Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
In Anchor Point, Alaska, Kenneth Defrancesco, 80, appeared to have been killed while getting out of his vehicle. “[A] firearm he was carrying came out of the holster and fired a round, fatally wounding him,” Alaska State Troopers reported in a press release on Sunday. A friend found Defrancesco in his driveway after he had …
No charges were filed today after a West Palm Beach man claiming to have “dry-fired” a gun believing it was unloaded, shot and killed his good friend. The 25-year old victim managed to get outside before dying on the stairs. Witnesses told police that a group of six friends were gathered in an apartment when …
Terry Moody, Jr. of Charleston, West Virginia died today when a gun fired while in his pants pocket. Police called the shooting accidental. Additional circumstances of the accident have not been reported and it is unclear if the gun was defective. Source: Amanda Barren, “Victim in Sissonville Fatal Shooting Identified,” wowktv.com (August 28, 2022).
At a park in Houston, Texas today, a two-year old boy was able to get hold of a gun and use it to shoot himself in the hand. Police said there were several men sitting at a table in the park. “At some point, one of the men pulled out the gun and placed it …
A St. Petersburg, Florida 15-year old accidentally shot and killed himself today while handling a pistol. Officials said this is at least the third accidental shooting involving a Tampa Bay area child since the middle of July. Last month, a 16-year-old was killed when investigators said he was accidentally shot by a 15-year-old friend while they …
A teenage boy in Meriden, Connecticut was accidentally shot by his father while being shown how to use a handgun today. The boy’s father was showing him the weapon while trying to get his son acclimated with firearms. “The teen was going to start firearm training at a local gun range soon,” according to authorities. …
“A person” in Hertford, North Carolina was killed in an accidental shooting today. The Sheriff’s Office found that an accidental discharge of a weapon resulted in the death of the victim. According to another report, the “person” involved was an 18-year who died from a single accidental blast of a shotgun. Sources: Alton Worley, II, …
18-year old Tavbey Kucukkarca died of his wounds after being shot by a 15-year old friend in a rural area of Texas. The two were firing guns together when the accident occurred. Tavbey died at the scene despite dispatch of EMS helicopters. Source: Jana Kilcrease, “One Central Texas Teen Dead in ‘Accidental’ Shooting,” Killeen Daily …
There were at least five gun accidents involving children across the United States today, four of them fatal. In Forestdale, Alabama, a 12-year old accidentally shot and killed his mother. The child initially made up an implausible story but then admitted his role in the shooting. “This offense is a tragedy for the … family …
In Georgetown, South Carolina, an 18-year old boy attempting to defend himself in the dark against a neighbor’s dog pulled a gun and fired at least four shots at the dog. One of the shots struck his 15-year old friend, who had fallen down, in the leg. The boy was treated at the hospital. The dog was …
A 13-year-old boy was shot after he and at least three other people tried to break into a parked car in Chicago Illinois. The car’s owner, a woman with a concealed carry license, confronted the boys and shot the 13-year old boy in the neck. He is in fair condition at the hospital. Source: “16-year-old …
In an episode apparently involving celebratory gunfire during fireworks, an 18-year old was struck by a falling round in a Seattle, Washington park. The teen’s injuries were not considered life-threatening. A Brownsville, Texas police officer shot himself in the foot during a “SWAT competition”. The competition involved a hostage rescue, sniper spotter and a team …
In Niles, Michigan, Brittany Young, age 35, died today when a gun she was bringing into a local home accidentally fired. No other details have been reported. And in Ovett, Mississippi, Adam Doggett, age 41, is in intensive care after a friend accidentally discharged a 9 mm gun in his backyard. According to the report, …
In St. Petersburg, Florida, nine-year old Julian Ali died today in what police are calling an accidental shooting without providing details about the nature of the incident. Julian was home with an adult and three other children at the time of the incident. According to the report, police are working to determine who owned the …
In North Charleston, South Carolina today, Micah Simmons, a 13-year old, was fatally shot when another child tried to grab a loaded gun from him. Micah died at the hospital. Police say that no charges are likely to be filed and there is no reporting on why Micah had the gun in the first instance. …
A Kouts, Indiana two-year old died today after finding a loaded gun at home and shooting himself. The boy, Wyatt Luczak, died at the hospital. After a month-long investigation, no charges were filed. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” the prosecutor said. In Baldwin, County, Alabama, a four-year old faces surgery after he …
In Union County, Tennessee, a “small child” found a handgun in their parent’s car and used it to shoot one of their parents. The injured parent was taken to the hospital for treatment. No other details were reported. Source: “Union Co. Deputies: Parent Hospitalized After Small Child Accidentally Shot Them,” wbir.com (July 16, 2022).
