Friday, September 30, 2011

Man cleaning gun almost shoots woman in neighboring apartment

A 23-year-old man was cleaning a 9mm handgun in his East Davis, California apartment when he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet exited his second-floor apartment and went through the window of a neighboring apartment, almost striking a 22-year-old woman who was working at her computer. The shooting happened around 10 p.m. and the man left his apartment without calling the police. Based on the trajectory of the bullet the police were able to determine where the bullet came from and finally contacted the man around 2 a.m.
The man admitted the shooting. Police say no criminal charges are pending because the man was in legal possession of the handgun.
Ohh shoot.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Man unintentionally shot trying to capture a hog for roasting

50-year-old Reginald Williams and his friend 30-year-old Jason Letort were at Williams' hog pen in Vancleave, Mississippi, rounding up a hog to roast. Letort shot the hog with a .22-caliber rifle, but he only injured the animal. The hog took off running and escaped out of the pen. The men followed, trying to trap the wounded hog. That's when the hog charged Letort. He fired another shot at the hog and the bullet ricocheted, hitting Williams in the chest. Williams was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover.
The Sheriff ruled the shooting an accident. When asked about the wounded animal he replied, "I have no idea what happened to the hog. That was not my concern."
Ohh shoot.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Teenager examining AR-15 assault rifle unintentionally shot in neck

A 14-year-old boy from Shannon, Alabama was at his friend's house when his friend brought out an AR-15 assault rifle. The gun belonged to the friend's deceased grandparents and his sister had brought it home while cleaning out the grandparents' house. The friend removed the gun's magazine and the two boys were looking at the gun when the friend accidentally dropped it. Both boys tried to catch the falling gun and in the process unintentionally discharged the weapon. The 14-year-old boy was shot in the neck. He was taken to a hospital in Birmingham and is expected to survive his injury.
Police consider the shooing accidental and no charges will be filed. Alabama has no law concerning the minimum age to possess an assault rifle.
Ohh shoot.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Man charged in unintentional shooting death of 4-year-old girl

4-year-old Katterine Palma and her brother and sister were dropped off at an aunt's house in Charlotte, North Carolina Saturday morning. Katterine was in a bedroom with her 11-year-old brother and her 3-year-old cousin when they found a loaded, unlocked handgun that belonged to the aunt's boyfriend, 37-year-old Erin Melendez. Police are still investigating what exactly happened but what is known is that one of the children unintentionally discharged the handgun, shooting Katterine. The child was rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Melendez has been charged with storing a gun in a manner accessible to a minor. Melendez told news reporters that he bought the .38-caliber handgun about six months ago for protection after he was the victim of an armed robbery. He said he kept the gun loaded and unlocked but hidden in various parts of the apartment. Sometimes under a mattress, sometimes in a desk drawer. North Carolina law requires that guns be stored in a way that cannot be accessed by a child living in the home. Violation of the law is a Class 1 misdemeanor offense.
In the past year at least four children in the Carolinas have been seriously injured or killed in unintentional shootings. In August, the 4-year-old son of a South Carolina sheriff's deputy was seriously injured when he shot himself with his father's gun. In February, a 10-year-old boy unintentionally shot and killed his 11-year-old sister in their Anson County home. Last year, a 5-year-old boy shot himself in the face when he found a loaded, unlocked gun while visiting friends. The owner of that gun was not charged because no children lived in the home and North Carolina law only applies to homes with children.
Ohh shoot.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

77-year-old man unintentionally shoots himself while cleaning out closet in his house

A 77-year-old Toms River, New Jersey man was cleaning out a closet in his home with his wife when he came across a loaded, unlocked .357 semi-automatic handgun that he had stored in the closet. He was in the process of checking the weapon when he ran into difficultly with the gun's slide. While trying to fix the problem he unintentionally discharged the firearm, shooting himself in the stomach.
He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment. His condition has not been released. Police say no charges have been filed because the man was in legal possession of the gun and the shooting was accidental.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Woman shot when her gun fell from her holster while pumping gas

