Darric Appleton, a 14-year old Phoenix, Arizona teenager, was accidentally shot and killed by a 16-year old friend. 7 children, age 5-16, were in the home at the time of the incident. No adults were present. According to police, the 16-year old brought a gun to the residence, pointed it, and accidentally pulled the trigger. …
Category: Law Enforcement Action (At Time of Report)
SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020
A child is dead after a gun accident in Fairview, North Carolina. Although sources indicate that the wound was self inflicted and that the victim was five-years old, authorities expressly declined to release any details of the incident on the basis that the victim was under 18. An investigation is ongoing. This case illustrates the …
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020
After accidentally shooting a woman in Paris, Tennessee, the shooter apparently took his own life. After the accident, the shooter accompanied the woman to the hospital. She was admitted and is in stable condition. The man went missing and then shot himself in the hospital’s emergency medical services building. “We have no indication that it …
FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020
In another accident involving a police officer, this time in Detroit Michigan, an officer shot herself at police headquarters. She was taken to the hospital where she was listed in serious condition. Compared to most American gun owners, police officers undergo significant firearm safety training. Even with training, accidents frequently occur. Police, for their own …
THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020
A school maintenance worker at the Sagemont School in Weston Florida was accidentally shot in the eye by an armed school security officer. The security officer, who worked for a private company, dropped the shooting victim at a local hospital and went home. According to authorities, the security officer, Julian Suarez, was not authorized to …
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020
In Brownstown, Indiana, a police investigation has determined that a shot was accidentally fired by a man who was handling a handgun in the living room of his home. A bullet from the gun went through the man’s leg and then entered the leg of his 5-year old son. The man was treated and released. …
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020
A three-year old shot himself in the head today in Columbia, South Carolina with a gun he found in a bedroom in his home. He is hospitalized in critical condition. His mother was later charged with “unlawful conduct toward a child.” In Bolivar, Missouri a two-year old child shot his four-year old brother in the …
MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020
Ashley James, a 19-year old who recently starred on the Green Run High School basketball team in Chesapeake, Virginia, was shot and killed today in an accidental shooting. He and another teen were handling a gun when it went off. James received emergency care, but died from his wound. No further information about the nature …
SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2020
An 11-month old child in Plymouth Massachusetts was injured when a gun was accidentally fired near his home. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The boy’s neighbor, a licensed gun owner, accidentally discharged his gun, according to the local police chief. “He says he was putting a trigger guard on it, …
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020
In Biloxi, Mississipi, Bennie Hiep Lu, a 15-year old, accidentally shot and killed another teenager. The boys were playing with a gun and Lu pulled the trigger in the belief that the gun was unloaded. Reports indicate that “Bennie has been placed under arrest and is being charged as an adult with manslaughter. … After …
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020
Malinda Broyles of Fairmount West Virginia died after being accidentally shot in the neck. Gene McIntosh was reportedly manipulating the action on his rifle when the gun fired. Although Mr. McIntosh was charged with wanton endangerment and the circumstances of the accident are still being investigated, a rifle should not fire unless the trigger is …
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Two teenagers were shot to death today by others in incidents that involved playing with a gun. In Tamaqua, a borough in Eastern Pennsylvania, Eric Tavener was shot and killed accidentally by 21-year old Francis Witmayer. Witnesses said that Tavener, an 18-year old, was playing with a gun when he was asked to return it …
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020
For the third day in a row, a child was accidentally shot in East Texas by another child. In Joaquin, Texas, 17-year old Heston Avery accidentally shot and killed his teenage friend, whose name was not reported. At the time of the shooting, Avery called for emergency help, but deputies pronounced the victim dead at …
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2020
For the second day in a row, a child was accidentally shot by an older relative in Houston, Texas. According to sheriff’s deputies, 19-year old Caitlyn Smith accidentally shot her 10-year old nephew while she was taking selfies with a gun. The Sheriff announced that Ms. Smith was arrested and charged with “Injury to a …
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020
A 15-year old in Houston, Texas turned himself in to police after accidentally shooting his 5-year old sister in the stomach. The accident occurred while his parents were asleep. The boy panicked and ran from the home when his parents woke up to the sound of the gunshot. The 5-year old was rushed to a …
Child Death (18 and Under) Child Injury (18 and Under) Child Under 18 (as Shooter) Juvenile Arrested Ongoing Investigation Tennessee
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020