In Madison, Tennessee, a man accidentally shot his brother in the face while cleaning his gun. The injured man is in critical condition at the hospital. No charges are expected. There is no report on whether the gun involved in the incident had a loaded chamber indicator, a magazine safety disconnect, or was a Glock, …
In Guthrie, Oklahoma, a ten year old found a gun in his home. He shot and killed his 12-year old brother. The boy died at the hospital. There is no report that anyone has been charged in connection with the incident. In New Orleans, Louisiana, 18-year old Zyaire Cornelius was arrested after his two-year old …
At least five children were shot and injured today in various circumstances, continuing to illustrate just how dangerous guns are around American children. Also today, four teenagers were killed in apparently intended gun violence incidents. Without taking away from the horrific nature of intended gun violence across the United States, the focus here remains on …
In Wynne, Arkansas, a 10-year old was shot by his 13-year old brother in their home with an unsecured gun. The younger boy was found “bleeding profusely” from a chest wound and was taken the Memphis for treatment. Local police said the shooting appeared to be a “heartbreaking accident.” The police chief added, “[i]f your …
At the state police academy in New Braintree, Massachusetts, a state police trainee shot himself in the leg during a training. The gun discharged while the trainee was holstering it. The injury is not considered life-threatening. In Molino, Florida, a 17-year old with a gun at a party shot himself in the leg while attempting …
In yet another incident that appears to have been caused by celebratory gunfire, an Akron, Ohio mother, Chelsey Jones, died today after being struck by a round that was fired from across a lake. The bullet apparently traveled more than a thousand feet and through a window before it struck Jones, where she was sitting …
At least nine people appear to have been struck by random rounds that were fired in celebration of the Fourth of July. The consequences of celebratory gunfire continue to be felt most keenly by people other than those whose idea of a celebration is to use their guns in an unsafe way. In Chicago, Illinois, …
In St. Louis, Missouri, a 4-year old found a loaded gun and died after accidentally shooting himself today. Minimal details were reported and there is no word about charges. In Dekalb, Illinois, three men were arrested after they failed to take proper safety precautions while engaging in target practice. One of their rounds passed into …
In Campbell County, Wyoming, a three-year old found a loaded gun “lying around” in a bedroom and accidentally shot himself in the stomach. The boy was taken by air ambulance to a hospital in Casper and is expected to survive. Wyoming has no safe storage or child access prevention law and no arrests were made. …
Eleven-year old Jakari Griffin of Louisville, Kentucky was shot and killed while at home with relatives today. So far, police have declined to describe the specific circumstances of the incident but have issued this statement: “[a]fter conducting all interviews, we believe, at this time, this incident was accidental. We will continue to follow-up to ensure …
In Denver, Colorado, a 38-year old man unintentionally discharged a gun which fired and injured his 8-year old son in the next room. The boy is at the hospital, but is expected to survive. There is no report of an arrest at this time. In Houston, Texas, a woman accidentally shot and killed her partner …
Anthony James Madrid, a four-year old Beaumont, Texas boy, found a loaded gun and accidentally shot and killed himself in his home. Several adults and other children were at home at the time of the incident. Police are investigating, but have not yet made an arrest. Local child protection authorities are also involved. “The detectives …
Austin Duhon, a Lubbock, Texas teenager was showing his friend, Christopher Stringer, a shotgun while they were watching television together. Duhon believed the gun was unloaded. Somehow the gun went off and Stringer was shot in the waist. At the time of the report, there was no update on Stringer’s condition. Source: James Clark, “Friday …
