Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
As a society, we spend substantial resources trying to prevent accidents caused by drunken drivers. Efforts include ubiquitous public service announcements, enhanced criminal and civil penalties, and legal remedies creating potential liability for those selling or otherwise providing alcohol to inebriated people. Many of these efforts are designed to deter drunken driving by the in …
Roommates Playing with Guns Result in One Man’s Death In a St. Petersburg, Florida home, Kevin Bishop, age 50, was accidentally shot and killed. Bishop and his roommate, 57-year-old William Tompkins, were drinking alcohol and looking over the guns that Bishop owned and both believed to be unloaded. The men were pointing the guns at …
Christmas Day Gun Accidents In Nashville, Tennessee, 81-year-old Johnnie Thompson was showing a friend how his Derringer pistol worked. He was fatally struck when he dropped the gun on the floor causing it to unintentionally discharge. Police don’t anticipate any charges being filed. Diego Diaz-Martinez, 31, was a guest at a Christmas family gathering in …
Gun Accidents Kill One and Injure Two Others, Including a 4-year-old Shot by Her Younger Brother A 4-year-old girl in Miami, Florida, was shot in the head by her 3-year-old brother. The girl was taken to the hospital where, according to a police spokesman, she is “fighting for her life.” Her mother’s boyfriend, Quavanta Ennels, …
One Dead, Four Wounded in Accidental Shootings A 5-year-old boy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shot himself in the hand while playing with a gun. Police said one parent was home during the incident, but did not say who owned the gun. There is an ongoing investigation, and so far no charges have been filed. Ari T. …
Three People Unintentionally Shot A 17-year-old girl was treated and released at the hospital after being shot in the foot by a 16-year-old boy in Watertown, South Dakota. The two were in an apartment where people were drinking alcohol, and when the group started handling a loaded pistol, the 16-year-old unintentionally shot the girl. He …
Two Gun Accidents Today Leave One Man Dead, and Two Soldiers Injured Police are not releasing the name or age of a man who was accidentally shot in the chest and killed in Yankton, South Dakota. Cody Auch, 20, has been charged with first-degree manslaughter. Police determined that the shooting took place in the victim’s …
Eight Unintentional Shootings Leave Two Dead and Six Wounded In Houston, Texas, an 18-year-old was shot and killed by a relative who was trying to take a gun away from him. According to police, the relative was upset the 18-year-old had brought a gun into the apartment, and during the struggle for it, unintentionally shot …
Teen Killed While Drinking and “Messing Around” with Gun In Rogersville, Missouri, a teenager was killed in a gun accident that occurred when he and two adults were drinking and playing with a pistol. The local sheriff says “three people, the teenage male, a man in his early 20s, and a woman in the similar …
In Indianapolis, Indiana, a man was cleaning a gun when it accidentally discharged striking a woman in the foot. A 9 mm round was found beneath a window next to a bed, according to the report. In Oak Hill, West Virginia, a man was playing with a gun when it discharged. He struck himself in …
In Niles Ohio, an 11-year old girl was accidentally shot at a house party. Local police say that underage drinking and negligence factored into the incident. Three people were arrested and charged in the shooting, including two juveniles. The victim was not drinking and “the negligence pertains to other juveniles present and the adult that …
We recently posted on the likely impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in New York Rifle and Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen on gun safety. In Bruen, the Supreme Court ruled that all “law-abiding” Americans have a Second Amendment right to carry a gun outside the home for self-defense. Several states quickly responded by considering or …
The Supreme Court ruled today, in New York Rifle and Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen, that all “law-abiding” Americans have a right to carry a gun outside the home for self-defense. This will have very serious implications and, as its most near-term consequence, will likely eliminate existing gun license procedures in at least five states. Perhaps …
Brandon Vanatter and Anthony Harris of Cincinnati, Ohio were drunk and playing with Harris’s gun in Harris’s apartment when it went off today, killing Harris. Vannatter has been arrested and charged with reckless homicide. “Anytime you have a firearm and you’re using alcohol, it’s reckless behavior, not accidental behavior,” the prosecutor said. Source: “Prosecutor: Mt. …
There were gun accidents across the country today resulting in at least six death or injuries: A person taking part in a gun training for Taylor, Michigan auxiliary police officers was shot in the abdomen and taken to the hospital. He was accidentally shot by another person participating in the training. “The volunteers with Taylor’s …
A Fremont, Ohio 22-year old was found dead from an accidental gunshot wound after police received an emergency call. They believe that alcohol played a role in the accident and are investigating. Source: “22-year-old Fremont Man Killed in Apparent Accidental Shooting,” 13 ABC Action News (March 18, 2022).
