in the apartment where the bullet landed.
Wach was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Security guard's gun unintentionally discharges during scuffle, shoots woman in the head

41-year-old Gary Williams, of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has been a bailiff with the Cleveland Municipal Court since 1997. He also works as a security guard at the Cleveland Heights International House of Pancakes.
Early Saturday morning, about 3 a.m., a group of four women starting acting up inside the restaurant. Williams was escorting them out of the restaurant when a scuffle ensued.
According to police reports, Williams was knocked to the ground and when he fell his gun discharged. 25-year-old Nadia Williams was shot in the head. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The three women she was with have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, inciting to violence, vandalism and robbery. The security guard has not been charged.
The case is still under investigation.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Man showing off his new handgun unintentionally shoots and kills girlfriend

23-year-old Matthew Walsh, of Mesa, Arizona bought a .38-caliber handgun. Because he was on probation for possession of drug paraphernalia and forgery he was not allowed to possess firearms, so he bought the handgun through a private sale where there would be no background check. He met the seller in a casino parking lot.
Three days later he was showing his girlfriend, 18-year-old Amanda Encinas, the gun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet struck Amanda in the hip, hitting her artery. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Walsh admitted pulling the trigger but said he thought the gun was unloaded. According to the police report, "He said he attended gun-safety classes as a youth and does not know why he pulled the trigger while the gun was pointed in his girlfriend's direction. He said he knows he should not have pulled the trigger."
Walsh was arrested and charged with manslaughter.