Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Kyler Jackson, a South Bend, Indiana 5-year old was accidentally shot and killed by a 9-year old relative today. “We ask that you please respect the family,” the Police Department wrote, adding that the 9-year-old is “trying to recover from the trauma.” Additional details are not available. Colton Jon Shoemaker of Burlington, West Virginia was …
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Fong Vang, age 40, was charged with manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed his younger brother Dan. Fong was staying with his siblings and his mother temporarily and was sleeping on the floor. When he heard a loud noise in the middle of the night, he fired multiple rounds through the …
Yovany Rodriguez, a 39-year old Los Angeles, California man, was shot while driving. He died at the scene after crashing into another vehicle. Police are investigating, but have not identified the shooter. Source: “Fatal Head-on Crash Turns Into Shooting Investigation in South LA,” Fox 11 LA (April 27, 2022).
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 …
In Houston, Texas, 18-year old Nariah Champion was accidentally shot and killed by 17-year old Zakorion Batiste, who was playing with a gun. The two were among a group of kids hanging out together. Batiste has been charged with manslaughter and is being held on $50,000 bail. According to the report, if bond is made, …
Two women were shot today as innocent bystanders in gun violence incidents initiated by men or boys. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, a pair of teenage boys, one 17 and the other 13, got into a spat over insults on social media. When they later engaged in public gunplay, a woman was struck and injured. She has …
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 …
A four-year old Spanish Lake, Missouri boy was “dropped off” at the hospital with a bullet wound to the arm. Police determined that he was shot accidentally at home, but have not said whether he shot himself or whether he was shot by a man who was also in the home. Source: Dori Olmos, “Man …
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 Fort Worth, Texas, an 88-year old woman was struck in the hand by a stray bullet fired in a nearby dispute. She was in her home at the time of the incident. The bullet was fired by one of two men engaged in a dispute at a nearby horse stable. No one has been …
In Denver, Colorado, police are investigating the shooting of a three-year old who was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle in critical condition. “Investigators said the shooting appears accidental and self-inflicted.” The boy died five days later. It became clear that the accident happened in a parked vehicle. The boy’s mother, Celina Duran, …
Arnijae Stroud, a 21-year old Roswell, Georgia father was arrested today after he accidentally shot and injured his two-year old son. Stroud was “manipulating” a gun in his bedroom when it fired. The child is in stable condition at the hospital. The local police chief said he was proud of the team of first responders …
Once again in Ohio, a child is dead after finding a loaded gun in his home. Today’s incident in South Euclid involved a ten-year old boy, Eion Boyette. The boy appears to have been playing with a gun when it went off, according to a news release from local police. Eion attended Greenview Middle School …
Kenesha Tyson, a Memphis, Tennessee woman involved in an altercation with her boyfriend, pulled a gun in an attempt to frighten him. She says the gun went off by accident, hitting the man in the chest. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Tyson has been charged with criminal attempt 1st-degree murder, aggravated …
A Henderson, Nevada 14-year old was charged with involuntary manslaughter after shooting and killing his ten-year old brother with a shotgun. According to the report, the involuntary manslaughter charge means that the shooting was considered unintentional. One neighbor described the victim’s family as the “perfect family.” That’s extremely devastating,” said a mother who lives a …
Devin Page, Jr., a Baton Rouge, Louisiana 3-year old, was shot and killed by a stray bullet that entered through a window of his home. Police do not know who fired the gun. “He was a great, a very smart, intelligent 3-year-old. He was always happy, you know he loved the dance, he loves school, he …
In Opelika, Alabama, a loaded firearm discharged when it fell. The round struck and killed a 13-year old boy. “Our thoughts are with the family as they grieve the loss of their child,” said the Police Chief. “We encourage all individuals who own a firearm to ensure that it is stored safely and kept in a …
A six-year old a 12-year old are dead today after finding loaded guns in their homes. The six-year old died in Fort Collins, Colorado after arriving at the hospital. “Tragic events like this have a lasting impact on everyone involved, including family, friends, and first responders. Words cannot begin to express the depth of our …
