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.   

Woman Unintentionally Shot When Man Shows Off His Gun

28-year-old Lisha Xu was shot and seriously injured at a home in Forks Township, PA.

Police say a resident in the home was showing another man his handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.  The bullet struck Xu in her right side.  She was taken to the hospital where she is listened in serious condition. 

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 brings concealed gun to Easter Mass, unintentionally shoots himself

A man took a loaded handgun to Easter Mass at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The gun was not in a holster, but just in his pants' pocket. The safety was off and when he stood up near the end of the service the gun apparently caught on his pants and unintentionally discharged.

The bullet grazed his hand and he was taken to the local hospital for treatment.

"Many people understandably have questions about what would prompt an individual to carry a gun into the Cathedral," said Bishop Bartchak. "I would like to take this opportunity to state my firm belief that guns have no place in our Cathedral or any of the other parishes in our Diocese. Our churches must be an environment in which all feel safe to worship the Lord and celebrate our Catholic faith."

Police are still investigating the incident to decided if any charges should be filed.

School resource officer unintentionally discharges gun inside high school

School police officer Paul Semler unintentionally discharged his gun inside Western Wayne High School in South Canaan Township, Pennsylvania.

According to the school's superintendent, "At approximately 11 .am. our school police officer, while in his office, inadvertently discharged his firearm."

The superintendent would not say how the gun went off or what Semler was doing at the time.  A school staff member was in the office at the time the gun went off.  "Thankfully, no one was hurt," he said, "and there were no students in the office or in the near vicinity."

Semler is a retired state trooper and has been with the district for several years. He has been suspended without pay while investigators determine whether he should be charged with reckless endangerment.

2 injured when gun falls out of man's fanny pack in grocery store

58-year-old Gerry Good, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, was shopping at the Richland Township Giant Eagle. When he leaned over inside the store a gun fell out of a fanny pack he was wearing, hit the floor and discharged.

According to police, the gun "fell in such a way that the barrel hit the floor and somehow the gun went off." Pieces of the bullet and the ceramic tile from the floor hit two people shopping nearby. Both were grazed in the leg. The injuries were treated on the scene.

Good, who has a concealed weapons permit, was arrested and charged with two simple assault charges and two reckless assault charges.

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.

Trooper killed in unintentional shooting during training exercise

Pennsylvania state trooper 26-year-old David Kedra, of East Coventry Township, was taking part in a training exercise at a Plymouth Twp. firing range.  According to reports, Kedra was in a classroom for a demonstration of how to break down and clean a service weapon.  An experienced state police firearms instructor was handling a gun and unintentionally discharged the weapon.

The bullet struck Kedra in the chest. He was rushed to Temple University Hospital and died a short time later.

Kedra was raised in Philadelphia.  He graduated from Temple University in 2010 with a degree in Criminal Justice. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in June 2012 and was assigned to a station upon graduation in January of 2013. He had recently moved into a new house with his fiance in East Coventry Township.

Investigators have not released the identity of the instructor who shot Kedra.  The incident is being investigated by the state police and the district attorney's office.

Woman unintentionally shot at Pennsylvania gun show

Krysta Gearhart, of Orangeville, Pennsylvania was unintentionally shot at the Eagle Arms Guns Show at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds on Saturday.

According to police, a firearm vendor at the gun show, Geoffrey Hawk, was demonstrating how to use a concealed carry holster.  Instead of using a plastic model gun, Hawk was using a semi-automatic .380 handgun.  Hawk had removed the magazine but didn't realize there was a bullet still left in the chamber.

Hawk unintentionally discharged the gun.  The bullet struck Krysta in the leg. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Police have referred the case to the district attorney to determine if criminal charges should be filed.

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.

2-year-old unintentionally shoots and kills his 11-year-old sister

11-year-old Jamara Stevens, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her three siblings, a 14-year-old boy, 7-year-old girl and 2-year-old boy found an unlocked, loaded .357 caliber handgun on top of the refrigerator in their home.  The gun had been left there by their mother's boyfriend.

The children brought the gun upstairs.  At some point, the 2-year-old picked up the weapon, pointed it in Jamara's direction and pulled the trigger.  Jamara was shot in the chest, the bullet hit her heart.  She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Police determined the 2-year-old boy pulled the trigger because he had traces of gun powder and a burn from the blast on his arm.

Police say this is not the first time they have been called to Jamara's home and that her mother is not cooperating with the investigation.  Police are still investigating and no charges have been filed yet. 

State trooper unintentionally shoots and kills pregnant wife

Joseph Miller, a Pennsylvania state trooper, was taking apart his .45-caliber handgun for cleaning.  He did not realize the gun was loaded and he unintentionally discharged the weapon.  The bullet hit his wife, JoAnne, in the upper body. She was taken to the hospital where she died soon after she was admitted.

JoAnne was 22 weeks pregnant.  Doctors performed an emergency cesarean but the baby did not survive. "The baby never had its own breathing or heartbeat," said the coroner.

The couple's two young children were also in the home at the time of the shooting.  They were not harmed.

Police describe Miller as distraught, but cooperative.  The incident is still under investigation. 

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.

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.