Two Tennessee teens were unintentionally shot this weekend. One is dead and the other is recovering at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In Memphis, 16-year old Jordan Milan was shot and killed by his 17-year old friend, who was playing with a gun. The 17-year old, who was not identified by police, was arrested and charged …
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020
A 13-year old Muskegon Heights, Michigan boy fired a flare gun that accidentally passed through a window and started a fire in the home of an 88-year old neighbor. Police officers responding to the incident heard a faint cry for help from inside the dwelling and rescued the 88-year old and her unconscious cat. The …
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020
In Texarkana Arkansas, Kayden May was charged with manslaughter after the shooting death of his girlfriend Abbigale Thacker in their home. Both May and Thacker were 18-year olds. May’s charge was reduced from second-degree murder to manslaughter after authorities concluded that Thacker’s death resulted from an “extreme case of gun safety violations.” A Texarkana police …
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020
In Brooksville, Florida, an unidentified man accidentally shot and killed himself while playing with a gun. He was waiting for a haircut at the time. The sheriff’s office called the incident a “horrible accident.” The make and model of the gun that accidentally fired was not released. Source: Associated Press, “Florida Man Waiting for Haircut …
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020
In Bryan, Texas, two police officers were injured when a gun “accidentally went off” at the police station. Both officers were taken to the hospital, treated and released. A release issued by the Bryan police department says that an administrative review of policies, procedures, and training will take place to determine what can be done …
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020
A man sitting in his apartment in Plano, Texas today was shot in the leg by a neighbor who was moving a shotgun inside his home. The man whose shotgun accidentally fired is expected to be charged with the misdemeanor crime of discharging a firearm. Source: “Police: Man Accidentally Fired Shotgun Inside Plano Apartment, Injuring …
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020
In Killingly, Connecticut, Mountain Robicheau shot through his leg when showing off his gun to his sister. The man told police that “he was showing his sister the de-cocking mechanism of his Beretta 96A .40-caliber pistol when his finger slipped while he was trying to lower the weapon’s hammer.” Robicheau opted not to immediately go …
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020
In Dunmor, Kentucky, a 15-year old boy was killed when a firearm accidentally discharged while he was target shooting with a friend and his friend’s mother on their property. The Kentucky State Police investigated and concluded: “it was an accidental discharge. Detectives are working to determine exactly how the incident happened. No one has been …
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020
In St. Louis, Missouri, a 12-year old boy was accidentally shot when a family member fired a warning shot at a person she believed was going to rob her. The bullet struck the ground and the ricochet hit the boy in the hand. He was taken to a hospital where he was expected to recover. …
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020
On Valentine’s Day, four young children were shot and injured in their homes by other children. Three children were shot in two incidents in Chicago, Illinois. The other incident occurred in Dallas, Texas. An eight-year old boy and a 12-year old girl were both shot in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side by another …
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020
A student at Henley High School in Klamath County, Oregon was hospitalized after an accidental shooting in the school parking lot. According to reports, two students were moving a gun from one car to another after shooting together when the gun went off, hitting one of the students in the hand. Source: Anna Weeks, “Accidental …
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
14-year old Jesus Jimenez Solis was cleaning a gun in his bedroom when it accidentally fired, killing his 15-year old friend, Sylas Lieb. Jimenez Solis, an Omaha Nebraska boy, was holding the gun in his lap and wiping it with a towel when it went off. Lieb died at the scene. According to investigators, Jimenez …
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2020
The Police Chief in Magnolia, Arkansas, Todd Dew, was accidentally shot by a fellow officer while attempting to serve a warrant on a man who had violated the terms of his probation. According to a statement, the officers were entering a home when the gun went off and struck the Chief in the back. Chief …
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020
In Tampa, Florida, 17-year old Ivan Johnson died today after being shot with a BB fired from a pellet gun by an eight-year old friend while they were waiting for the younger boy’s father in the father’s car. The BB struck Ivan in the eye. He was taken to a hospital before dying three days …
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020
A family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is mourning the death of three-year old Chassity Clancy who was shot to death in a gun accident in her home. According to reports, 51-year old Marlin Pritchard was babysitting and fell asleep next to Chassity with a loaded pistol grip shotgun under his pillow when the gun went off. …
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020
In Dayton, Ohio, a 9-mm pistol accidentally fired when a man and his his grandfather were inspecting it. The man was shot in the foot and taken to the hospital. His name and condition were not released. Source: Nevin Smith, “Man Shoots His Foot, Medics Respond,” Dayton Now (February 8, 2020).