Blake Miller, age 18, was charged today in connection with a March 12 unintended gun violence incident that allegedly occurred while Miller was showing his family’s .22 caliber rifle to his friends. The boys had had a few beers at the time of the incident. According to the report, Miller, of Omaha, Nebraska, pointed the …
28-year old Matthew Stafford was socializing in a Las, Vegas, Nevada apartment when the handgun he was playing with fired. Another man, also in his 20’s was shot and killed. Stafford has been arrested on unspecified charges. In Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, Michael Jarrell was shot and killed by his brother Larry, who was playing with …
A 48-year old woman was shot while sleeping on a couch in a Nashville, Tennessee apartment near Music Row. Jonerica Johnson, age 28, had fired her gun in the air after being told to leave a bar across the street. Johnson was taken into custody and charged with reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, disorderly contact, public …
A Robstown, Texas man was charged with manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed 47-year old Patricia Blanco. The man, Arturo Gonzalez, age 50, admitted to officers that he was very drunk when his revolver “went off.” In Cumming, Georgia, a teenager was arrested on multiple charges after he shot another boy in the chest …
In Brackettville, Texas, a 19-year old Texas National Guard soldier died in a gun accident today. The soldier, Dajuan Lester Townes, was in a parked car with fellow guardsman when he handed his gun to a soldier sitting behind him. The gun went off, pierced the seat, and struck Townes in the back. Townes was …
An Ankeny, Iowa man was arrested after accidentally shooting his roommate in the face. The man’s roommate has been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. According to the report, the unidentified shooter was intoxicated and handling a .9mm pistol in a reckless manner when it went off. He was released on bond after being charged with reckless …
Garrick Baker,an intoxicated Westfield, Indiana man shot and killed his stepson, age 18, who was sleeping on a couch at the time of the incident. According to the report, the man was handling a gun in his living room while “presumed to be intoxicated.” It went off. Baker was arrested and charged with criminal recklessness. …
A 22-year old was killed and three children were seriously injured in gun accidents today. In Dunmore, Pennsylvania, 22-year old Tyler Sitar was accidentally shot in the stomach by his friend Luigi Lorusso, who was handling a gun. Sitar died of his wound and Lorusso was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Another Columbus, Ohio child, …
In Newton, Kansas, a 14-year old girl was shot and killed by a drunk 16-year old boy while hanging out with friends. The intoxicated boy apparently was waving a gun around and pointing it at members of the group when it went off and the girl was shot. The report does not provide information about …
In an accident that appears to have been related to use of alcohol, a Cedar Falls, Iowa man was found on the street with a gunshot wound to his leg. Police applied a tourniquet until medical help arrived. Two other men were arrested at the scene of the accident, one on weapons charges and the …
Two young people were accidentally shot and killed by friends today while playing with guns. 18-year old Armani Hall of Louisville, Kentucky was shot and killed by her 21-year old friend Adrianna King. King admitted that she had been playing with the gun. She was arrested and charged with one count of reckless homicide. In …
In Jackson, Mississippi, a 15 year-old girl was accidentally shot in the neck when she found a gun under a couch. She remains in the hospital in critical condition. According to a witness, when the girl found the gun, a 14-year old boy attempted to take it away from her and the gun went off. …
Lessons Learned: [note: hyperlinked material shows in dark blue] November 15, 2020 marked the one-year anniversary of Shattered: The Gun Accident Journal. There are now more than 366 daily reports in the archive, categorized by state and tagged for common safety issues. There are also five chronological narratives that illustrate the steady accumulation of family …
Additional Information About Unintentional Shootings Gun Violence Archive — Accidental Death Reports. Gun Violence Archive – Accidental Injury Reports. Violence Policy Center — Misfire: The Gun Industry’s Lack of Accountability for Defective Firearms (by the author of this journal). Giffords Law Center – Gun Violence Statistics. Harvard Injury Control Research Center – Research on Gun …
Police announced today that they are still considering filing charges against an unidentified 21-year old in White Township, Pennsylvania, who accidentally shot his four-month old son with a 9-mm handgun. The boy suffered significant injuries after being hit in the upper body, but is expected to survive. At the time of the shooting, the boy’s …
A man participating in target practice with family and friends was accidentally shot in the leg when another participant attempted to fix a malfunctioning weapon. The Free Soil Township, Michigan man, Jason Eric Schenkel, is expected to survive. According to the report, the gun owner was attempting to fix the malfunction on the hood of …