Three teenagers have died in shooting incidents in Billings, Montana in just the last three months. The latest incident involved a 15-year old who died in a gun accident today. Local authorities have not yet described the circumstances of the incident other than to say that it happened at the boy’s home. What we see …
A three-year old and a six-year old died at the hospital in separate incidents involving unsecured loaded guns found in their homes. The three-year old, a Meigs County, Ohio boy, shot himself in the chest. “I just couldn’t imagine the pain and the hurt and the suffering they’re going through at the time, and …
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 …
14-year old Alexis Pierson, a Port St. Louis, Mississippi middle-schooler was shot and killed in her home by a child who found a loaded gun. One of Alexis’s friends had brought the gun over and did not secure it. When Pierson told the child who found the gun to put it down, the child accidentally …
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 …
A three-year old Jacksonville, Florida boy found a loaded and unsecured gun in the bedroom of his home today. He shot himself in the head and died. Alexander Sibley, a 36-year old man, was later arrested and charged with illegal gun possession based on a prior felony conviction. A neighbor told a reporter, “I do …
In Clayton County, Georgia, 17-year old Anthony McClain was shot and killed while standing outside the barber shop he ran with his mother. According to a witness, he was caught in the crossfire when a man started shooting at a white car and someone in the car fired back. “He was just standing outside the …
In Shreveport, Louisiana, two children, aged 3 and 4, apparently found a loaded gun in their home. The gun inevitably was fired and the four year old, Michael Thomas, Jr., was shot in the chest and killed. His younger sister was also injured. Two adults were home at the time of the incident. According to …
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 St. Louis, Missouri 10-year old shot and killed his 12-year old brother today. Their mother was getting a haircut at home at the time of the incident. The victim, LaFrance Johnson, was a sixth grader. “A 36-year-old woman was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death after she told police …
Janiyah Jenkins, an Atlanta, Georgia four-year old, found her uncle’s loaded and unsecured gun in her home and shot herself in the leg. The round passed into her intestines and Janiyah died at the hospital. Janiyah’s uncle, LeVante Cummings, age 26, was arrested and charged with second degree murder and cruelty to a child. He …
Bryson Jackson, a Memphis, Tennessee three-year old, shot himself to death today with an unsecured and loaded AR-15 that he found in his home. The guns belonged to his mother’s friend, Tedrick Butler. Bryson’s mom, Tinesha Jackson, had left Bryson and another child at home in the care of an uncle while she and Butler …
Two people, including a one-year old baby, were injured in gun accidents after rounds passed through apartment walls. A one-year old Columbus, Ohio girl was struck by a bullet while she was sleeping between her parents. She was struck in the backside and is in stable condition at the hospital. The round, which was fired …
In Houston, Texas, a man shot himself in the testicles at the St. Regis hotel. He was either unpacking the gun or pulling it from his pants when the incident occurred. Source: John Tedesco, “Man at St. Regis Hotel Accidentally Shoots Himself in Testicles.” Houston Chronicle (March 25, 2022).
Kismet Sengdan of Akron, Ohio, a ten-year old died today after another child picked up an unsecured gun and accidentally discharged it. Kismet was visiting at the time. Police are investigating to determine who owned the gun. The Akron Public schools issued the following statement after the incident: “It is with a heavy heart that …
A two-year old and a three-year old were victims of unintended gun violence today. In Talbott, Tennessee, a two-year old is in critical condition after finding a loaded gun in his home. Investigators believe the gun went off in the boy’s hands as he was playing with it. “If you’re a gun owner, you got …
Yaniel Rivera, age 11, of Cleveland, Ohio was found dead in a Cleveland home after being shot in the abdomen. Police are investigating the incident as a likely unintentional shooting on the basis that Yaniel got access to an unsecured firearm. No arrests have been made. Yaniel is the fourth Cleveland child to die in …
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, …
Larry Beeding, age 44, of Mediapolis, Iowa was charged with reckless use of a firearm and animal cruelty after shooting a round from his handgun at a dog inside a local home. The dog was killed. Another man was struck in the torso and Beeding was shot in the hand by the round that killed …
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).
