Man selling gun in private sale unintentionally shoots himself

35-year-old Clinton Scott, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida was selling a handgun in a private sale. He had arranged to meet the buyer in a parking lot off Racetrack Road. Scott took the gun out of the trunk of his car and placed it on the hood of the car.

When Scott picked up the gun again, he unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting himself in the abdomen. Scott had to be taken by medical helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment.  He is listed in fair condition.

Police are still investigating the incident.  It is legal under Florida state law to meet a stranger in a parking lot and sell them a gun with no criminal background check run and no records kept. 

Stepfather unintentionally shoots and kills daughter thinking she was a burglar

29-year-old Daniel Meade, of Colorado Springs, Colorado shot his 14-year-old stepdaughter, Kiana O'Neil, about 6 a.m. as she was crawling though a window in their home. Meade thought the girl was a burglar.
Police were on the way to the home at the time of the shooting, having received a burglary in progress call. When they arrived they found Kiana with a gunshot wound.  She was taken to the hospital where she died soon afterwards.
Meade is a 10-year Army veteran who enlisted and ascended to the rank of sergeant first-class.  He is the recipient of a Bronze Star and is currently stationed at Fort Carson.
Police are still investigating and have not yet filed any charges.  Colorado has a "Make My Day" law that allows residents to use deadly force inside their homes if they believe an intruder is intent on harming them or committing a crime. 

Teen shot and killed when friend upstairs unintentionally discharges handgun

24-year-old Ryan Frederick, of Columbia, Tennessee was in his bedroom, showing off his brand new handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet traveled through the floor boards and struck 19-year-old James Wisdom who was in the kitchen below.

Wisdom was struck in the head and pronounced dead about 1 a.m.

Frederick has served in the Army Reserve for seven years and has a concealed weapons permit. "It was an accident," he told press. "But it shouldn't have happened and I'm going to miss him."

Police continue to investigate but no charges have been filed in the death. "Everything from our initial investigation it appears that it was a tragic accident, " said a police spokesperson. "Our hearts and condolences go out to friends and family."

Teen hit by stray bullet paralyzed from waist down

19-year-old Dominique Romero, of Richmond, California, was sitting on the couch inside her home on Saturday night when someone fired multiple shots in the street outside. One of the bullets came through the wall of her house and hit Dominique. The bullet went through her arm and wedged in her spine.

Doctors at the Walnut Creek medical center told the teen and her family on Monday that she is paralyzed from the waist down.

Dominique's mother told press, "She didn't even cry. She's like 'I'd rather be paralyzed mom, than gone.'"

Police are still searching for the person who fired as many as nine shots that night.

Police instructor found guilty in unintentional trainee shooting case, sentenced to jail

46-year-old William Kern, an 18-year veteran of the Baltimore, Maryland police department, was sentenced to 18 months in jail with all but 60 days suspended for unintentionally shooting a recruit in the head during a training exercise in February.

Kern was found guilty of reckless endangerment in the shooting of Raymond Gray, a police trainee. Gray was critically injured in the shooting. The incident occurred at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Kern testified at trial that he thought he was holding his simunitions training pistol that fires paintball-like cartridges when he pointed the gun at Gray and pulled the trigger. "I realized it was not my simunitions weapon immediately," he said.

Prosecutors argued that Kern broke policy by bringing his gun to the training and that he had an "unhealthy attachment" to his gun, had pulled it by mistake before the shooting and was reluctant to give it up afterward.

Gray, who was shot in the head, lost sight in one eye and was hospitalized for months before moving to a rehabilitation center.

Kern was also sentenced to two years of probation and will have to undergo psychiatric counseling.

4 out of every 10 gunshot injuries in Florida hospitals are due to unintentional shootings

Data collected by the Florida Department of Health has found that four out of every ten people who are rushed to a Florida hospital with a nonfatal gunshot injury were unintentionally shot. In Orange County, Florida that number jumps to more than half of the people treated for nonfatal gunshot injuries.

In addition to leaving injuries which can be permanent, these gunshot wounds cost more than $57 million. The average unintentional gunshot patient admitted to a hospital in Florida required $85,024 in care. Half of that was borne by government providers such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Orlando police chief blamed the high Orange County numbers on the prevalence of firearms there. "Obviously, if you have a higher rate of firearms in a state or county or city, there's going to be a higher rate of nonfatal gun accidents," he said.

He urged gun owners to be responsible, to know at all times where their weapons are and to properly secure them. He added that his officers are finding and seizing too many stolen guns.

A University of Miami pediatrician commented, "We know how to prevent this. We should be reducing access to loaded firearms."

Homeowner struck by stray bullet from shooting range awarded more than $1 million

Mike Domin was working on a backhoe in his backyard in Gargland, Texas, in 2010 when he felt something strike his back. Mike had been struck by a stray bullet. He was rushed to the hospital and spent six days in intensive care.

He sued the owner of Garland Public Shooting Range for negligence. Mike's home was about a mile away from the range, but in the direct line from the firing line.

The owner of the range, James Day, denied liability. He said the bullet probably came from people who were shooting in a landfill near by.

Police and a ballistics expert testified at the trial that they believe the bullet came from the range. Also testifying was a consultant for the local power company who told the jury there was a history of bullets leaving the range. He said he met with the range back in 2000 and again in 2002 about power lines and conductors that had been hit and about damage done by people shooting up in the air. Also, in 2012 two homes in the area were hit by bullets in a two hour span.

The jury took only a few hours to deliver its decision - they found Day and the shooting range negligent, and awarded Mike money for his pain and suffering, medical bills and anguish. He was awarded more than $1 million, including money necessary for treatment for bullet fragments which remain lodged in his chest.

Two people injured in separate unintentional firing range shootings

A civilian police officer employed with the U.S. Marine Corps Support Facility at Blount Island in Florida unintentionally shot himself while training at a firing range in Jacksonville.

According to reports, the officer was putting his handgun in his holster when "the trigger was pulled and he shot a round through his calf."

He was taken to the local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 77-year-old Scarborough, Maine man unintentionally shot himself at a local firing range. The man fired a .22-caliber single-action revolver into his abdomen. According to police, "he was handling a firearm at Scarborough Fish and Game and it discharged. He was there by himself, unfortunately, but he was able to make a phone call and get us there."

