6-year-old shoots and kills grandfather with unattended assault rifle

Juan Martinez, Sr. was having a barbecue with his son and other family and friends at their home in Homestead, Florida. At some point, Martinez' son, 28-year-old Juan Jr., brought out his assault rifle to show his friend.

According to reports, while outside, Martinez, Jr. removed the magazine, looked inside, and reinserted it into the magazine well. His friend did not wish to touch the rifle, so Martinez handed the rifle to his father, Martinez, Sr. The father placed the gun on a table near the barbecue. The rifle was left unattended.

Martinez, Sr.'s 6-year-old grandson walked over to the table and pulled the trigger of the weapon. The gun fired, shooting Martinez, Sr. in the chest.

"I held him," said Martinez, Jr. "I watched him bleed out. He was breathing very heavy. Then, when the cops got here, they restrained me."

Martinez, Sr. was airlifted to the hospital but died of his injuries.

Martinez, Jr. was arrested and faces charges of culpable negligence of a firearm with easy access to a minor.

According to police, there were people drinking and doing drugs at the home. "Investigators informed us there was alcohol involved. Not only alcohol. We also had drugs. We had cocaine," said a Miami-Dade police detective.

Teen unintentionally shot and killed on father-son fishing trip

15-year-old Briar Newsome, of Carlton, Georgia was on a fishing trip with his father, Terry.  As Briar and his father were putting their boat in the river a rifle in the boat was unintentionally discharged, shooting Briar. Briar was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police, they had the rifle along in case they saw a wild hog. The police spokesperson added that the father was devastated and the incident is being treated as an accident.

According to Briar's obituary, he was in the ninth grade and "loved hunting and fishing with his dad as well as football and wrestling."

Man shoots gun on his front porch, wounds 8-year-old riding bicycle nearby

55-year-old Wayne Snowden, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, was standing on the front porch of his home, armed with a 9mm Glock handgun.  According to reports, shortly before 5 p.m., Snowden was speaking with two men near the door to the residence while holding a gun in his hand.  He allegedly raised the handgun and fired a single shot, striking an 8-year-old boy as he rode his bicycle.

The bullet hit the boy in the leg and went "through-and-through."  He was flown to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia for treatment.

"An eight-year-old boy out riding his bike with a buddy on a warm spring evening in Chester County should not have to worry that he is going to be shot," said the district attorney. "The defendant was extraordinarily reckless."

Snowden's brother reportedly told police that Snowden collects guns and shoots them in the basement of his home.

Snowden was arrested and faces two felony counts of aggravated assault along with several misdemeanor counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment.  He is scheduled to appear in court June 5th.

4-year-old boy finds gun parents bought for protection, shoots & kills himself

4-year-old Cash Irby, Jr., of Merrillville, Indiana climbed on shelves in a closet in his parent's bedroom in order to get to the top shelf and the loaded, unlocked handgun that was stored there.

Cash took the gun back to his room and unintentionally discharged the gun, shooting himself in the head.  He was rushed to the local hospital where he died of his injuries.

His parents and his 5-year-old sister and 2-year-old brother were all home at the time of the shooting.

A family relative told reporters that the parents bought the gun for protection.  She described Cash as an affectionate child. "He would just come and kiss his dad, like every 10 minutes. He and his sister would play all the time, so well together."

Police are investigating the incident. Indiana law states that "an adult who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly provides a firearm to a child for any purpose other than those specified commits “dangerous control of a firearm,” a Class C felony."

Alcohol a factor in unintentional death of 25-year-old

The sheriff's office has confirmed reports that alcohol was involved in the unintentional shooting death of 25-year-old Ivan Dolley of Harleton, Texas.

A group of friends were shooting at beer cans Sunday night when someone handed a shotgun barrel first to Ivan. The gun was unintentionally discharged and Ivan was shot in the abdomen. He was taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries.

A local gun shop worker said the incident highlights the issue of gun safety. He said guns are "like a snake and the muzzle is the head and the head will bite you."

The sheriff continues to investigate the incident.

