14-year-old in critical condition after unintentionally shooting himself in neck

 A 14-year-old Ocala, Florida boy was visiting a friend when he found a loaded, unlocked gun in the parents' dresser drawer. The boy unintentionally discharged the gun, shooting himself in the neck. 

When police arrived they found the boy lying on the floor and two women attempting to resuscitate him. The officer took over the CPR and after a few minutes the boy began breathing again and was able to move his head.  

The teen was taken to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. 

The owner of the gun was at work when the shooting took place. Police are investigating the incident and note that under Florida law guns must be stored in a locked box or secured with a trigger lock to prevent a minor accessing the gun. 

Gun range employee unintentionally discharges firearm, shoots self and teenage customer

 A 50-year-old employee at a gun shop and shooting range in Waukegan, Illinois was sitting at a table just outside of the firing range inside the store when he unintentionally discharged his handgun. 

The bullet went through his thigh, ricocheted off the floor and struck a nearby teenager in the hand. The 19-year-old's injury required surgical care from a hand specialist and he will have a long road to recovery.

The teen has filed a lawsuit again the gun range seeking an unspecified judgment. The suit claims that the employee was violating company policy by handling a loaded firearm while not in the shooting area and also that the employee failed to properly secure the firearm. 

Gunfire erupts on street, stray bullet hits 2-year-old inside her apartment

 A fight involving several individuals broke out on Bluff Street in Marion, South Carolina around 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon. One man was shot and a stray bullet entered a nearby apartment striking a 2-year-old girl inside. Both victims were taken to the hospital. The girl had to be airlifted to a hospital in Charleston for treatment. 

Police did not have any information about the injuries but did say they had several leads on the shooter and their accomplices. The police added: This is enough. If you want to shoot at each other so be it, but when your poor decision-making almost takes the life of an innocent child then that is another level of evil.

80-year-old great-grandmother killed by stray bullet while leaving grandson's high school graduation

 An 80-year-old woman was shot and killed and two others wounded when an argument turned into a gunfight outside of a high school graduation ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The woman was struck by a stray bullet while walking to her family's car. 

Her daughter posted on Facebook: Today you took my world away from me and my family, all you had to do was walk away. It was graduation for my son, my mom was so happy to see her youngest grandchild graduate. You have ruined my son and families world, all you had to do was walk away. 

A New Orleans city council member commented: This lady went to a graduation; she didn't sign up to be executed. What was so devastating about the argument that you had to shoot out there? We live in a sick time where shooters and killers feel emboldened to do what they want, where they want, no matter if security or police are near. 

The woman killed was the mother of six, grandmother of 15, and great-grandmother of 12. Her daughter told reporters that her mother loved to garden and she pushed her kids and grandchildren to pursue education. She was thrilled to be attending her grandson's graduation. 

She added: My mother hated guns, she didn't want them anywhere around her, and to say that this happened in such a senseless way, that's the hardest part.

5-year-old unintentionally shot and killed by 9-year-old. Days later mother of the 5-year-old shot and killed outside local restaurant.

 A five-year-old South Bend, Indiana boy was shot and killed by his nine-year-old relative while visiting at the relative's house. The police said it was a "tragic accident"  but did not comment on how the 9-year-old got hold of the gun. (Note - this was not an accident, is was an unintentional discharged that could have been avoided.)

The boy's father told reporters, "We don't have guns in the house because that was one of my biggest fears.  Take the precautionary steps to have the guns."

The pastor who spoke at the boy's funeral told reporters, "I was compelled to say at the funeral that we never know the day nor the hour of our death. The family is mourning the death of a 5-year-old boy and is mourning for the 9-year-old relative who is suffering from the events. A gun may make a person feel powerful, but once you pull the trigger, you can't take it back. Individuals have to learn that with gun violence, nobody wins." 

Just a few days after the boy's funeral, his 32-year-old mother was shot and killed outside of a South Bend restaurant.  The mother got into an argument with a 26-year-old woman inside the restaurant. The younger woman took a handgun from her purse and followed the mother outside, firing multiple shots at her and others who were fleeing. The mother was rushed to the hospital where she died of her injuries. 