The man was taken to the local hospital with life-threatening injuries. He underwent surgery and is recovering.

32-year-old woman killed by stray bullet at nightclub during friend's birthday party

32-year-old April Infinger, of Goose Creek, South Carolina was at a friend's birthday party at the Moonshine Saloon when she was struck by a stray bullet as people fought outside the bar.

According to witnesses, people were trying to diffuse an argument between two women when the patrons started throwing punches. The fight spilled outside the club when a man pulled a gun and started shooting.

April was inside the club, celebrating a friend's birthday, when she was struck in the back by a bullet that came through the wall from the parking lot.

April's friend told reporters that she and April were hugging goodbye. Just as they let go she heard a pop and watched as April dropped to the ground inside the bar. "She fell to her knees and never came back up," she said.

April was taken to the local hospital and died a short time later. She leaves behind a husband and 13-year-old daughter.

Police are still investigating the incident.

Man unintentionally shoots himself while buying Christmas tree

59-year-old Michael Bledsoe, of Kingsport, Tennessee, was buying a Christmas tree from a local tree lot. He had just bought a tree and went to his car to get a tree stand.

There was a 12-gauge shotgun in the backseat of the car and when he went to grab the stand the shotgun shifted, causing something to hit the trigger and discharge the weapon.

Bledsoe was shot in the pelvic area and the blast also hit the vehicle parked next to his. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Bledsoe is currently in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

Man thought shotgun was unloaded, critically injures 23-year-old friend

A 22-year-old man from Cleveland Heights, Ohio was with friends, looking at a shotgun that belonged to a 31-year-old Columbus man. Thinking the gun was unloaded, he pulled the trigger.

The shot hit a 23-year-old woman standing less than five feet away. The blast struck her in the stomach and chest, and buckshot struck her in the right bicep area, severely damaging her arm. She was taken to the local medical center for treatment and remains in critical condition.

According to reports, the gun's owner was showing off the gun earlier in the evening, when it was unloaded. At some point he loaded the gun and then the group went out to a local bar. They returned to the home and at about 12:20 a.m. the shooting occurred.

Police arrested both the gun's owner and the man who shot the gun on suspicion of felonious assault.

4-year-old boy taken to hosptial after father unintentionally discharges hunting rifle in NYC apartment

50-year-old Luis Gonzalez was in his Vladeck Houses apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Gonzalez was preparing to go hunting over the weekend and was cleaning his rifle when he unintentionally discharged the gun inside his 5th floor apartment.

When the gun discharged the round smashed into the concrete ceiling, sending a piece of debris falling onto his 4-year-old son, who began to bleed. The boy was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Police said seven people were in the apartment at the time. Gonzalez has a license for the gun. He is a bus driver who hunts regularly. Police also removed another rifle and a shotgun from the apartment.

Gonzalez faces charges of reckless endangerment, assault and endangering tne welfare of a child.

Man taking apart handgun unintentionally shoots himself and his friend

A Nashua, New Hampshire newspaper reports that a man from New York was at a friend's apartment off Main Dunstable Road. Neither the man nor his friend are being identified at this time.

The man was trying to break down a 9mm handgun,which was still loaded, when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. The bullet went through his hand and then into the upper leg of the woman who lives in the apartment.

Both were taken to the local hospital for treatment. Police say they are expecting to file charges against the man involved.

Toddler unintentionally shoots and kills himself

2-year-old Taj Ayesh, of Lakeland, Florida followed his mother, 29-year-old Stephanie Nealy, when she walked out of her house to get something out of her boyfriend's truck.

Nealy told police that she moved a loaded, unlocked pistol that was inside the truck as she searched for a card. She said she was facing away from the truck when she heard a gunshot and saw her son fall to the ground.

Nealy and her boyfriend rushed Taj to the hospital where he underwent surgery. Taj did not survive.

Police are investigating the incident.

Woman shot and killed in motel when guest in another room unintentionally discharges gun

48-year-old Traci Lynn Reedy, of Irving, Texas, was with her husband and teenage son in a motel room at the Mictorel Inn and Suites in Irving. Traci was in bed, watching television when a bullet fired from an adjoining room came through the wall and struck her in the chest.

According to police, "The bullet came through the wall that was across from where she was lying, went through that wall, through the room, and struck her in the chest as she was lying in bed, sitting up." Reedy was taken to the local hospital where she died of her injuries.

Police have arrested 36-year-old Michael Gray, of Dallas, and charged him with criminally negligent homicide. Gray, who was in the adjoining room with his girlfriend, said he was handling the gun when it unintentionally discharged.

Man unintentionally discharges weapon in Walmart, keeps shopping

50-year-old Christopher Strube, of Centerville, Iowa, was at the Walmart store in town when he unintentionally discharged a .45-caliber handgun that was in his pants pocket.

Strube told police that a bottle he was carrying hit the handgun and caused it to fire one round. Strube kept shopping, paid for his items and left the store.

Police were notified because several employees and customers said they heard a gunshot and smelled gun powder. Police found a bullet hole in a basket and several cans of beans. They also located a .45-caliber bullet in one of the cans of beans.

Strube, who has a valid concealed weapons permit, was arrested and charged with discharging a weapon within the city limits.

Was JFK's assassination really just an unintentional shooting by a Secret Service agent?

As we look back on the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, one theory is being revisited, the so called "accident theory." The theory holds that after hearing the shots fired by Oswald, Secret Service Agent George Hickey, riding in a car immediately behind the presidential limousine, grabbed a Colt AR-15 rifle, lost his balance when his car stopped suddenly, and unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting the President in the head.

"It's not sexy. It's not rife with intrigue," said Bonar Menninger, a Kansas City journalist and a leading proponent of the theory. "But for that reason, in my mind, it's extremely compelling - because it's the only theory that hues tightly to the available evidence."

Menninger is author of the book Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK. He also appears in the documentary JFK: The Smoking Gun which is currently showing on Reelz channel.