In Bountiful, Utah, a police officer accidentally shot himself in the leg during gun training. Police are reviewing their safety protocols for training. And in Lake City, Florida, a maintenance man went to the wrong apartment to fix the lock. He was shot four times from inside the apartment. Police found seven bullet holes in …
Calvin Washington, a Bessemer, Alabama man, aged 30, told police that he had been shot in the leg by an unknown assailant. However, upon investigation, it turned out that he had accidentally shot himself with a stolen gun. The man was arrested and charged with illegal gun possession and giving false information to police. And …
As gun violence continues to plague Cleveland, Ohio, 87-year old Frances Black was shot in the head and killed by her 54-year old daughter in a shooting that appears to have been accidental. Few details have been reported, but police interviewed Ms. Black’s daughter without arresting her. They appear to be treating the shooting as …
In Huntington, West Virginia, Sheila Eanes, age 63, was shot and killed inside her home by a neighbor who fired several rounds at a vehicle passing by in the street. One of the rounds passed into Eanes’ home and struck her in the head. The shooter, Calvin Young, age 34, was arrested and charged with …
Two 12-year olds were injured in gun accidents today. In Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, a 12-year old boy was struck by a pellet from a shotgun shell that fired accidentally while a relative was unloading the gun inside his home. The pellet passed through a wall and struck the boy in the neck. His relative had gone …
In what West Valley, Utah police are calling an accidental shooting, an unidentified 14-year old boy shot himself on Saturday. He died at the hospital the next day. Police are investigating various questions, including how the boy got a gun. A man also shot himself in the parking lot at an Orlando, Florida gun show …
In Halifax County, Virginia, a four year-old got hold of a loaded gun inside his family’s trailer. He used it to shoot and kill himself. According to the report, the boy’s toys were still scattered outside. There was no indication of whether charges are being considered. Source: Eric Miller, “4-year-old Boy Dies After Self-inflicted Gunshot …
A nine-year old Federal Way, Washington boy was in critical condition after being shot inside his home by his eight-year old brother. The injured boy was airlifted to the hospital. “A situation like this, if the firearm had been properly stored where those children couldn’t get to it, it probably never would have occurred,” a …
A six-year old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania apparently found a gun is his home and accidentally shot himself in the head. He is hospitalized in critical condition. And in separate incidents, two Pullman, Washington men accidentally shot themselves and had to be airlifted to the hospital in Spokane. One of the men shot himself in the leg …
A man claiming that he fired his gun in the air to stop a knife fight in Columbus, Ohio, accidentally shot an eight-year old girl. The girl was later found by police lying in the park in critical condition with a gunshot wound that required surgery. However, she is expected to survive. 28-year old Torrance …
Many people were injured in gun accidents today, with mostly minimal press coverage. Two of the accidents occurred in the Philadelphia area. On the Drexel campus in West Philadelphia, a man accidentally shot himself in the leg inside a Shake Shack restaurant. Given the number of recent mass shootings, it is not surprising that the …
In Statesville, North Carolina, a man in his late seventies accidentally shot and killed an elderly friend who had brought a gun to his home. “It looks like it could possibly be an accidental shooting,” a police Captain said. “The suspect and the victim knew each other very well and possibly were looking at guns, …
