Man who unintentionally shot himself while riding bicycle blamed shooting on men in hoodies

22-year-old Wendell Docteur, of Stratford, Connecticut was riding his bicycle with a loaded gun in his waistband. Docteur unintentionally shot himself in the right leg.

Doctors at the hospital reported the gunshot wound to the police. Docteur told police he was riding his bicycle when he was confronted by half a dozen men in black hoodies. He said the men took his money, shot him, and yelled "North End, North End" as they fled.

Police were skeptical of the story and when they asked Docteur why there was only a bullet exit hole in his pants he admitted that he had shot himself while riding.

Docteur was charged with making a false statement, unlawful discharge of a firearm and failure to report a lost firearm. Although Docteur has a permit for the handgun, he couldn't account for the weapon. He is scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 5th.

Legislator who wants to put guns in schools shot wrong person during "active shooter" training

Arkansas state Senator Jeremy Hutchinson, of Benton, Arkansas, wants to make it easy for schools to arm teachers or other school personnel. He sits on a legislative committee that is examining the Arkansas law regarding guns in schools. The committee is looking at the laws after the Clarksville school district was thwarted in their attempt to arm two dozen of its teachers and staff members.
After the Sandy Hook shooting, Hutchinson was approached by his local police chief. The Chief had concerns about arming school personnel. His biggest concern was how would police tell the difference between a good guy with a gun and a bad guy with a gun. So, he set up an "active shooter" training simulation using rubber bullets and invited Hutchinson to participate.
"There was what appeared to be a bad guy in the hallway, shooting into the classroom," said Hutchinson. "And so, just instinctively, I shot. And then I turned the corner and see that the bad guy that I had just shot was actually shooting with another bad guy, which kind of blew my mind for a second."
Afterwards, the police informed Hutchinson that he had shot a "teacher."
Despite his experience, Hutchinson wants to "leave it to the school districts to design their best security plans." Even if that includes arming teachers.

Man sneezes, unintentionally shoots himself

81-year-old James Pace, of New Haven, Connecticut was trying to shoot a raccoon that had been scratching at his back door for several days.
While sitting and waiting for the animal, Pace sneezed and fell from his chair. The fall caused him to unintentionally discharged the .22-caliber rifle he was holding. Pace was shot in the shin.
His son drove him to the hospital for treatment of the non-life-threatening injury.

18-year-old cleaning new handgun unintentionally shoots himself in abdomen

An 18-year-old Juneau, Alaska teen was cleaning his handgun. He had just received the weapon earlier in the day. He told police that he was cleaning the gun and did not pull the trigger but that the gun discharged as he released its slide.
He was shot in the abdomen and taken to the local hospital where he is in stable condition.
Police are still investigating the incident and have not released the teen's name. A police spokesperson noted that the gun was not purchased at a gun store, but rather through a private sale. You must be 21 years old to purchase a gun from a gun dealer. They added that the teen traded a rifle for the handgun.
Police are trying to determine whether discharging a weapon in an unsafe manner can amount to a weapons misconduct charge.

Mentally challenged man didn't know gun was real, unintentionally shoots and kills his sister

20-year-old Marcus Anderson, of St. Louis, Missouri is described by police as "mentally challenged", althgough they didn't identify specific disabilities. Marcus and his family had just moved into a new home. A person who had lived in the house before, a family friend, had left behind a shotgun that had been spray painted gold. In an effort to hide the gun until she was able to properly dispose of it, Marcus' mother put the shotgun behind a dresser.
Marcus found the gun. He didn't realize it was a real gun and unintentionally shot and killed his 15-year-old sister Alicia.
According to a neighbor, "The little girls was in the shower as she got out of the tub and put on her robe as she was walking out of the door, boom he shot her in the head." She added that after the shooting Marcus kept repeated "I didn't know it was a real gun."
Police arrested Marcus and charged him with 2nd Degree Involuntary Manslaughter.

Woman unintentionally shoots herself in the hand inside Staples store

29-year-old Danielle Hayes, of Franklinton, North Carolina was shopping in a Staples store in Wake Forest. Her two-year-old son was with her.
According to police, Danielle had a concealed weapons permit and had a pistol in her purse. Her son reached inside her purse and when she went to take his hand out of her purse and grab the gun she unintentionally discharged the weapon.
Danielle was shot in the hand. Her son was not injured. An employee held pressure on Danielle's hand until medical help arrived and she was transported to the hospital.
Danielle has been charged with failing to secure a firearm from a minor.

Gun safety instructor who unintentionally shot student was involved in another unintentional shooting in 1977

73-year-old Terry Dunlop, of Violet Township, Ohio, was teaching a gun safety class recently when he unintentionally discharged a .38-caliber handgun he was using as part of the class demonstration. The bullet ricocheted off a desk and struck one of the students.
When Cathy Schmelzer read about the shooting her first thought was, "Oh no, he's done it again!"
In 1977, when Cathy was 14, she was unintentionally shot by Dunlop during a Halloween hayride.
According to a newspaper article at the time, Dunlap said he had fired his .38-caliber handgun into the air to create a "scary effect" while taking his daughter and her friends for a "haunted hayride" on his property. He said he thought the gun was loaded with blanks.
The bullet ricocheted and hit Cathy in the right leg. She required surgery to remove the bullet.
Dunlap wasn't charged with negligent discharge or any other charges because the shooting was deemed "accidental."
The student who was recently shot in Dunlop's class said the class was "very informative, very well laid out." And added that he "learned a lot. Then again, I was accidentally shot."