Menninger became interested in this theory after reading an article by Howard Donahue, a ballistics expert who had been investigating the assassination for years. In a recent interview Menninger states:

The evidence supporting Donahue’s theory, in my opinion, is compelling: The trajectory of the bullet was not right to left and sharply down, as it would have had to be from the book depository, but left to right and shallow. The entrance wound on Kennedy’s skull was 6 mm in diameter. The bullets Oswald fired were 6.5 mm in diameter. [It’s] hard to see how you could put a 6.5 mm bullet through a 6 mm hole. In fact, bullets always make holes slightly larger than their diameter in the skull. The AR-15 .223 round was 5.56 mm in diameter. The bullet that struck Kennedy behaved not like a full-metal jacket round from a Carcano rifle, but much more like a frangible, explosive .223 round. A dozen people saw the agent with the rifle at or just after the time of the last shot. Nine people in the motorcade behind the follow-up car immediately smelled gunsmoke after the last shot.

If Donahue’s theory isn’t correct, then these facts need to be explained, and no one has done that as far as I’m concerned.

Interesting theory. Could it be true?

Fatal unintentional shooting at home also used as child day care

21-year-old Michael Nugent, of San Diego, California, was at his friend's house getting ready for a hunting trip. The house is owned by Sharon Orr, who runs Orr's Family Day Care and Preschool at the house.

According to reports, Orr was downstairs while her grandson and Nugent were upstairs looking at a shotgun when the gun was dropped and unintentionally discharged. Police were called to the home around 1 a.m. Nugent was shot in the chest and died from his injuries.

Under California law, family child care homes require guns must be unloaded and locked up and ammunition must be stored and locked away separately. Orr stressed that the shotgun was kept in an upstairs safe along with other guns that belonged to her grandson and her boyfriend. She noted that the safe was kept in a room with a child-proofed door knob and there was also a childproof gate to keep children from going upstairs. Orr added that she intends to remove all the weapons and the safe from the house.

Teen shot when hunting rifle unintentionally discharges

14-year-old Robert Lutskas, Jr., of Moses Lake, Washington was hunting with his father, Robert, Sr., in the Refrigerator Canyon area in Montana. The teen had never been deer hunting before. When they returned to their vehicle, Robert, Jr., unloaded the Remington M77 model 30-06 caliber rifle he had been using and placed the rifle with the butt of the gun on the vehicle floor and the muzzle toward the roof. The teen did not realize that a bullet remained in the chamber of the gun.

While they were driving, they hit a bump and the weapon discharged. The bullet struck the teen in the right bicep and exited his right shoulder and then continued through the roof of the pickup truck. The father said he turned to look at his son after the explosion and saw him holding his arm.

"The gun was up front, between his legs. He thought he had it unloaded," he said.

Robert, Jr. was taken to an area hospital where he underwent surgery. Another surgery is planned to make sure the wound is clean and control any possible infection. When they return home, the teen will need plastic surgery on the wound.

4-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills himself, father charged with involuntary manslaughter

4-year-old Killian Perez, of Fayetteville, North Carolina found a loaded, unlocked handgun on the top of the refrigerator in his home. The boy took the handgun and was playing with it when he unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting and killing himself.

Emergency responders were called to the home Saturday morning around 10:45 a.m. Killian was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jeffrey Perez, Killian's father, has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and failure to secure a firearm. Perez is a solider in the U.S. Army and is stationed at Fort Bragg. He was released on $5,000 unsecured bond.

6-year-old unintentionally shot in the head by 16-year-old relative dies

6-year-old Jamerica Ragsdale was staying with her family at her grandmother's house west of Vicksburg, Mississippi. A 16-year-old relative was in an adjacent bedroom handling a .22 caliber pistol when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.

The bullet went through the wall of the bedroom into the living room where Jamerica was standing and struck her in the head.

Jamerica was taken to the hospital where she was put on life support. She died two days later.

The young man is being detained in a youth detention center, charged with possession of a handgun by a minor. Investigators are looking into where the gun came from.

Family members said the teen is showing great remorse and that this awful accident is crushing the family emotionally.

High school cheerleader struck by stray bullet during practice

A 14-year-old Goose Creek High School cheerleader was hit by a stray bullet Tuesday evening during practice. The practice was taking place on school grounds in Goose Creek, South Carolina but police believe the bullet was fired from an off-campus location.

The girl was shot in the hand. She was taken to the local hospital for treatment and has since been released. She is resting at home.

Police do not know who fired the shot or why and it is being treated as an isolated incident.

Man unintentionally shot and killed while showing friend his gun

25-year-old Wael Ali was showing his friend, 63-year-old Raouf Sanad, his black semi-automatic handgun. The two where in the kitchen of the restaurant Sanad owns in Marietta, Georgia.

According to reports, Sanad pointed the handgun at Ali and pulled the trigger, thinking the safety was on. Ali was shot in the front of the neck and died of his injuries.

Sanad was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, pointing a gun at another person and reckless conduct.

A woman who was dining at a nearby bakery told reporters weapons shouldn't be in a public place. "Any time you have a weapon, you have the potential," she said.

Georgia law allows firearms to be carried into restaurants provided the owner does not prohibit it.

Man unintentionally shoots himself while standing in grocery checkout line

A man and his two young children were standing in the checkout line at the C-Town Supermarket in Reading, Pennsylvania.

According to reports, when the man reached into his right front pocket to get money to pay his grocery bill he unintentionally discharged a .357 Smith & Wesson handgun that he was carrying loose in his pocket.

The bullet hit him in the leg. He was rushed to the hospital. There is no word on his condition.

Fortunately, no one else was injured, including this two young children who were standing right next to him.

According to police, the man had a concealed weapons permit.

Police officer fired after unintentional shooting

Marvin Willis has been on the Morehead City, North Carolina police force since 2011. In October he was taking part in a training exercise in the police station parking lot when he unintentionally discharged his handgun, shooting Officer Garret Hardin in the chest.

Hardin spent a week in the hospital and is still recovering from his injury. He has not yet been able to return to work.

In reviewing the case, the district attorney stated, "After reviewing the investigative findings of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, I have determined that no criminal charges will be filed in this matter. Former Officer Willis demonstrated a high level of negligence in failing to properly clear his handgun before entering the training exercise; however, his negligent conduct does not rise to the level of criminal intent required to prove that he committed a criminal offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

“After Willis discharged his handgun in the training situation, he immediately assisted a medic in rendering assistance to Officer Hardin. The fact that former Officer Willis will not face criminal charges does not excuse his negligent conduct. His employment has been terminated with the Morehead City Police Department, and this matter will be reported to the Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission."