On Mother’s Day, Christopher Edwards of Rocky Mount, North Carolina accidentally shot his mother, Sarah Hankerson. She had come to his house to help Edwards manage his pit bull. When the dog attacked Edwards, he fired one shot. The round accidentally struck and killed his mom. Edwards told a news station, “I lost my mom. …
In Randolph County, North Carolina, a an 8-year old boy was struck in the head by a round fired from a 9 millimeter gun. According to the report, the boy and his grandfather were returning from turkey hunting and had placed their guns in the bed of a pick-up. One of the guns fired and …
Deandre Hunter, a 25-year old student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington died of an accidental gunshot wound. According to an investigation, he shot himself in the abdomen while handling a handgun. In a statement, Pullman Police said, “[t]he Pullman Police Department extends its sincere condolences to Mr. Hunter’s family, friends, and fellow Cougs.” …
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a fiv-year old found a loaded gun in his home and shot his mother in the leg. Police have not said how the child got hold of a gun. The woman’s injuries are not considered life-threatening. In Detroit, Michigan a 16-year old boy left a loaded gun on his bed where his …
Kaden Vera, a 14-year old high school student at Reitz High School in Evansville, Indiana accidentally shot and killed himself today, according to Evansville police. He was found at home with a gunshot wound to the head. The boy’s school released the following statement, “[w]e have sad news to share with the Reitz community. Freshman …
In Houston, Texas, a Texas Southern University senior was shot and killed in a gun accident today when a gun that his roommate was showing to the victim and a friend went off and struck the victim in the side. The three students believed that the gun was unloaded. No word about whether the gun …
In Belleville, Illinois, a 3-year old found a loaded gun in his home and used it to shoot himself. The boy is in critical condition at the hospital. And in Lubbock, Texas, John Carrasco was arrested for illegal gun possession after he accidentally shot his father in the leg. According to the report, Carrasco initially …
Surveillance footage confirmed that a man accidentally shot himself in the leg in a white Porsche outside a Houston, Texas hookah lounge today. The man was alone in the vehicle in the parking lot of the Hush Hookah Lounge when the incident occurred. According to police, the injured man’s cousin unsuccessfully attempted to drive him …
Two gun accidents were reported exclusively on Twitter today, making one wonder, once again, how many gun accident injuries are never made public at all. A tweeter apparently monitoring a police scanner reported that a Chicago, Illinois “security officer” apparently accidentally discharged his gun and shot himself in the leg. And, in Laurel, Maryland, a …
A Bridgeport, Connecticut man accidentally fired his gun while cleaning it and shot himself in the hand. He was treated at a local emergency room. The report does not explain why he apparently did not know there was a round in the chamber when the incident occurred. Source: “Police: Bridgeport Man Accidently Shoots Hand While …
The unintended consequences of gun violence were felt across the country on Sunday, including incidents on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, three incidents in Chicago and single incidents in Georgia and Maryland. In New Orleans, Louisiana, Charles Hudson, a bar employee, was shot and killed in the Cat’s Meow, a crowded Bourbon Street karaoke bar, …
In Chilton County, Alabama a 13-year old boy and another teenager were moving a gun in their home when the gun discharged and the boy was killed. “It’s a tragic thing,’’ the sheriff said, “a sad situation.” No charges are expected. Source: Howard Koplowitz, Carol Robinson, “13-year-old Killed in Accidental Shooting in Chilton County,” Al.com …
A three-year old Nashville, Tennessee child took his mother’s loaded gun from her purse while she was sleeping and shot himself in the abdomen. The child was airlifted to the hospital for emergency surgery. No charges have been filed. Source: Lucas Wright, “3-year-old Shoots Self with Mother’s Gun, Metro Police Say,” wkrn.com (March 8, 2022).