Toddler finds gun in closet, unintentionally shoots and kills himself. Father defends 2nd Amendment

Three and a half year old Damon Holbrook, of Dundee, Michigan found a loaded, unlocked .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun on a closet floor in the house where he lives. Damon picked up the gun and discharged the weapon, shooting himself in the head. Paramedics tried to revive the boy at the house before taking him to the hospital. Damon was declared dead in the emergency room.
The gun belonged to 30-year-old Joshua Greenhill who also lived in the house. Greenhill was arrested and charged with careless discharge causing injury or death. The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.
The day after the shooting, Damon's father posted on his Facebook page:

Yesterday I lost my 3yrd son to a gun accident. We r all hoping to wake up from this nightmare. Though we know that it is now a living nightmare. My baby boy is gone & I will never get to hold him again. I will miss him terribly.
I have nothing wrong with guns it's with this country was built on. I will still support the Second Amendment.
All I ask is that everyone please, please safety first lock it up and put it out of reach of anyone that has no business being around a gun especially kids.

Statistics show that up to 80 percent of first and second graders, who live in a home with a firearm, know where the firearm is kept. In addition, some firearms are made with a very light trigger action, enabling young children to shot the gun.

Man unintentionally discharges AR-15 that starts fire that kills man and his 12-year-old son

48-year-old Terry York, of Henderson County, Tennessee, was at home, showing friends his AR-15 assault rifle when he unintentionally discharged the gun. Family members told reporters that the gunfire immediately ignited a small fire inside of the home.
The fire did not seem very threatening at first but quickly got out of control and was followed by a series of possible explosions. "It was just like one right after another," said a neighbor. "One explosion right after another." Family members said York kept a lot of ammunition in the room where the fire started. But investigators have not yet determined what caused the explosion.
When the fire started, York's 12-year-old son, Luke, ran into the room to help his father put the fire out. The two did not make it out of the home and had to be pulled out by firefighters. They were found unconscious just steps from the door.
York was pronounced dead at the scene. Luke was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The victims' wife and mother suffered second degree burns to her arms after trying to get back inside the home. Family members said they had just celebrated Luke's twelfth birthday the day before the fire.

Armed employee at pawn shop unintentionally discharges gun, injures two people

An employee at Erwin's Pawn Shop in Amarillo, Texas dropped his Glock handgun. He unintentionally discharged the gun when he went to pick it back up.
Two people were injured, but police didn't say if they were struck directly by the bullet or if the bullet fragmented and hit them. One man was taken away on a stretcher, while a woman was transported from the scene with bandages on her leg.
"It's not unusual," said the store's attorney. "This is a pawn shop, they deal in a lot of gold and jewelry and firearms and it's not uncommon for those kinds of establishments here in town to have their employees armed."
Police say no criminal charges are likely to be filed.

Woman scrapbooking in her apartment unintentionally shot by neighbor cleaning his new assault rifle

63-year-old Laurie Horton, of Dana Point, California, was sitting at her kitchen table, working on a scrapbook for her granddaughter, when a bullet came through her wall from the apartment next door. A bullet fragment hit Laurie in the forehead.
"It just slammed my head. It was a big, loud pop. It had kinda an odd smell," said Laura.
Her husband told reporters, "I realized that Laurie was bleeding from the forehead. Didn't know why or anything. And then our neighbor came running over and said 'Are you okay? Are you okay? My gun went off.'"
The neighbor was testing his new AR-15 assault rifle. "I had just gotten a new gun and I was testing parts of it, taking it apart and putting it back together," he said. "I didn't realize the rifle was loaded." He added that he had just gotten the gun that day and was trying different parts on it.
Laurie was just happy her injuries weren't more serious, "We're the most lucky people on earth don't you think? I got shot in the head!"
Police said it was unlikely the neighbor would face any charges. "The investigation so far indicates everything was an accident." He did not specify what makes one situation an accident and another a negligent discharge of a firearm.

23-year-old woman unintentionally shot and killed with gun she bought earlier in the day for protection

23-year-old Kylie Sage, of Connellsville, Pennsylvania had just purchased a new handgun. According to a friend, Kylie "believed in self-protection" and had a concealed weapons permit.
Kylie was sitting in a pickup truck with her cousin, 24-year-old Jeremy Hamborsky, and his girlfriend. She was showing Jeremy her new gun.
According to police, Kylie handed Jeremy the gun, who removed it from its holster and asked her it is was loaded. Kylie said no, the gun was not loaded. Jeremy then "worked the action of the firearm by holding it in his right hand and racking the slide back with his left hand." When the slide returned, the gun discharged one round.
Kylie was hit underneath her right armpit. She died of her injuries.
Jeremy was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Gun safety instructor unintentionally shoots student

73-year-old Terry Dunlop, of Violet Township, Ohio, was teaching a gun safety class for students interested in getting a concealed weapons permit. Dunlap runs a shooting range and training center, teaches in the law enforcement training program through the Eastland Career Center, recertifies law enforcement officials in Firearms Certification, and schedules and instructs many local Conceal Carry certification classes.
Yet somehow Dunlop did not realize the .38-caliber handgun he was using as part of the class demonstration was loaded.
Dunlop unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet ricocheted off a desk and struck one of the students, Michael Piemonte, in the right arm.
Piemonte was taken to the hospital for treatment and released later that night.
"I am thankful that it only ended up being in my arm," he said. "And didn't hit my wife or individuals sitting at the desk behind me."
No charges have been filed. The sheriff's office called it an "accidental shooting."