The Morehead City Police Department plans to thoroughly review its officer training program to make sure this type of incident never happens again.

Child unintentionally shoots father in the back in Walmart parking lot

Monty Wheeler was at a Walmart in Russellville, Arkansas with his son. According to reports:

It was determined the man had accidentally been shot by his child. While the child was attempting to enter the vehicle, the child accidentally grabbed a hold of a loaded shotgun, that had not been secured, to help pull himself into the truck.
While grabbing the shotgun the child accidentally pulled the trigger and caused the shotgun to discharge and strike his father in the back.

Wheeler was taken to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition. No one else was injured in the incident.

Tourist from South America killed at gun range when gun recoils

25-year-old Andrea Corredor-Rivera, from Colombia in South America, was visiting family in Missouri. She was at the Salt River Gun Range near New London, MO when she lost control of the gun she was shooting.

According to reports, Corredor-Rivera died of a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. She was shooing a .500-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun when the gun recoiled and she lost control. The sheriff said the gun spun around in her hand, leading to a second fatal shot.

Man cleaning handgun unintentionally shoots himself and his 4-year-old daughter

38-year-old Ryan Matson, of Stonington, Maine, was cleaning his .45 caliber handgun in his kitchen when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.

The bullet hit his leg and continued on and hit his 4-year-old daughter, Riley, in the thigh. Riley was sitting next to her father at the time.

They were taken to the hospital in Bangor where they were treated and released. Authorities say no charges are expected.

This is the second shooting within a week involving a young child in Maine. On Wednesday a man shot his 3-year-old daughter in the neck. A neighbor believes it was an unintentional shooting although it is still being investigated. The child was taken to the hospital in critical condition and remains hospitalized.

Man pleads not guilty to fatal unintentional shooting at egg farm

44-year-old Michael Warbin, of Franklin, Connecticut, entered a plea of not guilty to a manslaughter charge in connection to a fatal shooting at the Moark egg farm in Turner, Maine.

Warbin was working at the farm in August when he was shooting a .22-caliber rifle to kill rodents and stray chickens inside one of the farm's chicken barns that was being cleaned out.

Warbin unintentionally shot another worker, 57-year-old Manual Adame, in the chest and neck. Adame died of his injuries.

Warbin is currently free on bail and is not allowed to possess or use dangerous weapons.

Woman walking with her daughter in the Bronx hit by stray bullet

79-year-old Norberta Duval was walking with her 61-year-old daughter, Medina, in the Bronx, about three block from Yankee Stadium.

"We were waiting for the light to change," said Medina. "I heard a shooting but I did not understand what it was. I said 'Mommy, I think you got hit' so I pulled her coat open and saw blood."

Norberta suffers from early-stage Alzheimer's disease and does not remember being shot.

A CT scan at the hospital discovered that the bullet only grazed Norberta.

A surveillance video from a nearby area shows three men talking to a fourth man out of the camera frame. In the course of the video, one of the men pulls out a gun and fires three shots at the fourth man, who is not visible, before jumping into a silver SUV and fleeing the scene.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Man target shooting in his backyard unintentionally shoots and kills 4-year-old

4-year-old Zoie Dougan and her mother were staying at a friend's house in Rogersville, Missouri.

According to reports, the 24-year-old man who lived in the house was outside target shooting with a .22 caliber rifle.

"The position he was shooting from - his vision was blocked to his right and a visiting 4-year-old girl walked into the path of fire and he shot her in the head," said the county sheriff.

Zoie died on the way to the hospital.

No charges have been filed relating to the death, although the man was arrested on an outstanding warrant and is currently in the county jail.

11-year-old boy hit by stray bullet from gunfight two blocks away

29-year-old Quentin Singletary and 27-year-old Dominique Williams, both of Rochester, New York, were arrested following a shootout Sunday morning.

According to police, Singletary and another man allegedly fired shots an one another after an argument escalated between the two.

An 11-year-old boy who was two blocks away when the gunfire broke out was hit by a stray bullet. The boy is recovering at Strong Hospital.

"The fact that this occurred on a Sunday at 10:30 in the morning, personally, I think it's atrocious," said the Rochester police chief. "It's not something we will tolerate."

Singletary and Williams were arrested. Singletary was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Williams, who was not at the shooting scene, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. Singleton was also shot in the incident and remains in the hospital.

Police are still searching for the other man involved in the shooting.

Man cleaning his new handgun unintentionally discharges gun, shoots passing car

A San Diego, California man had his new semi-automatic handgun for just a few days. After returning from target practice Wednesday afternoon, he was cleaning the gun in his living room.

"When he was reloading his gun, he accidentally fired off a round out his window," said a police spokesperson.

The bullet traveled through his window and hit a passing car, piercing the rear window and lodging in the car's back seat. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Police have temporarily confiscated the weapon. It will be up to the district attorney's office whether any charges will be filed.

3 kids hurt after child pulls trigger on police AR-15 at elementary school event

China, California police were at a local elementary school during an anti-drug event when one of the students walked over to a police motorcycle with an AR-15 rifle latched to it. According to reports, the police were playing ball with the kids and not watching the motorcycle.

The child pulled the trigger on the rifle and discharged the weapon. The child was startled and ran into a nearby field.

Three students were injured. One student was treated for scrapes and cuts at the school and two were taken to the hospital with lacerations due to being struck by bullet fragments.

"They came to the school to say no to drugs," said an 8-year-old boy who witnessed the incident. "And then the bullet happened and it got shot. I saw the kid running to the grass, crying."

Woman films her own unintentional shooting

Shelly Molchak, of Chardon Township, Ohio, was filming a volatile confrontation between her husband, Tony Molchak, and the boyfriend of Tony's ex-wife, Gary Schussler. The two were arguing over child visitations when a fight broke out.

Schussler pulled a handgun from a holster on his back. He dropped the gun during a scuffle and when Molchak picked up the gun he unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting his wife in the back. The bullet also caused her lung to collapse. She was taken to a hospital in Cleveland for treatment.

Schussler was arrested and charged with second-degree felony assault and first-degree misdemeanor using a weapon while intoxicated. Molchak was arrested and charged with first-degree misdemeanor assault and third-degree negligent assault.