In Denton, Texas, two friends were drinking and handling a firearm when it went off, injuring one of them. They say they didn’t know the gun was loaded. The injured friend was taken to the hospital and released. Source: Zaira Perez, “Friends Alleged Drinking, Negligence Led to Shooting at Denton Apartment,” Denton Record-Chronicle (March 2, …
In Hickory, North Carolina, a four-year old boy suffered serious injuries after shooting himself with a loaded gun he found in his home. “This is a tragic situation and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” the police department said in a statement. The boy remains in critical condition at …
A 22-year old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania woman was accidentally shot in the face when a man pulled a gun to attempt to shoot a dog that had attacked a five-year old child. The man fired a round that ricocheted and struck the woman rather than the dog. The child suffered bite wounds to the face and …
A Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin man shot himself in the hand while cleaning his gun. His wife drove him to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Authorities point out that “[i]t is always advised to ensure a firearm is not loaded when cleaning it.” It might also make sense to buy a gun with a prominent …
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 …
Lynette Billeter, age 58, a cherished teacher at a school in Sandy, Utah for adult special education students was shot and killed in a hunting accident today. She was returning to a utility terrain vehicle after hunting with family members when “a gun fired” and she was struck in the mid-section. First responders arrived at …
Three children, aged 4, 7, and 11 were shot and injured or killed when they found loaded guns today. A fourth child, age 14, was shot and killed with a ghost gun he had built. In Lexington, Kentucky, a four-year old was injured in a gun accident that police have determined was accidental. However, the …
A Toledo, Ohio man was charged with child endangerment and tampering with evidence after a toddler found a loaded gun in the man’s pocket and used it to shoot himself in the chest. The man was lying down in bed when the incident occurred. The toddler is in critical condition at the hospital. In Miami, …
During an argument at an Atlanta, Georgia CVS, a man accidentally shot himself with his own gun. He had apparently pulled the gun during an argument with another pharmacy patron about misuse of the victim’s cell phone. According to a somewhat confusing report, the other man had borrowed the victim’s phone purportedly make an emergency …
In Middlebury, Indiana, a 10-year old boy accidentally shot his 12-year old sister in the leg with a rifle round. The girl was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No other information was reported. Source: “Police News: Middlebury Girl Accidentally Shot in the Leg,” The Goshen News (January 10, 2022).
Heather Sitton, an Indiantown, Florida mother of three, was struck in the shoulder by a stray bullet fired by neighbors who were using their backyard for target practice. The bullet passed through her collarbone and exited the other shoulder. She was flown to the hospital and is expected to survive. Heather, her children, and others …
In Dunwoody, Georgia, a man shot himself in his car while in the parking lot at a local Walmart. Although he first told police someone else shot him, he later acknowledged that he had shot himself while adjusting his own gun. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. This is the second …
No charges will be filed after a teenage girl participating in dog drive hunt in Darlington County, South Carolina fired a shotgun round at a deer and struck an adult male who has also a participant in the hunt. The man was struck by a pellet in the torso. According to authorities, the man was …
A Columbus, Ohio man mistook his 16-year old daughter, Janae Hairston, for an intruder at 4:30 A.M. today. He accidentally shot and killed her. She was in the family’s garage when the accident occurred. Authorities say the girl’s mother called 911 at 4:30 A.M. In a recording of the 911 call, the father asks “his daughter …
Lehemiah Simon, age 7, of Jeanerette, Louisiana, was accidentally shot in the head and killed by a 15-year old cousin today. He was pronounced dead after being airlifted to the hospital. “Full of hugs. Full of Love. Just as humble as he could be for a seven-year-old,” remembered Minister Carnell Wiles who is Lehemiah’s grandfather. …
Jeremiah Pruitt of Birmingham, Alabama, age 13, was shot and killed by one of his 11-year old twin brothers in a gun accident today. The boys had found a gun in a drawer and were playing with it when the accident occurred. The boys’ mother, Starcrease Pruitt, was at one of her two jobs when …
A 23-year old in Port Lavaca, Texas shot and killed himself today in an incident that police believe was accidental. He and a group of other young men were playing with a gun that had had its magazine removed. Presumably, he aimed the gun at his head without knowing that there was a round in …
Florida A&M University baseball player Dalton Harrell, age 21, was accidentally shot in the chest and killed today in Bainbridge, Georgia. He was with friends in the parking lot of the local country club when a rifle discharged in what authorities called a “freak accident.” After investigation, no arrests were made. The circumstances of the …
