Man trying to show wife that gun wasn't loaded unintentionally shoots her

37-year-old Matthew Coleman, of Windsor, Vermont, was hanging out with his friend, Brent Baker. Baker had brought his 9 mm handgun to show Coleman.

According to reports, Baker went to sleep in the living room and Coleman brought the gun into his bedroom for safekeeping because there were children in the house.

Coleman's wife, Dorthea, asked him if the gun was loaded. Coleman said it wasn't and in order to show her he racked the slide back while pulling the trigger. The gun discharged and the bullet hit Dorthea, going through-and-through both her legs right behind the knee.

Dorthea was taken to the hospital for treatment. Coleman was arrested and charged with simple assault with a deadly weapon.

Two killed in separate unintentional shootings in Vermont

Unintentional gunfire took the lives of two Vermonters this past weekend.
34-year-old Louis Miller, of Richford, Vermont, was killed when a handgun he was holding unintentionally discharged. According to police, Miller wasn't drunk but had been drinking and made a bad decision as he played with his gun. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
17-year-old Jacob Lehouillier, of Johnson, Vermont, was unintentionally shot and killed by his younger brother who was trying to clean a shotgun.
A Vermont State Trooper said that having a conversation with your kids about gun safey is imperative. "You wouldn't give your kids a car and say here you go, why would you do that with a gun?" he said.
He went on to add that guns need to be properly stored. "You can put trigger locks on them, store them in a gun safe that's locked, keep the ammunition separate from the gun and don't leave the keys accessible."

For the second time in two years a house on Vermont road is hit by stray bullet.

Two years ago, then 75-year-old Peter Damone was standing on his back porch in Bridport, Vermont when he was hit by a bullet. The .45-caliber bullet was traced to a man half a mile away who was target practicing in his backyard. Damone just barely survived the incident. The bullet severed an artery leading to his tongue and lodged in his neck.
Last week, Damone's neighbor, Rick Scott, found a new bullet lodged in the second-floor office on his home. Scott told police he suspects the bullet came from a coyote hunter who was seen on the road shooting in the direction of his house.
"I am a member of the NRA, a supporter of the Second Amendment and I own and shoot guns," said Scott. "Incidents like this and the tragedy that befell my neighbor Peter not that long ago, cause me to reconsider my position. People that won't refrain from reckless behavior should not be allowed to possess lethal weapons."
Police are still trying to locate the hunter.

Man unintentionally shoots and kills friend while hunting, then takes his own life

Friends Benjamin Birch, 39, and Timothy Bolognani, 49, of Readsboro, Vermont were deer hunting with another friend on Saturday. They were chasing a deer that Birch had shot. Bolognani fired again at the deer when he heard Birch shout out. He came across his friend, dead on the ground. According to police, "a distraught Bolognani used his rifle to take his own life."
Birch's mother told reporters that the two were "best friends and professional hunters." She also said she is satisfied that her son's shooting was accidental.
Police continue to investigate and an autopsy will be performed this week but police say foul play is not suspected.

Man target practicing in backyard shoots neighbor. Charges to be filed.

Last August, 76-year-old Peter Damone of Bridport, Vermont was standing on his back porch, grilling and talking on his cell phone when he suddenly felt a burning sensation, then a kick to his jaw that sent him sprawling. Peter had been hit by a round fired from a .45-caliber pistol. 36-year-old Tracy Stone was target practicing in his backyard and a bullet had traveled almost half a mile, striking Peter in the face.
Peter was lucky to have survived the incident. The bullet severed an artery leading to his tongue and lodged in his neck. He was in a coma for six days and has undergone numerous operations to piece his jaw back together. He has been fitted with a metal brace on his face to hold the bone fragments in place and is unable to chew solid food. His diet has consisted of soups and solids that have been minced or put through a blender.
The shooting has also taken a financial tool on Peter and his wife.  The couple is retired, living on Social Security and a small annuity.  Peter has been unable to continue with his occasional barn restoration projects.  He has had extensive medical bills, including the cost of replacing his upper teeth.  He has no dental coverage.
This week the Addison County state's attorney directed the state police to process Stone on charges of reckless endangerment and simple assault. Stone is scheduled to appear in court April 11.
Ohh shoot.

Thinking shotgun was toy air gun man unintentionally kills friend in Thanksgiving prank

23-year-old Nicholas Bell of Manchester, Vermont went to wake up his 24-year-old friend Jeffrey Charbonneau Thanksgiving morning. The two were guests at a friend's house and Nicholas planned to play a prank on Jeffrey. He grabbed what he thought was a toy air gun, pointed it at Jeffrey and pulled the trigger. Tragically, Nicholas was holding a .22 caliber rifle, not a toy gun. Jeffrey died at the scene.
A local licensed firearms retailer said it can be very easy to confuse the toy air gun with the .22-caliber rifle because they are similar in weight and size.
"You could have the two side by side and somebody that didn't know about guns wouldn't be able to tell the two apart," he said.
Ohh shoot.

14-year-old boy checking to see if gun was unloaded.......

A 14-year-old Vermont boy was checking to make sure a shotgun wasn't loaded when the gun discharged. A 10-year-old boy lying in bed nearby was shot in the hand and face. The boy was taken to a Burlington hospital where he is in stable condition.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
Ohh shoot.