Woman shot when bullet comes through wall of her apartment

A Charleston, West Virginia woman was walking up the stairs in her apartment when a bullet came through the wall and struck her in the shoulder. She was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

According to police, her neighbor, John Tucker, was showing off a gun to his friends when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. Police say Tucker was not familiar with the gun and that it apparently went off as the result of improper handling.

Neighbors are upset with how police are handling the investigation. Tucker hasn't been charged with anything but one neighbor thinks he should be. "What makes it any different for him?" she said. "He needs to be locked up like everybody else does for a crime that he does. There's no such thing as an accidental shooting. The gun doesn't go off by itself. It takes the wrong person to pull that trigger."

Woman drops gun in Sam's Club, unintentionally shoots husband

50-year-old Helen Duncan, of Glendora, California was in the local Sam's Club Sunday afternoon with her husband, 48-year-old Robert.

Helen was carrying a handgun inside of a fanny pack when she dropped the fanny pack and the gun unintentionally discharged.

The bullet struck Robert in the arm. The couple drove to the hospital where Robert was treated.

After leaving the hospital, the couple was arrested and charged with negligently discharging a firearm and illegally possessing a concealed firearm without a permit.

Man unintentionally shoots son with handgun he just purchased

Charles Simonton, of Newport, Indiana, had just purchased a .22-caliber handgun from Darrel's Custom Firearms shop in Cayuga. As Charles and his son, 20-year-old William, were getting in their pickup truck Charles unintentionally discharged the weapon.

William was shot in the leg just above his knee. William had to be airlifted to a hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.

Police said William's injury did not appear to be life threatening. They did not indicate if any charges would be filed against Charles.

College student waiting for taxi hit by stray bullet, left paralyzed

18-year-old Martha Childress, a freshman at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, was waiting for a taxi cab with her friend early Sunday morning when a fight broke out nearby between three men.

One of the men, 21-year-old Michael Smith pulled out a .40-caliber handgun and fired. The bullet hit Martha in her midsection and lodged in her spinal cord. The bullet left her paralyzed from the hips down and damaged her liver and kidney.

Before being shot, Martha was out with a high school friend who was visiting her at college. The two had been to a Hunter Hayes concert and had gone out afterwards for something to eat. Her mother had told her to take a cab home rather than risk walking late at night.

Smith faces charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, and possession of a stolen pistol.

Man playing with gun unintentionally shoots woman in apartment below

22-year-old David White, of Nashville, Tennessee, admitted to police that he was playing with his gun inside his bedroom when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.

The bullet went through the ceiling of the apartment below White and struck a woman who was sleeping in her bed. The woman's husband told reporters that he woke to his wife screaming.

The bullet hit her below her left shoulder and went into her chest. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Doctors plan to leave the bullet in her for now.

White was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment.

Couple out on a walk when husband drops gun, unintentionally shoots wife

54-year-old Constance Bayless, of Pitsburg, Ohio, was on a walk with her husband, James.  When James adjusted his pants as they walked a handgun dropped out of his pants.

When the gun hit the sidewalk it discharged.  The bullet struck Constance in the leg.

She was taken to the local hospital where she underwent surgery.  She was listed in stable condition.

The sheriff's office is investigating the incident.  They offered no information on the caliber of the gun but did note that James has a concealed carry permit for the weapon.

Mother watching 11-year-old son's soccer game shot in the leg

43-year-old Melissa Jaramillo, of Gainesville, Virginia, was sitting with her daughter and husband watching her 11-year-old son's soccer game at a park in Manassas about 5pm on Sunday when she felt a stabbing pain in her upper thigh.

She told a reporter, "All of a sudden I felt a sting on my leg. It was very sore and my leg was a little numb and it was bleeding a little bit and then I realized something had happened - it wasn't a bug bit, it wasn't somebody had slapped me. Something had happened."

X-rays at the hospital showed that Melissa had been hit with a small caliber bullet, possibly a .22 caliber round. Doctors have decided the best course of treatment for now is to leave the bullet in her leg.

No one at the game heard a gunshot and police have no suspects.

Melissa said the mystery of the case made it even more worrying. "It's a concern for the safety of everyone that's out there," she said.

"I woke up and I had a bullet in my chest"

14-year-old Jordan Miller, of Vancouver, Washington was visiting his father in Portland, Oregon. He was sleeping on the floor of his father's apartment when a bullet came through the window, hit a chair, and then hit Jordan.

According to his brother, "We are all sleeping and heard about five loud bangs. We all jumped and woke up. My brother started screaming. Me and my dad couldn't figure out why he was screaming."

Jordan told a reporter, "I woke up and I had a bullet in my chest. I pulled the collar of my shirt down. There was a black hole in my chest with blood coming down. The bullet stuck between a major artery and some nerves that make my arm work. If they dig around trying to get the bullet out, it could immobilize my arm."

Police say Jordan was not the target of the shooting but was hit by stray gunfire during a gang shootout.

Jordan was treated in the local hospital and is now back home with his mother in Washington.

Woman unintentionally shoots herself in the leg while walking up the stairs

33-year-old Brenda Carter, of Ramseur, North Carolina, decided to take her 9mm handgun outside her house and fire a round in the ground. She told police she "did not know why she fired the shot."

She was headed back inside, walking up the stairs, when she unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet hit her in the leg and caused her to fall off the steps.

Two kids inside the house ran out to help. One them picked up the gun and according to police "apparently didn't know any other way to unload it other than to fire three rounds into the ground."

Carter was taken to the hospital for treatment. She was also arrested and charged with discharging a firearm in city limits.

Newlywed killed when duck hunting buddy stumbles with gun

23-year-old Adam Poole, of Nevis, Minnesota was duck hunting with his friend in a 14-foot flat-bottom aluminum boat. According to reports:

"They both stood up in the boat in an effort to shoot a duck. The hunting partner lost his balance, and the shotgun he was carrying discharged. Poole was struck in the head and died from his injuries."

Poole died at the scene. Authorities are treating his death strictly as an accident and do not expect to file charges.

The education coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources warned "anytime you are on the water, it's going to be unstable. The main thing is to keep in mind is zones of fire because you are in a confined space."

Poole, an avid duck hunter, wore a hunting camouflage tuxedo vest when he got married last month.

Man target practicing inside his trailer unintentionally shoots neighbor

30-year-old Trent Kowalski, of Columbus, Nebraska, was target practicing inside his residence at Collegeview Trailer Park.