A 12-year-old Michigan boy was seriously injured Monday when he was accidentally shot by his 17-year old brother after being mistaken for a deer. Sheriff’s deputies said the older boy was hunting from a tree stand when his younger brother came into the woods to call him to dinner. The 12-year old is in serious …
A customer of the Shoot Point Blank gun range in Shorewood, Illinois was injured today when his gun malfunctioned. Several police officers and an ambulance responded. The injured man was then taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The report of the accident says that it was at least the third gun accident this …
In Atlanta, Georgia, a one-year old who was left alone with her pre-school age brother and a loaded gun was accidentally shot. She is in critical condition at the hospital. A police lieutenant said though it was “a tragic accident,” charges could be filed. “Please put guns away. This is now the second time in …
Shane Gholston, a 36-year old Lawrence County, Alabama man, was accidentally shot in the shoulder while fighting with a neighbor over a garbage can. According to witnesses, Gholston and his neighbor were in a dispute about the trash can and were struggling over a.9mm Taurus pistol when it went off. Gholston was flown by helicopter …
In Wichita, Kansas, 13-year old Waylon Treat was accidentally shot and killed today. His 16-year old brother had brought home a gun which the boys were examining when it fired. Adults were at home at the time of the incident, but they were apparently unaware that the boys were handling a gun. Waylon was a …
A sixth grader and a 71-year old were killed today in separate hunting accidents. Both were shot by relatives. Daisy Grace Lynn George, age 11, was shot by her father in Hallsville, Texas while he was hunting with a high-powered rifle. Rescuers arrived on the scene, but rescue helicopters were grounded due to poor weather. …
In Memphis, Tennessee, a man accidentally shot himself at a local Express Inn hotel. He was taken to Regional One Hospital in critical condition. Police did not say whether he would face charges. In Lauderhill, Florida, shooting broke out on the street. A man several houses down from where the shooting occurred was grazed by …
A 65-year old Minnesota man was shot in a hunting accident in Northwestern Wisconsin today. Rescue workers arrived too late to revive him. No other circumstances of the accident were reported. Source: Associated Press, “Minnesota Man Dies in Apparent Hunting Accident in Wisconsin,” Fox News 11 (November 24, 2021).
Police reported accidental shootings today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois, two American cities already notably suffering from the ongoing pandemic of gun violence. In Milwaukee, a 69-year old woman was struck by a random round fired outside her home. Her suffered serious injuries, but is in stable condition at the hospital according to a …
Three common types of gun accidents were illustrated on Friday. In Meeker County, Minnesota, Mike Hendrickson, a hunter, unintentionally fired a gun into his thigh while climbing a tree stand. He was airlifted to the hospital after a tourniquet was applied at the scene of the accident. “His first surgery revealed significant loss of tissue, …
An off-duty Upper Marlboro, Maryland police officer accidentally shot herself while reporting to a purported crime scene. Following the accident, she was taken to the hospital for surgery and is now in stable condition. According to the report, she responded to an argument at a local barbershop and believed there was a robbery in progress. …
A Chicago, Illinois police officer, engaged in a struggle with an unarmed suspect, accidentally fired his service weapon and struck two other officers. One was shot in the arm and the other in the shoulder. Both officers are reported to be in good condition. A gun was later found in the suspect’s car. Source: Charlie …
In Greenville, South Carolina, a 4-year old died in a gun accident today. The child passed away at the hospital and no further details are available. According to the local Sheriff’s office, “there is no threat to the community.” Source: Freeman Stoddard, Thomas Gore, “4-year-old Child Dies from Accidental Gunshot, Coroner’s Office Confirms” Fox Carolina …
In Houston, Texas, a man accidentally shot his friend in the abdomen tonight while celebrating the Astros victory over the Chicago White Sox. According to the report, the celebration went “a little too far.” A group of people watching the game told police that they would dry fire their weapons whenever the Astros scored a …
At least 7 people unintentionally shot themselves or others with guns today in incidents across the country. In Ellisville Mississippi, a man accidentally shot himself in the hand. The Sheriff’s Department said that the incident occurred in a community residence. A Temple Hills, Maryland 16-year old is hospitalized after shooting himself accidentally at the local …
In Cocoa Beach, Florida, a teenager died of an accidental gunshot wound after mishandling a gun. The child was taken from the local apartment where the accident happened to Cape Canaveral Hospital and was pronounced dead. Police have not released the teenager’s name, age or gender. Nor is there information about the circumstances of the …
An Orlando, Florida man shot himself in the leg in a shooting range parking lot today while clearing his gun. He was inside a vehicle outside “Shooter’s World” when the accident occurred. Source: “Police: Man Clearing Gun Shot Self in Leg Outside Orlando Range,” Fox 35 (October 8, 2021).