Teen unintentionally shoots himself with gun in his pocket

18-year-old Steven Franklin, of Covington, Kentucky, was carrying a loaded .22 caliber revolver in his pocket.  When he sat down the gun unintentionally discharged and shot Franklin in the leg.

Franklin was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Covington Police declared the incident an accident and no charges were filed.

Teen shot and killed taking photo of her friend holding a rifle

16-year-old Selena Lewis, of Maiden, North Carolina went with her friends to look at a Ruger .22-caliber rifle one of them was considering buying.

The rifle seller had left the gun in the back of a pick-up truck on his property so 21-year-old Christopher Webb could look at the gun. The seller wasn't home at the time.

Selena was taking a picture of Webb holding the gun when Webb unintentionally discharged the weapon. Selena was shot in the chest.

Selena was taken to a local hospital and died before she could be airlifted to a medical center in Charlotte.

Webb told police he didn't realize there was a magazine in the rifle.  The district attorney is reviewing the case. 

Girl shot in the neck by stray bullet while traveling in car on Interstate 55

An 11-year-old Kirksville, Missouri girl was traveling with her family on Interstate 55 when the driver's side window suddenly blew out. The incident occurred near the 2-mile marker in Missouri.

According to the Pemiscot County Sheriff, "the first thought was the heat caused it; however, the 11-year-old was in the back seat and began complaining of pain in her neck. It was determined she had been shot by a 9mm round."

The girl was airlifted to a hospital in Memphis, TN for treatment.

Deputies are investigating a person who was shooting his pistol in the area at the same time. If a shot missed the berm, it would be in line with I-55. Ballistic testing is being done on two pistols.

The girl was reportedly released from the hospital later that evening and the family continue on its vacation.

Father unintentionally shoots and kills his 14-year-old son

37-year-old Dennis Vanportfliet, of Aitkin, Minnesota was handling his .40 caliber Sig Sauer pistol when he unintentionally discharged the gun.

The bullet hit his 14-year-old son, Dawson, in the neck.   Dawson was airlifted to a medical center in Hennepin where he died of his wounds.

Dawson was in the 8th grade, was active in the Boy Scouts and involved in martial arts.

A community member who works with Vanportfliet at a local restaurant told the press, "I'm worried about Dawson's little sister. It's going to be tough for his parents for a very long time."

A fund has been set up to help the family, who has no health insurance, pay for the hospital bills.
 

Boy finds keys to his grandfather's gun safe, takes gun, unintentionally shoots and kills sleeping woman

A 12-year-old Kalamazoo, Michigan boy, who investigators said is "mentally impaired," found the keys to his grandfather's gun safe, unlocked the safe, removed and loaded a shotgun.

According to his grandfather the boy "got up before anybody this morning at 5:30 a.m. He said he was in my pocket trying to get change and he found the gun safe key. It's always locked up, and I always have the key on me."

The grandfather said that when the boy tried to unload the shotgun he unintentionally discharged the gun.  The pellets went through a nearby closet wall and struck a 28-year-old woman who was sleeping in the living room.

The grandfather said "we turned the light on and we could see all the blood. It was only minutes. She was still breathing, but by the time the police got here, she'd passed away."

The boy is staying with a family member.  The grandfather said his grandson is an apprentice hunter and has used guns before.  He said the boy "handled guns very safely and wouldn't touch a gun unless he was told it was okay to pick it up." He added that the boy "doesn't realize what he's done."

Man shoots himself in the groin during gun safety class

A 36-year-old Emmaus, Pennsylvania man was taking a gun safety class at the Bethlehem police gun range. The class was for people who wanted to obtain a concealed weapons permit.

According to police, "While reholstering his gun, the weapon apparently got caught on some fabric from his shirt and it accidentally discharged."

The bullet hit the man in the groin and grazed his thigh.  Police reported that the man suffered some blood loss but was in stable condition, conscious and alert when he was taken to the hospital.

Police declined to identify the man since he is not charged with a crime.

Man looking to buy handgun unintentionally shot

50-year-old Anthony Williamson, of Duluth, Georgia had arranged to buy a handgun from a private seller. Williamson and his friend, Jonathan Jordan, drove to the Academy Sports parking lot in Newnan to meet the seller.

While Jordan was examining the gun he unintentionally discharged the weapon.Williamson was shot in the abdomen. He was airlifted to Atlanta for treatment and was listed in stable condition after surgery.

The County Sheriff's Office said the shooting "appears to be not reckless - just an error in firearm safety."  No charges were filed.

The Sheriff's Office also noted that in Georgia, as in most states, it is legal to sell a handgun in a store parking lot with no background check run and no records kept.

Sheriff's deputy unintentionally shoots mother during wedding ceremony

Cory Golightly is a sheriff's deputy in the McCracken County Sheriff's Department in Kentucky. He was off-duty, attending a wedding with his mother at the Bardwell Baptist Church in Carlisle County when he dropped his gun.

According to witnesses, Golightly was adjusting his jacket and the gun and holster fell out. The gun discharged when it hit the floor. The bullet hit his mother.

Golightly's mother was taken to the hosptial and is said to be in stable condition.

The pianist at the wedding said Golightly was very composed throughout the incident.  "He said, 'Mom, breathe and be calm. Be calm," she said.

Golightly has been placed on paid leave while the incident is investigated.

Woman shot outside elementary school after man drops gun

A 20-year-old woman was standing outside of L. H. Williams elementary school in Macon, Georgia Monday night around 9:30 p.m. She told police she heard a popping noise and when she looked down at her hands, she noticed they were bleeding.

According to police an as yet unidentified male dropped a gun which then unintentionally discharged, shooting the woman.  The bullet grazed both her arms and she was taken to the local hospital for treatment.

Police are still investigating the incident.

Guns are the only consumer product manufactured in American not regulated by a federal agency for health and safety. Guns that discharge when dropped clearly have a design flaw yet the Consumer Product Safety Commission has no authority to issue a recall on any gun or demand they be redesigned.

Woman cleaning out her purse unintentionally shoots friend

30-year-old Jordan Lynch, of Macon, Georgia, was cleaning out her purse, getting ready to go out to dinner with her friend, 26-year-old Matthew Harvey.

According to a news release from the sheriff's office, "Lynch went to remove her handgun from the purse and accidentally shot Harvey in the right knee."

Harvey was taken to the hospital for treatment where he was listed in stable condition.

There is no indication that Lynch will be charged in the shooting.