According to reports, Kowalski was shooting a .22-caliber rifle inside his home when a bullet exited the residence and struck 57-year-old Mark Foxvog in the leg.

Foxvog, who lives next door to Kowalski, was inside his home at the time of the shooting.  He was taken to the local hospital where he was treated and released.

Kowalski was arrested and charged with third-degree assault.

Man unintentionally shoots himself and his roommate with newly purchased gun

24-year-old Josheph Gunderson, of Colorado Springs, Colorado was at home around 6:30 Tuesday evening, examining a 9mm semi-automatic handgun he had just purchased.

According to reports, Gunderson unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting himself in the left palm.  The bullet continued on and then struck his roommate, who was standing nearby, in the right arm and left side.

Both men were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Gunderson has been charged with prohibited use of weapons.

Two guys sitting in a car looking at a handgun. One unintentionally shoots the other.

20-year-old Choncy Fields and 21-year-old Darius White were sitting in a car outside a home in Bossier City, Louisiana.

White was holding a semi-automatic handgun. According to reports, White took the magazine from the weapon and thought the gun was unloaded. However, there was still a round in the chamber and when White pulled the trigger the weapon fired.

The bullet hit Fields in the jaw. He was taken to the local hospital and then transferred to University Health Shreveport for treatment.

Bossier City police determined the shooting was accidental and warrants no criminal charges.

Man unintentionally shoots and kills girlfriend trying to adjust his gun while hugging her

24-year-old Amanda Mosley, of Phoenix, Arizona, was hugging her 18-year-old boyfriend. She complained because the handgun sticking in the waistband of his pants was uncomfortable to her. When he went to remove the handgun from his waistband he unintentionally discharged the weapon, shooting Amanda.

Amanda was taken to the hospital but died as a result of her injuries.

Police say the incident appears to be accidental but the case will be sent to the Maricopa Attorney's Office for review.

According to an article in the Phoenix New Times at least 10 other people in Arizona have been unintentionally shot and killed this year.

Man unintentionally shoots wife in both of her legs

47-year-old James Clark, of Bassett, Virginia was handling his .40 caliber Springfield semi-automatic handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.

The bullet struck his wife, Tammy, in the right leg, passed through the leg, entered her left leg and passed through that leg as well. She was taken to the local hospital and then transferred to Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

Clark was arrested and charged with one count of reckless handling of a firearm and one count of unlawfully discharging a firearm.

The local sheriff reminded people that "even people who have handled all their life can accidentally fire a gun." He added that even the most experienced professional can never use too much caution when handling a gun.

Teen thinks he is shooting snake, shoots friend instead

18-year-old Jared Hemphill, of Seminole County, Florida, was with his friends, 18-year-old Brandon Rape and 21-year-old Dustin Downer. They were driving in a pickup truck near Sanford when they pulled to the side of the road so Brandon could answer the call of nature.

The men saw a large snake in the road and Jared decided to shoot it, using a semi-automatic .22-caliber Remington Speedmaster rifle that belonged to Dustin.

When Jared heard a noise in the bushes he thought it was the snake so he fired the gun. The shot hit Brandon in the left thigh.

The trio drove to meet an ambulance and Brandon was taken to the hospital. Doctors decided to leave the bullet in his leg.

Brandon does not want to press charges so no one will be arrested.

Man killed by secondhand gunfire

28-year-old Jonathan Gardner, of Columbus, Ohio was killed when a bullet came through the wall of his apartment and shot him in the chest.

Gardner was taken to the hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Police determined that an individual in the neighboring apartment unintentionally discharged a handgun and the bullet went through a wall, striking Gardner. The person has not been charged yet, but the Franklin County prosecutor is looking into the case.

A neighbor told reporters the shooting has put life in perspective for him. "It's made me realize, you know, he was only 28, he still had a full life ahead of him. Imagine all the things he could have done during his life that got cut short, just because this guy decided he was going to be negligent with a gun. It's made me realize life's too short to throw things away."

Man thought he was shooting burglar, shoots wife instead

A Lawton, Oklahoma man saw a shadowy figure standing in his bedroom so he grabbed his 30 caliber rifle and fired. The intruder turned out to be his wife who was returning from going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

The woman was shot in the shoulder. She was taken to a nearby medical center for treatment.

The man told police that they had been dealing with burglars recently and he thought he was shooting an intruder. Police say it appears to be an accidental shooting.

It was the first time he ever handled a gun and he unintentionally shot & killed someone

21-year-old Benjamin Brown was visiting with friends in the basement of a home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Brown told police he found a handgun under the couch cushion he was sitting on and when he tried to set it on a table, he fumbled the weapon.

When he tried to catch the gun he unintentionally discharged the weapon. He then ran to his vehicle and hid the handgun underneath a seat.

The bullet struck 20-year-old Logan Treguier in the chest. Treguier died at the scene.

Brown told police he had never handled a gun before, that he had no firearm training and he had never shot a gun before the tragic shooting.

Brown was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Open carry rally rescheduled after local teen unintentionally shoots & kills himself

A local gun group, Arkansas Carry, had planned to march through downtown Jonesboro, Arkansas openly carrying their firearms in a demonstration of what they believe to be Arkansas gun laws. However, the group decided to reschedule their demonstration after a local teen unintentionally shot and killed himself outside of a downtown restaurant. "We did it out of respect for the family of this tragedy that happened," said the spokesperson for Arkansas Carry. "If it would have been gun violence, we wouldn't have stopped it, but it was an accident."

17-year-old Jonathon Bell, of Brookland, Arkansas, was with a youth ministry group from Walnut Street Baptist Church at the Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant on Stadium Boulevard. Bell joined two boys who were outside listening to music in a red truck in the parking lot. When Bell got in the truck he saw a handgun stuffed beside the driver's seat and grabbed it.

According to reports, Bell placed the gun underneath his chin and pulled the trigger, causing the gun to discharge. Bell died from his injuries about two hours later.

Police found three unfired bullets in the truck next to Bell and the youth also had a bullet in his right hand. When police looked at the gun the six-shot revolver had five empty chambers and one fired casing lined up in the firing position of the gun.

The .357 revolver belonged to the grandfather of one of the boys. Police have said the grandfather will not face charges for leaving a loaded, unlocked gun where a minor could access it. "We're not going to file anything," he said. "There's not any charges to pursue."