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020
Lincoln Mack, a 4-year old boy in Pemberton Township, New Jersey, accidentally shot and killed himself today after finding a loaded handgun in his home. His parents and two siblings were in the home at the time. Lincoln’s preschool teachers described him as a “sweet and fun little boy with a smile that lit up …
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020
20-year old Betty Spado of Pendleton, South Carolina died after being shot when a gun discharged inside her apartment. Her boyfriend and two other men were handling guns while visiting when one of the guns went off. The coroner ruled her death an accident. Source: Live 5 Web Staff, “S.C. Woman Killed After Gun Misfires …
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020
A five-year old boy in Macon, Georgia accidentally shot his six-year old brother in the shoulder while they were playing with a handgun they had found in their home. The injured boy went to the hospital and is listed in stable condition. The boys’ mother was charged with cruelty to children in the second degree. …
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020
A 15-year old boy was injured in Fannett, Texas when a dog jumped into his four-wheel UTV and discharged his .22 caliber rifle by knocking it over. The gun fired one round into the boy’s stomach. According to reports, this was the third accidental shooting involving a Southeast Texas teenager in less than 60 days. …
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2020
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 …
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020
In Harvest, Alabama, five-year old Maxton Hughes, the son of a Huntsville police officer, apparently found a gun in the family car and accidentally shot himself in the head. A parent found the child and drove him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is ongoing but no charges are expected. “This …
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
In Hinckley, Ohio, 13-year old Max Muzyczka, an eighth grader, was shot to death. Police reported that “the initial investigation indicates this was sadly a tragic accident.” Authorities declined to release additional information about the incident out of respect for the the boy’s family. According to a statement issued by the school district, “Max was …
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020
Three-year old Keegan Vasquez shot himself in the face with a .25 caliber pistol he found on a TV stand in his great-grandmother’s home. The Callaghan County, Texas boy was taken to a hospital in Fort Worth, where he later died. The boy’s great-grandmother said that she had forgotten that the gun was there. The …
Adult Arrested Alabama Child Death (18 and Under) Child Injury (18 and Under) Child Under 18 (as Shooter) Ongoing Investigation Pennsylvania Utah
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020
Four young children accidentally shot themselves today with found guns in separate incidents. Two are dead. Two are hospitalized. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a four-year old found a Glock pistol in a closet and shot himself in the head in his bedroom. His three-year old brother was in the room at the time. Police say the …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020
A 10-year old St. Louis, Missouri boy found a gun outside his apartment building, brought it inside and accidentally shot himself in the leg. The gun had earlier been stolen in Springfield, Missouri according to police. Source: “Boy, 10, Accidentally Shot Himself With Stolen Gun He Found Outside, Police Say,” KMOV4 (January 30, 2020).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
An unidentified man died today after accidentally shooting himself while in line at the Supreme Bean coffee shop in Spokane, Washington. No further information about the accident has been reported. An investigation is ongoing. On the other side of the country, in Cedartown, Georgia, at Zorba’s restaurant, a man accidentally shot himself in the parking …
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020
In Byesville, Ohio, 37-year old David Wray was charged as: “a parent, guardian, custodian, person having custody or control, or person in loco parentis of a child under 18 years of age, who did create a substantial risk of the health or safety of an unidentified child, by violating a duty of care, protection or …
SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020
In another fatal gun accident involving a child in Pataskala, Ohio, a town of less than 16,000 people near Columbus (see December 14, 2019), 15-year old Noah Bigham shot and killed his best friend, Hunter Cooper, a high school freshman, while attempting to distract him from playing a video game. Noah was using the laser …
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020
3-year old Amir Antoine of Baton Rouge, Louisiana shot and killed himself Saturday morning in his home. He was handling a gun and accidentally pulled the trigger. This was the second accidental shooting in the Antoine home in the last four years. In 2016, 17-year-old Ahmad Antoine was charged with negligent homicide after he accidentally …
Adult Injury Child Injury (18 and Under) Child Under 18 (as Shooter) Florida Mississippi North Carolina Ohio Ongoing Investigation Wyoming
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020
Of eight reports of accidental shootings today, involving a total of 11 shooting incidents, three occurred in Ohio, one each in Mississippi, Wyoming, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. None of the 11 shootings was fatal. Two of the incidents involved accidental self-inflicted shootings, three involved young children shot accidentally by others, three involved women apparently …
THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020
In Prestonburg, Kentucky, a messenger for an armored car service was shot when his gun accidentally discharged while he was making a drop at a Big Lots store in a strip mall. “His weapon became lodged between himself and items he was carrying,” according to Prestonburg police detective Ross Shurtleff. “While it was lodged between …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020
A 57-year old Hackensack, New Jersey man was placing his Smith & Wesson .45-caliber handgun on his nightstand as part of his preparation for bedtime when it accidentally fired. The victim was struck in the abdomen. He remains in critical condition with severe internal injuries. “We are doing our due diligence, as always, in investigating,” …
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
According to authorities, a 17-year old Charlestown, West Virginia teen shot himself in the arm today while cleaning his gun. No charges will be filed. Source: Bailey Pace, “Teen Accidentally Shoots Himself According to Sheriff Dept.,” WVVA (January 21, 2020).
MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020
A bullet accidentally fired in Chesterton, Indiana, near Gary, passed through two adjoining apartments and narrowly missed a three-year old child. According to a police report, Samuel Duley, a 22-year old, was cleaning his rifle inside the apartment building when it went off. He had removed the gun’s ammunition clip, but “he must have spaced …
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020
In Bloomington, Indiana, both four-year old Tripp Shaw and his father, Tyler, were shot in the head after the father’s gun accidentally discharged. After several days in the hospital, Tripp died of his wounds. His father was expected to recover. According to authorities, the father and son were play-wrestling on a bed when a gun …
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020
In Allentown, Pennsylvania, an accidentally discharged round passed through the shooter’s bedroom door, across a hallway and through another door where it struck 52-year old Virgen Milagros Rivera, who was critically injured. The shooter, who was found to have negligently handled the firearm, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He was …
FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020
At Three Fires Elementary School in Howell, Michigan, a father accidentally discharged his gun in his vehicle while waiting to pick up his child. The initial investigation showed no criminal intent, though the school was placed on lockdown at the time of the shooting. The man shot himself in the hand and leg. He was …
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020
Providence, Rhode Island police found 22-year old Edward Rodriquez in a hallway in his apartment building at 16 What Cheer Avenue, without pants, with a gunshot wound to his scrotum. Martinez said that he had been handling a gun on his bed when it fired. According to police, no charges will be filed. Mr. Martinez …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020
In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an 8-year old found his father’s loaded handgun when his father left him alone briefly in the car while shopping. The boy shot himself in the leg. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Just over a month ago, a Fort Lauderdale toddler also found his father’s loaded handgun …
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2020
19-year old Cesar Cortes was accidentally shot and killed today at Bellaire High School, just outside of Houston, Texas. The shooter was his 16-year old friend, a boy who has not been identified because of his age. According to authorities, both the shooter and Cortes were members of the High School’s JROTC program. The younger …
MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2020
According to a Riverside, Ohio police sergeant, “a 3-year-old got ahold of his father’s weapon and accidentally shot himself in the leg.” The boy found the gun in a bedroom and brought it to the living room where he was playing with it when it went off. The boy’s father was home at the time. …
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2020
In separate incidents in different parts of the country, two women were struck by stray gunfire while walking on the street. In Detroit Michigan, a woman walked to the hospital, where she was found to be in serious condition, after being hit by a bullet along Crusade Street near Liberal. Police said she was struck …
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020
41-year old Brian McManemy of Blairstown, Iowa was shot in the leg when one of the guns in the vehicle in which he was riding discharged. He was transported to a Cedar Rapids hospital. Mr. McManemy was coyote hunting at the time of the accident. He was a passenger in a vehicle driving through a …
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2020
Bronson Reed, a 45-year old father in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee was cleaning a 9-mm pistol in his home when it went off unexpectedly. The bullet struck Reed in the leg and then hit his seven-year old son. At the time the story was reported, the child remained hospitalized. An investigation is ongoing. Source: Ken Nicholson …
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2020
A 19-year old Clifton Park, New York woman, Kylee L. Stark, was charged with first degree reckless endangerment after accidentally discharging a shotgun inside her apartment while taking pictures of herself on her cell phone. There were no injuries. Ms. Stark was arraigned in Halfmoon Town Court and was released on her own recognizance. Source: …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2020
20-year old Gregory Lee Miller, Jr. of Lexington Kentucky died today of a gunshot wound. 25-year old Jaquan St. Louis has been arrested and charged with reckless homicide. According to police, St. Louis believed the gun was unloaded when he pointed it at Miller. Source: “Arrest Made in Lexington’s First Homicide of 2020, Victim Identified,” …
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2020