Woman unintentionally shoots and kills husband during gun lesson

42-year-old Michele Wanko, of Parkside, Pennsylvania, and her husband, 43-year-old William, were at home "casually drinking" vodka and lemonade when they decided to go into the basement. William wanted to show his wife how to use a semiautomatic handgun. Michele wanted to be prepared in case someone tried to break in to their home.
According to police, William took several guns out of a gun safe and was demonstrating to his wife "how the weapon worked as far as taking the magazine out, making sure it was safe, and how to pull the slide back."
As William was reaching in the safe, Michele picked up another gun and pulled the slide back. "When she let go to the slide, the weapon went off," said the local police chief.
William was struck in the upper chest, just below the Adam's apple.
According to reports, he said "I can't believe you shot me", tried to go up the basement stairs but fell back down.
Police and emergency were called to the home shortly before 4 a.m. William was taken to the hospital where we was pronounced dead.
"Why, after six-and-a-half hours of drinking, would you go down and handle a gun, especially with someone who never shot a weapon before?" said the local police chief.
The couple have two small children, ages 5 and 2, who were asleep upstairs when the shooting occurred.
Michele was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime. She is currently out on bail.

Woman in her early 80s unintentionally shoots herself in the chest

Delores Smith, of Erie, Pennsylvania is in her early 80s. Wednesday she unintentionally shot herself in the chest with a handgun.
The elderly women lives alone and told police she was looking at her gun when she unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The incident happened around 3 p.m. Smith was unable to call for help and it wasn't until her daughter arrived in the early evening that she was taken to the hospital. Smith was conscious and talking when she was placed in the ambulance. Information about her condition has not been released.

Gun store owner unintentionally shoots himself

82-year-old Robert Buchanan owns Pioneer Gun Shop in Juniata, Pennsylvania. He was working on a rifle, which was not feeding rounds properly, when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.
The 7.62 by 39 mm round struck Buchanan in the torso. He was taken to the hospital where his injury required surgery.
Some people familiar with Buchanan were surprised to hear of the shooting because of his reputation for knowing guns and how they should be handled.
While Buchanan's condition hasn't been released, a sign on the door of Pioneer Gun Shop says that Buchanan will be okay and back at the store in the future.

Fort Carson soldier unintentionally shoots another soldier; PA police sergeant unintentionally shoots himself in the foot

21-year-old Zachary Clay and 18-year-old Reid Potwin, both soldiers stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado, and some other friends had finished target practicing at a home shooting range in eastern Colorado.
Clay was cleaning his gun, manipulating the slide of his .40 caliber handgun, when he unintentionally discharged the gun. Potwin was shot in the leg.
Potwin was flown to the hospital in Colorado Springs for treatment of a non life-threatening injury.
A 23-year veteran of the Upper Gwynedd Township Police in Pennsylvania unintentionally shot himself in the foot during a firearms training in Hatfield Township.
Sgt. Stephen Gillen was removing his handgun from his holster when he unintentionally discharged the gun, shooting a round into his left foot.
Gillen was conducting his annual firearms training and was under supervision of two certified range instructors.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

10-year-old shot by New Year's Eve celebratory gunfire dies

10-year-old Aaliyah Boyer, of Manheim, Pennsylvania was at her grandparents' home in Elk Neck on New Year's Eve. The family was standing in the yard watching the neighbor's fireworks displays when Aaliyah was stuck in the head by 'celebratory gunfire.'
Police are still looking for the person who fired the bullet. They believe the bullet could have been shot from a lengthy distance. Investigators have concluded the bullet was fired indiscriminately into the air and it plunged into Aaliyah's head after falling from the sky.
"This was just a family gathering," said Aaliyah's grandmother. "No one here was drinking or breaking the law. We were just celebrating New Year's Eve."
Aaliyah was taken to the hospital but was taken off life support a few days later. Her organs will be donated to others.
An autopsy will be performed and hopefully the bullet that struck and killed Aaliyah will be recovered.
Police are continuing a door-to-door search in the neighborhood looking for the person who fired the gunshot.

Man putting handgun under pillow for protection unintentionally shoots wife in the face

A 45-year-old Westtown, Pennsylvania man was preparing to go to bed. He was putting a .45 caliber Kimber semi-automatic handgun under his pillow when he unintentionally discharged the gun, shooting his wife in the face. (The couple is legally divorced but reconciled and moved back in together over a year ago.)
The woman was flown to a hospital in Philadelphia where she is listed in stable condition. She will undergo surgery to remove the bullet and repair facial damage.
The gun was legally owned by the husband. He was cooperative and provided a detailed statement to police. The case remains under investigation, but no charges have been filed.

7-year-old unintentionally shot and killed outside gun store

44-year-old Joseph Loughrey, of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania took two guns to a gun store in East Lackawannock Township to try and sell the guns. He had a scope rifle and a 9mm Taurus handgun but the shop owner was not interested in either gun.
So Loughrey went back to his truck with his 7-year-old son, Craig. He put the boy in a booster seat on the passenger side, and put the rifle in the truck. As he was getting in the truck he reached to put the handgun in the center storage console. That's when he unintentionally discharged the gun.
The bullet struck Craig in the chest. The boy died at the scene.
According to police, Loughrey was cooperative but distraught. He had taken the clip out of the gun and didn't realize there was a bullet still in the chamber.
Police are reviewing surveillance video from the shop. Loughrey could face charges, including manslaughter and negligence.
Loughrey is divorced from Craig's mother and had custody of the child over the weekend.