A 61-year-old woman from Ashland County, Ohio was getting gas at a station in Ontario, Ohio. While she was pumping the gas her gun fell from its holster and discharged when it hit the ground. She was shot in the leg.
The woman has a concealed weapons permit for the gun and was able to walk into the gas station store and ask for help. She was taken to the hospital. Her condition has not been released.
Ohh shoot.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Father cleaning handgun unintentionally shoots and kills 14-year-old son

14-year-old Bryan Duda, of Somerset, Pennsylvania, was at home, his father was in the other room cleaning his handgun when he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet traveled across the open floor plan of the house and struck Bryan in the chest, killing him.
Family friends told reporters that the father had bought the gun for his job as a security guard at a mine, but had been laid off and wanted to sell the gun, so he decided to clean it. "He just got the gun in case anybody would try to harm him any way, and that way he had something to protect himself with, because we're out there in the middle of nowhere," said a family friend.
Bryan was a freshman at Somerset Area High School and was described as "very fun-loving" and "an easy-going kid." Funeral services will be held Monday.

Friday, September 16, 2011

17-month-old loses eye when hit by stray bullet

17-month-old Samyah Bailey was sitting in her stroller Wednesday afternoon outside of her Staten Island, New York apartment went a fight erupted close by. The fight involved Samyah's uncle, father and two others. At some point Damark King pulled out a 9mm handgun and fired four shots. All of the shots missed their target, but one of the bullets hit Samyah in the head. The little girl is now recovering from brain surgery, plastic surgery and eye surgery. She is in stable condition but lost her left eye.
King, 19, has been arrested on charges of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and weapons possession. He is on parole for a robbery he committed in 2007 when he was 15. Daryl McCullough, who was also involved in the fight and who is on probation for assault, was not charged with a crime. But both Samyah's father and uncle, both of whom have records, were arrested at the scene. The uncle was charged with a parole violation and the father was arrested on a warrant for assault.
Ohh shoot.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Prison guard hit by stray bullet from nearby shooting range

A prison guard at the state prison in Otay Mesa, California was struck in the back of the head by a stray bullet as he was standing inside the prison grounds, near the perimeter fence. The bullet grazed his head and knocked him to the ground. At first he thought someone had hit him with a rock but an investigation determined that a bullet had come from the nearby firing range where a local law enforcement agency was training. The outdoor range is located about 300 yards from the main prison compound.
The guard was treated at the local hospital for a graze wound and sent home to recuperate.
Initially, investigators thought the bullet was a ricochet from the firing range, but they are also exploring the possibility that it was a misfire from a semi-automatic handgun, with the bullet taking an upward trajectory and then falling into the prison compound.
Ohh shoot.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Man sentenced in unintentional shooting death of 3-year-old

In November of 2009, Joseph Novak was target shooting next to his home in Owensville, Missouri. He was shooting a 9mm handgun. One of the bullets missed the target and traveled more than 350 yards across a field and struck 3-year-old Allison Schneider in the head. Allison was walking on her property with two other children when she was shot. She was flown to a hospital in St. Louis where x-rays revealed that the bullet was still lodged in her head. Allison died later that day.
In May of this year, Novak was found guilty of second degree manslaughter. He was sentenced this week and given a three-year suspended sentenced and placed on five years probation.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Unsecured gun in car discharges, shoots passenger

25-year-old Marcus Price of Chattanooga, Tennessee was riding in his girlfriend's Chevy HHR when an unsecured, loaded gun in the rear compartment of the car discharged. Marcus was sitting in the front passenger seat and was shot in the lower back. The bullet went through the middle passenger seat and into the front passenger seat before hitting Marcus.
Marcus' infant daughter was sitting in the back seat of the car but was unharmed. His girlfriend drove him to the hospital. Marcus is recovering from surgery.
Ohh shoot.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Long recovery for deputy injured in unintentional shooting

On December 26, 2009, 46-year-old Todd Casey of Marietta, Georgia went to the shooting range to practice for a qualification test for his job as a Cobb County deputy. He returned home and was cleaning his police-issued Glock handgun when he unintentionally discharged the gun. The bullet struck the back of his knee, ripped through the main artery and exited out of the back of his left leg. Doctors were forced to amputate Todd's leg below the knee two days later.