A Daytona Beach, Florida woman, Lauren Sherriffs, was arrested and charged with child abuse after a minor in her care shot himself in the foot with a .40-caliber handgun. The boy found the gun in a closet and was attempting to unload the gun went it off. Initially, the boy told police that he was …
MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020
A 20 year-old Rio Communities, New Mexico man was airlifted to the hospital after suffering injuries from a close range shotgun blast in his own home. The round was fired by the man’s 12-year old brother. The shooting was found to be “negligent/accidental in nature.” The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department was notified. …
SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 2020
Gringo Tacos + Burgers Restaurant In St. Louis, Missouri closed early on Sunday after an employee of the restaurant accidentally shot and killed himself while changing clothes in the bathroom. Police said the shooting is not suspicious. It is unclear whether the restaurant prohibited guns on the premises. Employees declined to comment, stating that the …
SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2020
An Anderson County, South Carolina man accidentally shot himself in the lower leg while unloading his handgun in the parking lot outside a gun show. The show does not allow loaded guns on the premises. The man was taken to the hospital for treatment. Source: Grant Garland, “Man Accidentally Shoots Himself at Gun Show in …
FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reported today that there were 11 hunting accidents across the state in 2019, including two that resulted in deaths. The year 2020, however, started badly when hunter Kim Drawdy and his 9-year old daughter were mistaken for deer on New Years day and accidentally shot by other hunters. …
THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2020
An accidental shooting on Long Island, New York today was blamed for one injury and a multi-vehicle crash that injured four others. A 25-year old Plainview man was cleaning a firearm in his home when it discharged, hitting a 17 year-old who was with him in the neck. As the 25-year old rushed the teen …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020
As the clock struck midnight on New Years eve, 61-year old Philippa Ashford was struck and killed by a stray bullet in Harris County, Texas. Police believe that the round was fired in celebration of the new year by an unidentified person in the neighborhood. The shooter was not a member of Ms. Ashford’s family. …
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
In Savannah Tennessee, 86-year old Lawrence Smith accidentally shot himself in the leg while sitting in his car outside a gun store. Police administered aid, but Mr. Smith later died of his wound at the hospital. Source: Eyewitness New Staff, “Police: Man Dies Following Accidental Shooting,” WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News (December 31, 2019).
MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2019
18-year old Jacarie Mozell accidentally shot and injured himself in Ocala, Florida today. According to witnesses, Mr. Mozell was putting a gun in his waistband when it discharged. At the time of the report, Mr. Mozell was recovering at a local hospital. Source: Austin L. Miller, “Ocala PD: Injured Man Apparently Shot Himself,” Ocala Star …
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019
A 13-year old boy was killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma while passing around a gun with his friends. The wound was self-inflicted. The gun belonged to the parents of the boy who was shot. Police say the magazine was removed, but that there was a bullet in the chamber. “Parents do not educate their children enough …
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2019
At a gun range in Oak Forest, Illinois, a boy was struck in the abdomen by a bullet. He was in a showroom at the range with his father when someone accidentally discharged a gun and the fired round ricocheted and hit him. The boy’s injuries are not expected to be life threatening. Source: Alice …
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019
At the Fashion Square Mall in Saginaw Township, Michigan, a 29-year old man accidentally shot himself in the leg. According to police, the man was shopping at Victoria’s Secret. When he went to put his wallet in his back pocket, his pistol discharged. Source: Michael Percha, “Accidental Shooting at Fashion Square Mall Injures One” NewsRadio …
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2019
A Florence, Alabama man accidentally shot himself in the parking lot of a sporting goods store. At the time of the shooting, he was on his way to buy a holster. After the man, who was not identified, was airlifted to a hospital in Huntsville, police said he had lost a lot of blood but …
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2019
In Buna, Texas, “a tragic end to Christmas left the town shaken.” 15-year old James Johnson was shot and killed when a 9 mm pistol was accidentally fired by his 10-year old brother. A cousin, 19, had brought the gun to Johnson’s home and the teens were passing it around, believing it to be unloaded. …