Two injured in unintentional shooting during gun sale in business parking lot

Two employees of Sharp Communications in Huntsville, Alabama were in the business' parking lot engaging in a private handgun sale when one of the men unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet went through one man's hand into the other man's abdomen.
The men were taken to the local hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life-threatening.
The company's CEO said the sale had nothing to do with Sharp Communications. He also noted that both men were on the clock at the time of the incident and the management was discussing how to handle the incident.
Alabama just passed a new gun law allowing employees to bring loaded guns to the workplace but have to keep them in their vehicle. The law went into effect August 1st.

Woman unintentionally shoots and kills her best friend at birthday party

19-year-old Lakeisha Bell, of Warren, Ohio, was celebrating her birthday with friends, including her best friend, 18-year-old McKayla Hopkins. According to witnesses, someone brought a gun to the party and was showing it to people at the party.
When Lakeisha was holding the gun she unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting McKayla in the torso. McKayla died of her injuries.
Relatives of Lakeisha said the shooting was an accident. "They loved each other. This is sad for both of them, both of their families. It hurts all of us that this happened. It was a nice party. It wasn't like there was any fighting or arguing or anything going on. It really was an accident."
Lakeisha has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

10-year-old finds key to gun safe, unintentionally shoots and kills brother

13-year-old Logan Armendariz and his 10-year-old brother were home alone in Daleville, Indiana. The 10-year-old found the key to his parents' gun safe, went in to the closet where the safe was, opened the safe and took out the revolver inside.
The boy thought the gun was empty, pointed it as Logan and pulled the trigger. Logan was shot in the chest and died of his injuries.
The police detective told reporters, "There was one round. One single round in the gun."
Logan would have been in the seventh grade at Daleville Junior-Senior High School. He was an honor-roll student who like to play basketball and baseball.

Man unintentionally shoots himself during argument over speeding

43-year-old Rhonney Jacobs, of Norfolk, Virginia was speeding down his road when some of his neighbors yelled at him to slow down.
According to a witness, "My friends were standing right there in the yard and the guy came flying by and they were like 'slow down, there's kids' and the guy did a U-turn and pulled over."
Witnesses say Jacobs got out of his car, waving around a gun, a .45-caliber handgun.
During the confrontation with the people who had told him to slow down, Jacobs unintentionally discharged the gun, shooting himself in the upper leg.
"He was holding his groin and there was blood everywhere," said a witness, "I'm just happy none of the kids got hurt."
Jacobs was charged with discharging a firearm and brandishing a firearm.

Man target shooting in his yard shoots 7-year-old neighbor standing next to her backyard pool

7-year-old Abby Wrobel, of Tekonsha, Michigan was in her backyard, standing on the deck of her pool, when she was shot in the arm.
Abby's neighbor, who remains unnamed, was target shooting in his yard with his 9 mm handgun when he fired a shot that missed the target and traveled 200 yards across a cornfield and struck Abby.
"It felt like a firework was going inside my arm," said Abby.
Abby's mother told reporters that the bullet barely missed hitting her daughter in the chest and whizzed right by her 2-year-old sister's head who was standing next to her.
Police are planning to charge the man with reckless discharge of a firearm causing injury. The man's wife said he is extremely shaken up by the accident.

59-year-old woman unintentionally shoots herself in the chest

A 59-year-old Cherokee County, Texas woman was home alone when she unintentionally shot herself with a High Point 9mm semi-automatic handgun. She was able to call 911 and dispatchers kept her on the phone until emergency help arrived.
When officials arrived they had to force the locked door open to get to the woman. She was found lying on the living room couch with a single gunshot wound to the upper right chest, near her shoulder. The wound was a through and through shot and the woman had lost a lot of blood.
She was airlifted to the East Texas Medical Center in Tyler where she is listed in stable condition. She is being sedated because of her injuries so the sheriff has not been able to interview her.
The investigation remains ongoing.

4-year-old shot in head by 8-year-old who was target shooting

4-year-old Madison Dyer, of Portland, Indiana, was shot in the head when she ran in front of her 8-year-old brother while he was target shooting.
Police say several adults and children were around a campfire while the boy was shooting a .22-caliber rifle. Madison ran into the line of fire.
She was taken via helicopter to the hospital in Fort Wayne were she is listed in critical condition following emergency surgery. "I'd like to think that she's improving," said a police spokesperson. "But I don't think much has changed with her condition."