9-year-old hit by stray bullet while playing outside her home

 A 9-year-old girl was playing with friends on the sidewalk outside her home in Woodbridge, Virginia when she was struck by a stray bullet. The bullet was fired by a 15-year-old boy who was shooting at a car driving through the apartment complex. 

The shooting was captured on a neighbor's security camera. The video shows the children playing on the sidewalk when a silver car enters the parking lot, drives by and then stops, reverses and turns around, heading towards a groups of boys walking on the other side of the parking lot. One of the boy pulls out a gun and fires three times and the car drives off. The 9-year-old girl falls to the ground and starts screaming, "I can't feel my legs!" 

The girl was rushed to the hospital were she underwent multiple surgeries. She suffered from a partially collapsed lung and damaged liver. The bullet lodged in her spine. She was listed in critical condition. 

Police arrested a 15-year-old male who was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, attempted malicious wounding, shooting at an occupied vehicle and gun charges. Police did not identify the teen nor did they say where the 15-year-old got the gun.

Every illegal gun starts out as a legal gun. 

Arkansas teen unintentionally shoots man while target practicing

 Saline County, Arkansas, Sheriff reported that a 45-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl were target practicing with a 9mm handgun.  The girl was holding the gun when her grip started to slip. She grabbed the gun tighter and unintentionally discharged the weapon. 

The bullet went into the man's abdomen and exited out his back. He told the sheriff it felt like someone had tackled him. He also told the sheriff that he and the girl "were practicing gun safety."

13-year-old Shot and Killed While Playing with Gun

 A 13-year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan boy was shot and killed Saturday night around 10:30 p.m. He and his friend were playing with a 45-caliber handgun when the gun was discharged, striking the teen in the chest. 

The boy, also 13, who unintentionally discharged the weapon had taken the gun from his grandfather's bedroom. The grandfather told reporters that he stored the weapon in an unlocked dresser drawer. He expressed sympathies for the family of the teenager killed. 

The teenager who pulled the trigger was taken in to custody. The grandfather, who negligently left the gun unsecured thus allowing the boys to gain access, was not.  

Public Safety Training Instructor and Student Shot and Wounded At Gun Range

 An instructor at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) was shot and injured when another instructor unintentionally fired his handgun.  A student was also injured.

According to reports a 58-year-old instructor at GPSTC was drawing his firearm from his holster when he lost his grip, as he tried to regain his grip his finger got stuck in the trigger and he fired the gun. The bullet struck another instructor, William Skinner, 49, in the leg and a student, Andrew Jordan, 30, in the foot. Both men were taken to a hospital in Macon for treatment. Skinner was treated and released. Jordan's injury required surgery. 

The Georgia Public Safety Training Center is a "comprehensive training complex for all state and local public" officers. It is home to the Georgia Police Academy, the Basic Training Division and the Instructional Services Division. 

Woman laying in bed shot in head when bullet comes through row house wall

38-year-old Nelmarys Rivera-Alequin was laying in bed next to her husband in their row house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania when a bullet came through the wall.  Nelmarys was stuck in the head.  She was taken to the hospital where she remains in critical, but stable, condition. 

The bullet came from the house next door which shares a common wall.  The neighbor, 25-year-old Allante Floyd, told police that he was cleaning his "AK-47 style pistol" when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.  He added that he had been smoking marijuana before the incident.

The gun, a Century Arms Model PAP M92 pistol, is described as a "semi-auto action with a short barrel and no buttstock.  With it's shortened handguard it looks a bit like a baby AK."  It comes with a 30-round magazine.

At a press conference, the Lancaster police chief, noted that Floyd had been arrested.  He went on to say, "This is an absolute tragedy for Nelmarys' family, especially her husband and children.  This is also a life-changing tragedy for Mr. Floyd, who is understandably distraught over the incident."

"Accidents happen," he added. "Unfortunately, this one is a severe tragedy."

This was not an accident.  It was an unintentional discharge that could have been avoided.