A 16-year old San Angelo, Texas boy died from a gunshot wound to the chest suffered when he and other kids were handling a loaded gun. Police are investigating to determine exactly what happened. They have announced that no further information will be released at this time. Source: Matt Trammell, “San Angelo Police Confirm Teen …
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 …
Four-month old Jaquari Jones was killed when a group of Lubbock, Texas kids were playing with a gun and it discharged. A 14-year old has been arrested and charged with manslaughter. No report on how the kids obtained the gun, though there is an ongoing investigation. Source: “Teen Arrested After Deadly Infant Shooting,” Everything Lubbock …
A Ripley, Tennessee three-year old found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the head. He was found dead at the scene. No arrests have been made, but there is an ongoing investigation. Also today, the father of a Dolton, Illinois three-year old who accidentally shot and killed his mother was arrested …
Three children found loaded guns in their homes today and injured themselves, two of them in Baton Rouge Louisiana. The two incidents make three accidental shootings in Baton Rouge in just two days. Deetroy Watkins, 26, of Baton Rouge was arrested after he left his gun in a couch cushion. His three-year old son found …
There were at least four more serious gun accidents today, for a total of nine in two days. Several of the accidents occurred because the shooter wasn’t aware that the gun was loaded, making it unlikely that the weapons involved had a proper loaded chamber indicator, a common sense safety device. In North Pole, Alaska, …
Several types of common American gun accidents were on display today in cities across the country. In Memphis, Tennessee, a man died in an apparent shooting range accident. Two children found loaded guns at home and shot themselves. Again, in Memphis, Tennessee, a toddler is in critical condition after a self-inflicted shooting. Memphis officials say …
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 …
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).
Cordero Currington of Stockton, California shot himself in the leg after shooting and killing another man. Currington was attempting to get away from the scene of the crime when the incident occurred. He was booked by police on “several weapons charges.” Source: “Man Shoots Self in Leg While Running Away after Shooting, Killing Another Man, …
In Mobile, Alabama, Jacoby Smoots was charged with first degree assault after shooting his teenage brother in the shoulder in what police called “a prank gone wrong.” According to the report, Smoots found his brother asleep in a car that he was supposed to be repairing. He pointed his gun at his brother’s chest in …
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 …
19-year old Donovan Meinke was arrested after accidentally shooting himself in a domestic violence incident. Elyria, Ohio police announced that the incident also resulted in injuries to the 19-year old woman that Meinke lived with. Although Meinke was already facing felony weapons violation charges from a prior incident in February, in this matter he was …
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a woman who was attempting to shoot at an intruder instead accidentally struck her husband, Brent Barnes. Barnes was struck in the arm and the stomach. According to the report, the intruder got away. Source: Jennifer Pierce, “Woman Accidentally Shot Husband Multiple Times Instead Of Home Intruder,” news9.com (March 4, 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, …
A 12-year old Chicago, Illinois girl was in a car with her family returning home from her birthday dinner when she was struck in the head by a bullet fired on the street. According to police, the shooters were firing at a different car. The girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition. And …
For the third day in a row, a four-year old boy found a gun in his home and used it to shoot himself. Today’s accident involved a four-year old named Roman in Coatesville, Pennsylvania who shot himself in the face. Although investigatory details have not been released, a neighbor said, “”[h]e played around with a …
Four-year old Miyell Hernandez of Lithonia, Georgia, found a loaded gun in his mother’s car while she was at the grocery store and shot and killed himself. Miyell was waiting for her with two other children when the accident occurred. “We talked all the time,” said Miyell’s grandmother, April Griffin. “I never felt that kind …
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 …
Today’s story is another example of a gun accident that occurred in the context of a confusing crime scene, this one involving a man confronting a group of children with a gun: In Wichita Falls, Texas, a man grabbed a gun to confront a group of teenagers who he believed were stealing his car. He …
Two young people, a ten-year old boy and an 18-year old girl, died in gun accidents today. The ten year-old, Charlie Patton, of Milledgeville, Georgia, died of a pellet gun wound after being accidentally shot by 17-year old Jamarius Walls, a friend of his family,. “All the evidence and witness statements we have from the …
Reports suggest that accidental shootings often happen during crimes. This is not surprising because guns obviously highly correlate with criminal activity and accidents happen frequently when guns are present. An example from today’s news: In Nashville, Tennessee, a teenager was driving a stolen car with a gun on his lap when it fired and struck …
Nydia Wynn, a Virginia Beach, Virginia mother was arrested and charged with felony child neglect after leaving her ten-year old child alone in a hotel room with a gun. The child found the gun and shot themselves in the leg. Additional criminal charges are pending. Source: “Woman Charged with Felony Child Neglect After 10-year-old Shoots Self …
A man who was playing with a gun while walking near the freeway in San Clemente, California accidentally shot himself in the chest. He was found by police lying on the highway. He initially told police that he had been attacked by two men in a car, but later admitted that he had shot himself …