23-year-old on his way home from work killed by stray bullet

23-year-old Jesus Villegas Mendoza, of Stockton, California, was on his way home from work at a Trader Joe's warehouse when he was shot by a stray bullet.  Witnesses reported hearing three or four gunshots, one which went through Jesus' windshield and struck him in the head as he was driving on Main Street.

Jesus was married with a 20-month-old daughter. He was also a minister at a church just a little more than a mile from the scene of the shooting.

"He was a good Christian guy," said his sister. "He didn't drink. He didn't smoke.  He was a good brother, a good husband, a good father and a good friend. I can't believe this happened to him."

Police are investigating the shooting and have released a video of suspects in the shooting.

3-year-old shoots himself with gun his mother bought for protection

3-year-old Kevin Donald, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was playing in his mother's car when he found a loaded, unlocked gun in the glove compartment.  He began playing with the gun and discharged the weapon, shooting himself in the head.  He was rushed to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. According to reports, doctors are waiting for the swelling of his head to go down before doing surgery.

Donald's mother said she kept the gun in the car for protection.  She didn't keep the gun in the house on purpose, thinking it was safer in the car.  "This is the ghetto," said Kevin's aunt. "Anywhere you go there's someone trying to take something from you."

Kevin's aunt speculates the boy thought the gun was a toy. "He was curious. He probably thought it was a toy.  It was a little gun.  It didn't have a safety."  She added that Kevin's mother is a responsible gun owner and says what happened is a tragedy and something that was unexpected. "She has her license [to carry a loaded gun in public]," the aunt said. "She didn't just buy the gun. It's not a new guns. This was never meant to happen."

Child unintentionally shoots police chief with his own gun

57-year-old Frank Nucera is the police chief in Bordentown, New Jersey. He has been with the police department for 32 years and has been the police chief for 7 years.  Nucera was in the Bordentown Township Municipal Building on Tuesday when a child, described as a preteen, somehow got hold of the chief's holstered service weapon.

The child discharged the weapon and Nucera was shot in the leg.  He was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to reports, the chief is also serving as town administrator in the small community.  He was inside the tax collector's office at the time.  The child's parent also had business in the tax office. 

It is unclear how the boy was able to get access to the gun.

Uncle showing off gun collection unintentionally shoots and kills 11-year-old nephew

11-year-old Hunter Pedersen, of Wayne County, New Jersey, was visiting his grandfather in Delaware Township.  Hunter asked his uncle, 34-year-old Chad Olm, if he could see his gun collection.  Olm lives in a room in the basement next to the laundry room.

Hunter, Olm and Olm's son, also 11, went into the basement where Olm keeps four guns in a gun safe. According to reports, Olm showed them his .357 Magnum handgun and let both boys handle the weapon and pull the trigger.  He also let both boys handle a .22 revolver and a 9 mm pistol.

The last gun he took out was a Glock 27, .40-caliber handgun with a laser sight. There was no magazine in the gun and Olm did not check to see if there was a bullet in the chamber. Olm pointed the laser on the ceiling, on the wall and then at his nephew. "Look, you have a red dot on your forehead," one of the boys said.

When Hunter reached for the gun, Olm pulled the trigger. Hunter was shot in the forehead and died at the scene.

Olm was arrested and charged with criminal homicide, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of children.

17-year-old dies in unintentional shooting

17-year-old Tony Lawson, of Tioga, Louisiana, was with some friends when they started fooling around with a gun. According to police, "the victim and some friends were mishandling a firearm that they presumed was unloaded, and it discharged, striking the victim once."

Sheriff's deputies performed CPR on Tony until he could be transported to the local hospital.  Tony was pronounced dead on arrival.

The shooting is under investigation and no charges have been filed.

Two teenagers playing with guns unintentionally shoot and kill woman

40-year-old Tina Castro, of Kansas City, Missouri, was seated in the front seat of a friend's car.  Two 16-year-old boys got into the back seat of the car.  One of the boys was a relative of Tina's. The boys started playing with guns in the car.

News reports do not indicate if the guns were already in the car or if the boys brought the guns into the car.  One of the boys unintentionally discharged one of the guns.  The bullet struck Tina in the back.

Her friend pulled her out of the car.  She died at the scene.

Police arrested the teens and charged them with involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.