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2019
Less than two weeks after 15-year old Bradley Hulett was accidentally shot to death (see entry for December 12, 2019), another Tampa, Florida area teen was shot and killed in a gun accident. 13-year old Steven McQueen was accidentally shot and killed by a sibling. Comments on the newspaper’s Facebook page include the following: Alfred …
MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2019
A Carlisle, Ohio high school junior was accidentally shot in the face Monday evening at a friend’s home. The girl was shot through the left cheek with a .22 caliber handgun and the bullet is lodged behind her left ear. She is expected to survive. At the time of the incident, the teenager who shot …
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2019
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 …
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2019
In San Antonio, Texas, police are investigating after 7-year old Jeffrey Taylor found a gun in his home this morning and shot himself while his family was sleeping. The child was pronounced dead when authorities arrived. The adults in the family are weapons trained and did not know why the gun was unsecured. Source: Gerald …
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2019
A Davie, Florida police officer shot himself in the hand while attempting to shoot at a dog that was charging at him. The dog was grazed by the bullet and is said to be OK. Source: “Davie Officer Shoots Himself While Attempting to Shoot Charging Dog,” 7 News Miami (December 20, 2019).
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2019
In Philadelphia, PA, a 3-year old boy shot himself in the hand after he grabbed a gun when his father opened a gun safe. He was recovering at the hospital. Source: Dan Stamm, “Child Shoots Self After Grabbing Gun from Father, Police Say,” 10 Philadelphia (December 19, 2019).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2019
A Harwich, Massachusetts police chief appealed a court decision that restored Jeffrey Gomes’ Massachusetts license to carry a firearm. The license had been restored by the Court even though Gomes had accidentally fired his gun while holstering it during Harwich’s Pilgrim Masonic Lodge corned beef dinner. The bullet passed through the floor of the lodge …
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2019
A 15-year old Jasper, Georgia boy was struck by shrapnel at a Walmart when Pickens County Sheriff Donnie Craig’s pistol accidentally discharged during a “Shop with the Sheriff” event at the store. The boy’s injuries were minor. According to the Sheriff’s office, the gun was in the sheriff’s waistband went it went off. The bullet …
MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019
A 13-year old boy is facing unspecified charges in Perkins Township, Ohio after he shot and killed Benjamin LeGresley, an 8-year old. The Assistant Police Chief for Perkins County called it “a tragedy for the family and for the entire community. You don’t see things like this every day.” The incident occurred in the home …
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2019
A twenty-year old Pontiac, Michigan man was arrested after accidentally shooting his 13-year old cousin in the neck. The bullet lodged in the boy’s chest, though he was stable and expected to recover. Deputies said the 20-year-old had been playing with a .380-caliber pistol when it discharged. Source: Derick Hutchinson, “Pontiac Man Accidentally Shoots 13-year-old …
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2019
A Pataskala, Ohio girl was shot and killed by her 6-year old brother on the day after her second birthday. The boy had found a loaded gun in the home. A newspaper obtained the transcript of the call to 911: “There’s been an accident with a weapon. … My daughter’s been shot with a gun,” …
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2019
15-year old Bradley Hulett was shot and killed in Lithia, Florida at the home of his friend, the son of a Tampa police officer. A group of four teenage boys was present at the time of the shooting. According to a subsequent news report about the investigation, some of the boys found the gun in …
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019
A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a woman was shot in a parked car when her toddler pulled the trigger on a loaded gun. After being taken to a local hospital, the woman was expected to recover. No further information is available about the circumstances of the accident. Source: Associated Press, “Woman Accidentally Shot by Toddler in …
Child Death (18 and Under) Child Under 18 (as Shooter) Juvenile Arrested Ongoing Investigation Pennsylvania
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2019
Murder charges were dropped today in a case involving 18 year-old Fayaadh Gillard, a Philadelphia high school student who fatally shot his twin brother, Suhail, in a tragic accident. Their father, Alleem Gillard, who is paralyzed from the waste down due to his own exposure to gun violence, was teaching the twins, from his wheelchair, …