A gun accident in Mobile, Alabama led to hospital treatment for two teenagers. The younger of the two was attempting to disassemble the gun when it fired. He was struck in the hand and the other teen was struck in the knee. They arrived at the hospital separately and police later concluded that the incidents …
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 …
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 …
Gun accidents involving children appear to have become so routine that they are sometimes barely reported. In Florence, South Carolina, there was an accidental shooting involving a child that resulted in hospitalization. No other information was reported. And in Detroit, Michigan, a five-year old was shot and taken to the hospital. Either he or another …
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a gun accident in which off-duty border agent Stevan Djordjevic shot and killed a relative who was visiting his home. The victim, Jacob Sellors, age 26, was visiting Sierra Vista, Arizona from out of town and was found on a bedroom floor in …
A Payette County, Idaho 64-year old was airlifted to the hospital after his 70-year old friend accidentally shot him during target practice. The 70-year old was unloading his rifle when it went off. The round struck the younger man, whose condition is unknown. No arrests have been made. Source: “Middleton Man Shot in Target Practice …
A 15-year old Bessemer, Alabama girl was shot and killed in a Valentine’s Day gun accident involving her 18-year old friend. According to authorities, the two children were playing with a gun at the home of a relative of the shooter at the time of the incident. The 15-year old, Janiyah Simmons, was a high …
In Johnston, Rhode Island, the local police chief announced that the gun death of a 15-year old boy was not a suicide and is being treated as an accident. No other details have been released. And in Siler City, North Carolina, Patricia Stanley, age 38, died in an apparent gun accident in an RV. A …
A Detroit, Michigan 14-year old has lost his life as the result of an incident that appears to have involved “horseplay” with a gun. A weapon was found “near the child,” according to police. There may have been a second person involved and police are investigating. Source: Hani Barghouthi, “Saturday Evening Shooting That May Have …
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 …
An Anderson County, South Carolina 9-year old was shot today when his mother’s gun fell out of her purse, struck the floor and discharged. His injuries are not considered life-threatening. The sheriff’s office is investigating. Source: Anne Newman, “Child Shot at Anderson County Home, Deputies Say,” wyff4.com (February 10, 2022).
Harold James of Washington, DC was lying in watching TV when a bullet came through the ceiling and struck him in the leg. It ended his life. According to authorities, the man living the apartment upstairs from James was cleaning his gun when it discharged. “I don’t think any of us can ever imagine a …
In Sunny Valley, Oregon, a man took his own life after accidentally shooting and killing his brother. According to the source, the man called 911 to report that he had accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun after discovering a bear on their property. When police arrived, they found both brothers deceased and concluded …
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 …
Two St. Louis, Missouri girls, aged 3 and 4, were injured after finding a loaded gun in a parent’s coat pocket and accidentally firing it. One of the girls is in critical condition at the hospital and the other has non-life threatening injuries. There is an ongoing investigation. Source: Kelsee Ward, “2 children, Ages 3 …
A familiar story from Port Arthur, Texas today where a juvenile had access to a gun. He was playing with that gun in a group of kids when it fired and struck Jordan Reed, aged 18. Reed was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Despite an ongoing investigation, police released the juvenile who fired the …
A Houston, Texas woman is in critical condition after her boyfriend unintentionally shot her in the neck. He was playing with a gun that he did not know was loaded when it went off. No report on whether the gun had a loaded chamber indicator. At the Seventh Day Adventist Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, …
In San Antonio, Texas, police are searching for three suspects who opened fire on a woman that they had been chasing by car. The woman was not injured. Rounds instead struck and killed Paul Wilson, age 47, who was going to his car to go to the grocery store. “He was at the wrong place …
In Jackson, Mississippi, 19-year old Shakira Gatlin was shot in the head and killed on the street when a teenager she was with mishandled a gun. Police are investigating. Gatlin is a former member of the Dancing Dolls, a Jackson dance group made famous on the reality TV series, Bring It. Her father, Derrick Robinson …
In Columbus, Georgia, a three-year old was shot and killed under circumstances that have not been described, but which authorities say are likely to be ruled accidental. No follow-up news stories appeared in the first five days following the incident. In Chicago, Illinois, a security guard who had been shot in the leg in a …
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 …
Three people were unintended victims of gun violence today, including an off-duty police officer who was mistakenly shot at his home by another officer who mistook him for an armed robbery suspect. In Athens, Texas, an 8-year old was shot in the head with a bullet that came out of a wooded area behind his …
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, …
Trampas Penny, age 44, of Benson, North Carolina was shot and killed in a gun accident at the pawn shop where he worked. Penny was a gunsmith there. Although police have concluded that the incident was accidental, no information about the circumstances of the accident has been released. Shatiyah Johnson has been charged with manslaughter …