According to Bell's obituary he enjoyed for frog gigging, fishing, hunting and other outdoor sports and was also an avid pool player.

Man shot while driving on highway by stray bullet from teen's target practice

35-year-old Mark Vanderweide, of Olathe, Kansas was driving with his family along Interstate 35. According to reports Vanderweide said, "I had the wife and three kiddos in the back seat and heard an unsuspecting pop and then there was pain and blood."

The bullet that struck Vanderweide had pierced their 2007 Dodge Caravan as the family drove south on I-35 near the Edgerton Road exit.

The bullet hit Vanderweide in the right let. It hit a main artery and doctors had to take a vein from his left leg to repair the right. How much feeling he will regain is unknown. Vanderweide has months of recovery ahead.

The sheriff's department has determined that a teen target practicing is to blame for the shooting. Their investigation revealed the teen was shooting on a relative's property using a pond dam for a back-stop.

The case has been referred to the County Attorney's office for review.

Longwood University student showing off handgun unintentionally shoots another student

22-year-old Jacob Richardson, of Glen Allen, Virginia, is a junior majoring in criminology at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Richardson left his handgun at a friend's house because "his roommates were having a gathering at his place and he didn't want anything to happen to it."

When he went to get the handgun he decided to show it to his friend, 21-year-old Kathleen Battle. While he was unloading the gun he unintentionally discharged the weapon. Battle was shot in the leg. She was taken to the local hospital then transported to a larger medical center for treatment.

Battle is a majoring in kinesiology and is a member of the lacrosse team.

Richardson has been charged with reckless handling of a firearm.

Man trying to show wife that gun wasn't loaded unintentionally shoots her

37-year-old Matthew Coleman, of Windsor, Vermont, was hanging out with his friend, Brent Baker. Baker had brought his 9 mm handgun to show Coleman.

According to reports, Baker went to sleep in the living room and Coleman brought the gun into his bedroom for safekeeping because there were children in the house.

Coleman's wife, Dorthea, asked him if the gun was loaded. Coleman said it wasn't and in order to show her he racked the slide back while pulling the trigger. The gun discharged and the bullet hit Dorthea, going through-and-through both her legs right behind the knee.

Dorthea was taken to the hospital for treatment. Coleman was arrested and charged with simple assault with a deadly weapon.

3-year-old finds handgun, shoots 2-year-old

Tosha Beaver, of Clarendon County, South Carolina said her 2-year-old son "has come a long way" since being unintentionally shot by his 3-year-old relative.

According to reports, the two boys were visiting with their 23-year-old aunt. They were returning from a walk and ran in the house ahead of her. "Shortly after that, she heard a gunshot."

The report stated the aunt and her husband ran into the house and saw the 3-year-old with a handgun and the 2-year-old lying on the floor. The boy had been shot through both legs.

"He's recovering very fast," said the boy's father. Doctors hope he will be able to leave the hospital and go home in a few more days.

The aunt told deputies the gun is always kept in a cabinet and she did not know how the child managed to get the weapon.

Man killed when neighbor unintentionally discharges shotgun

38-year-old Rene O'Quin was in his bed in his Harvey, Louisiana apartment when his next door neighbor unintentionally discharged a shotgun.

According to police reports, O'Quinn's fiancee found him in a pool of blood, dead in his bed. At first police thought it was a self-inflicted wound but then they noticed a bullet hole in the wall near the bed.

O'Quinn's neighbor, 23-year-old Pierre Camese had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend. Fearing that this girlfriend's relatives would retaliate against him, Camese borrowed a 12-gauge shotgun from a friend and put it on his bed with the barrel pointed at the wall.

As Camese pulled up the covers on his bed, he unintentionally discharged the gun, firing a bullet that pierced the wall between his and O'Quinn's apartments. Camese told investigators he didn't know anyone had been shot.

Camese was arrested and charged with negligent homicide and domestic abuse battery.

Teen unintentionally shot and killed while playing prank on friend

18-year-old Premila Lal, of Longmont, Colorado was with her 12-year-old cousin when they decided to play a prank on her brother, Praveen, and her friend, 21-year-old Nerrek Galley. Premila and her cousin sneaked into the house where Galley was staying, hid in the closet and made noises to scare Galley and Premila's brother.

According to news reports, when they heard the noises Galley gave Praveen a handgun and he took another gun and the pair began to search the house. Premila jumped out of the closet startling Galley, who shot her.

Galley and others rushed Premila to the hospital. Galley carried her into the emergency room. Premila died a short time later.

Galley has been arrested and charged with child abuse, reckless endangerment and permitting a juvenile to have a fiream. None of these charges are directly related to the shooting. Police are still deciding whether or not to charge Galley in Premila's death.

In-laws unintentionally shoot each other in two separate incidents

One family in Chaska, Minnesota is having a rough week. First, a man who was negligently handling a handgun unintentionally shot his father-in-law in the foot.

A few days later, the man who was shot in the foot was also mishandling a handgun when he unintentionally shot himself in the hand. The bullet passed through his hand and struck his wife in the stomach. The family was playing Monopoly at the time.

The son-in-law, who had previously shot his father-in-law in the foot, drove his in-laws to the local hospital. They were transferred to a larger medical center for treatment.

Police say alcohol does not appear to have been involved in either incident.

Child pulls trigger on police officer's gun at reading event, shoots cop

A Lodi, California police SWAT officer was at a Reading Roundup children's community event showing tactical equipment to the children. A boy, about 6 to 8 years old, walked up behind the officer and was able to pull the trigger on the Glock 35 handgun that was holstered on his thigh.

The bullet struck the officer's leg. He was treated at the hospital for a minor injury and released.
According to police, that model Glock "doesn't have an external safety or anything like that. The gun functioned how it was supposed to. When the trigger was pulled, the gun went off."

Lodi police released a statement that read, in part, "this should have never happened, especially in an environment where children were present. We're fortunate this event didn't result in a tragedy."

Investigators want to talk with the boy about what happened so they can prevent incidents like this in the future.

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."