Todd also suffered a brain injury that caused some memory loss and spent weeks in a drug-induced coma. He was in the hospital for three months. He has been on disability since the accident and has only recently been cleared to drive a car. Financial difficulties have forced him to move in with his brother and sister-in-law. He is hoping to find an apartment or someone who is looking for a roommate somewhere in Marietta so he can attend his bi-weekly doctor's appointment in town.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Man moving gun unintentionally shoots and kills fiance

18-year-old Mandi Viator of New Iberia, Louisiana was shot and killed when her fiance unintentionally discharged a gun. The couple was living in a camper at a KOC campground. Mandi's finance was moving a gun when he unintentionally discharged it. The bullet went through a wall, a dresser, and a shower curtain before striking Mandi. Paramedics were quick to arrive on the scene but were unable to revive Mandi. The Sheriff's department has classified this as an accidental shooting but says the D.A. will be reviewing the case to see if any charges for negligence or illegal use of a firearm are warranted.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Man leaves gun on bathroom floor, toddler finds it

34-year-old Ron Allen of Savannah, Georgia took a loaded handgun from the waistband of his pants when he used the bathroom at his girlfriend's house. He placed the gun on the floor and left the weapon there when he left the room. A short time later, his girlfriend's 2-year-old son went to wash his hands. He found the handgun and unintentionally shot himself in the head. The boy remains in critical condition at a Savannah hospital.

Allen has been charged with second degree cruelty to a child and reckless conduct. He has been denied bond. His lawyer argued that Allen was employed as a longshoreman and was not a flight risk. "This is an unfortunate accident situation that occurred here," he said.

Ohh shoot.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

75-year-old man concerned about strangers in backyard unintentionally shoots himself after getting his gun

A 75-year-old Brookfield, Wisconsin man was concerned when he saw two strangers in his backyard at 7 o'clock in the morning. So he went and got his handgun. According to police the man "was carrying around the handgun and it accidentally went off and he shot himself in the leg." The man lives alone and was not able to call for help so he lay on the floor until 1:30 in the afternoon when he was found by a meal delivery service. He had lost a large amount of blood and was taken to the local hospital. He is expected to survive. Police had no information about trespassers or attempted burglaries in the area.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Woman unintentionally discharges handgun outside Safeway supermarket

A 39-year-old woman unintentionally discharged a handgun outside of a Safeway supermarket in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The .38-caliber handgun inside her backpack discharged when she adjusted her backpack. According to police the gun was not secured in a holster. The bullet struck a column in the front of the store and no one was hurt. The woman was charged with suspicion of criminal damage and disorderly conduct with a weapon.
Arizona does not require any sort of permit or safety training before an individual can carry a loaded, hidden gun in public.
Ohh shoot.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Man lies to police about unintentional shooting, says burglar shot him

A Brandon, Mississippi man, identified only as Damien, was cleaning his .223 rifle when he unintentionally discharged the firearm, wounding himself in the shoulder. He ran outside and started shouting, "I've been shot." When police arrived he told them a burglar who was breaking into his home shot him.
"Supposedly, a guy busted in Damien's house with a black mask because Damien was selling some guns on Craigslist," said a neighbor. "The guy just busted the door, shot him and then ran off." The neighbor added, "I got my gun out, and it's sitting by the door - just in case something else happens, if they come looking for Damien again."
But after police transported Damien to the local hospital and began investigating the incident they quickly determined that things didn't add up. After more questioning, Damien admitted that it was an accidental shooting and that he shot himself. The injuries are not considered life-threatening and Damien might face charges of falsifying a report.
Ohh shoot.