Father gives handgun to 13-year-old for protection, tragedy ensues

A Wickenburg, Arizona man needed to do some shopping so he left his 13-year-old son and his son's friend, 13-year-old Brady Baker home alone. Before the father left he gave his son a handgun so the boys would be able to protect themselves.
Around 7 p.m. police were called to the home to find the son had shot Brady in the head.
Brady was taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital in critical condition. Two days later he was removed from life support after a final brain scan showed no activity.
Brady's family believes the shooting was unintentional. "They're best friends," said Brady's sister. "I solely believe it was an accident."
Police are still investigating the incident.

Woman unintentionally shoots herself at gun range

A 32-year-old South Dakota woman was at the Garretson Sportsman's Club practicing moves she had learned in a self-defense shooting course.
According to witnesses, around 4:30 Sunday afternoon the woman was practicing a move that involves falling and firing while you are on your back. She was using a 9mm handgun, shooting while lying on her back, when her leg came up and she unintentionally shot herself in the ankle.
She was taken to the hospital in Sioux Falls for treatment. Police did not release her name or her condition.

Gun unintentionally discharged at gun show injures two

42-year-old Charles Pike was at the Lions Club Gun Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Arkansas. He picked up a revolver from a vendor's table and unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The bullet struck Pike in the left hand, then ricocheted off the floor and struck a 37-year-old man in the left side of the chest. Both men were taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
"For some reason we don't know, this particular weapon had a round in it and had an accidental discharge," said the gun show committee chairman.
Police are still investigating the incident.

Before he dies, man tells police shooting was unintentional

26-year-old John Fisk Jr., of Columbus, Ohio had been out drinking with two friends when the trio went to an apartment to look at some guns. At about 2:30 a.m. one of the men was looking at a M-1 Garand Rifle. He didn't know the gun was loaded and pulled the trigger.
The weapon discharged and John was shot in the upper arm. He was taken to the hospital but died of his injuries about three hours later. Before he died, John told the responding officers and medical personnel that the shooting was unintentional.
No charges have been filed and the case has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office for review.

Woman fearful of person beating on her front door tries to load shotgun, unintentionally shoots herself

26-year-old Christina Pennington, of Sunman, Indiana was home Tuesday night when someone started beating at her front door. She called 911, telling the dispatcher she was afraid because she didn't know who the person at the front door was.
While on the phone with the dispatcher Christina went and got a 12-gauge shotgun and loaded it. When she took the safety off, the shotgun discharged, shooting her in the lower section of both legs. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Police were not able to locate the person who had been at her front door. While police were still at the home investigating, Christina's father-in-law, Anthony Pennington, arrived. Police watched as Pennington nearly struck one of the patrol cars. Pennington was subsequently arrested for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated.


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Albuquerque police sergeant unintentionally shoots fellow officer

Albuquerque, New Mexico police Sgt. Darcy McDermeit and Officer Scott Maher were searching for a possible armed suspect when McDermeit unintentionally discharged her weapon, shooting Maher in the lower leg.
According to reports, the officers entered a building with their handguns in a "low-ready" position, which means officers have their guns drawn but pointed downward. Albuquerque duty weapons do not have safeties, they are only either drawn or holstered.
McDermeit bumped into a wall and unintentionally discharged her weapon.
Maher was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released. It isn't known when he will be cleared to return to work.
McDermeit has been reassigned within the department until the investigation is over.

Man using assault rifle as a crutch unintentionally discharges weapon kills 5-year-old girl

30-year-old Jon Andrew Meyer, Jr. was visiting friends in Grants Pass, Oregon. He told police that he was using his assault rifle as a crutch to help him get up from a couch when he unintentionally discharged the gun.
The gun burst went through the ceiling and hit 5-year-old Alysa Bobbitt and another woman who were in a room upstairs. They were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Alysa, who was shot in the head, died of her injuries. The woman, who was shot in the torso, is expected to recover.
Meyer was arrested and charged with manslaughter, assault and illegal possession of a machine gun. Police did not say if the assault rifle had been manufactured as fully automatic or if it had been modified later. However, Meyer's lawyer said Meyer had been assured the gun was not fully automatic when he bought it.
Reports indicate that at the time of the shooting Meyer was the subject of a restraining order that was taken out by his fiancee. In the petition she described him as an unpredictable drug addict who had threatened her with a gun. Reports do no indicate if the judge had barred Meyer from possessing guns as a result of the restraining order.

Man unintentionally shot and killed when bullet comes through wall into room

24-year-old Ryan Madson, of North Richland Hills, Texas, was visiting friends. While Ryan was in one room, his friend was in another room handling a shotgun. The friend unintentionally discharged the gun and the buckshot traveled through the room's sheetrock, hitting Ryan in the head.
Ryan was taken to the hospital where he died from his injuries.
The sheriff's office said they have taken statements from witnesses and don't expect to file any charges. "All witnesses were in agreement that the shooter and the victim were in separate rooms of the dwelling. We don't believe at this point there was any criminal intent."

4-year-old hit by stray bullet as she was sitting in her living room, watching television

4-year-old Zahara Walker was in the living room of her apartment in Columbia, South Carolina, watching television. Outside a gun battle was taking place.
A surveillance video shows a group of three men opening fire at people inside a silver Dodge Charger.
One of the bullets ripped through Zahara's front door and struck her in the lower back.
Zahara was taken to the hospital for treatment. The bullet damaged her liver and stomach. She is out of ICU and breathing on her on and is expected to recover.
Police have arrested 21-year-old Marchus Ganntt in connection with the shooting. A police spokesperson called the incident a "disgusting crime."
Zahara's mother told reporters, "I never would have suspected to have to tell someone my 4-year-old daughter got shot, because she was what, watching cartoons? She was at the wrong place at the wrong time? We were at home at the wrong time? You're supposed to feel safe at home."

Handgun unintentionally discharged. Bullet goes through one man's hand, into another man's neck, killing him.

43-year-old Billy Gay and 30-year-old Fodie Green, of Aransas Pass, Texas were at a friend's house, working together to fix a truck's brakes. They needed to life up the truck so Gay went to get a jack out of the trunk of his car. He removed the jack and also picked up a .410 handgun that he had stored there.
According to police, "while Gay was manipulating the firearm, it went off."
The bullet went through Gay's hand and into Green's neck. They were both taken to the hospital where Green was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to a friend, Gay and Green had known each other for more than a decade adding that Gay was "really tore up. Like I say they were really close, every where Billy went Fodie went."
The investigation is ongoing, no charges have been filed.