Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Four children, aged 16 and under, were unintentionally shot and killed today. In Escambia County, Florida, one-year old Kacey Bass was shot and killed and her two-year old sister was injured by an eight-year old who was playing with his father’s gun. According to the report, the boy took the gun from his father’s closet …
In Charlotte, North Carolina, a one-year old girl was shot and killed by her 7-year old brother, who also injured himself. According to a neighbor, a friend had come to visit and had left the loaded gun used in the incident in her purse. “He’s seven. He might have thought it was a play gun,” …
In Chicago, Illinois, Cecilia Thomas, a six-month old girl was shot and killed in her car seat when someone opened fire on her father’s car. According to the report, the shooter is believed to be a woman. Police are investigating. Source: “6-month-old Baby Girl Shot in the Head and Killed,” Chicago Journal (June 24, 2022).
In Muskegon, Michigan, an unidentified 63-year old man was shot dead when a 35-year old accidentally fired a round in a neighboring apartment. The round passed through at least one wall. The 35-year old is in custody and there is an ongoing investigation. Source: Karie Herringa, “Muskegon Man Hit, Killed by Bullet Fired From Adjacent Apartment,” foxonline.com …
A two-year old New Orleans, Louisiana boy found a loaded gun and used it to shoot and kill himself. His parents have been detained for questioning but no charges have been filed. “Everyone has a constitutional right to carry a weapon of course, but we need to do so responsibly,” said New Orleans’ police chief. …
At least three children were injured in gun accidents today. In Wichita, Kansas, a ten-year old boy was hospitalized in critical condition when his father accidentally fired his new gun when he was unloading it to put it in a gun safe. There is an ongoing investigation. Police are looking for a Waterbury, Connecticut man …
After some boys in Rockford, Illinois broke into an abandoned house, a “gun accidentally went off” and a 15-year old was shot in the foot. How the boys got the gun and the circumstances of the accident are not reported. Authorities did not say whether anyone will be charged. Source: John Clark, “Rockford Boy Shot …
Taniya Jones, a Washington, DC sixteen-year old was shot and killed in an incident that police blamed in “negligent weapon handling.” The specific circumstances of Taniya’s death have not been reported. Taniya was the eldest of three sisters and a rising high school junior who dreamed of becoming a pediatrician. “She was a full-of-life, sweet …
Witnesses to a Duluth, Minnesota bar fight and surveillance video confirms “that two men were fighting two other men when a gun fell out of a man’s waistband. When a bystander attempted to grab the gun, it fired and the victim was shot in the foot.” The shooting remains under investigation but police say “there …
A West Memphis, Arkansas two-year old was killed and his mother was injured today in a drive-by shooting. The police do not believe that either was an intended target. “It’s always tragic to her when a little one has been the result of a community violence, and that’s one of the reasons why we’re trying …
A pair of three-year olds were injured as the unintended consequence of gun violence today. Both were shot when rounds were firing into cars in which they were traveling. In Chicago, Illinois, the toddler was shot in the leg and is in good condition. There are no suspects. In Goldsboro, North Carolina, Tyrik Joyner, age …
Eric Joseph Adams of D’Iberville Mississippi called police after his rifle discharged “unexpectedly” while he was putting it away. The round tore through the door of a neighboring apartment and struck and killed Stayvia Leone Hood, age 23. Adams was arrested and charged with manslaughter. “It’s just horrible, just horrible,” the local police chief said. …
Torqavious Johnson, age 18, of Greer, South Carolina, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter when he picked up a handgun that had fallen on the floor and attempted to return it to 17-year old Dalorian Tyler. According to witnesses, the gun was pointed at Tyler and discharged as Johnson handed it to him. Tyler …
Four people were injured today, including three children, by shots fired indiscriminately into their homes from the street. All were presumably innocent bystanders. In Meridian, Mississippi, an elderly woman and a five-year old child were victims of a drive-by shooting in which rounds passed into their home. Police are investigating. Both are expected to survive. …
At least five children were killed or injured today as unintended consequences of other people’s gun violence. The grim toll: Mariyah Lacy, age 5, of Jackson, Mississippi, was killed when her mother’s ex-boyfriend shot into her mother’s car in an argument over money. Mariyah’s two siblings were uninjured, but her mother was grazed by a …
An 18-year old woman accidentally killed 15-year old Achilles Lopez today while handling a gun inside a Pembroke Pines, Florida home. Police called the shooting unintentional but negligent. Lopez’s sister posted to social media Monday, writing, “[w]ords cannot explain how much I miss you. Fly high you beautiful angel…” Source: Vanessa Medina, “Family Member Handling …
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 …
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. …
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 …
In a complicated scenario, a Houston, Texas teenager, Julio Arnoldo Orsorio Saca, age 18, is charged with murder and aggravated robbery after he accidentally shot his co-conspirator at the outset of a planned robbery. The report of the accident is as follows: Investigators were advised that the deceased male and Osorio Saca were in the …
Cayden Williams, age 10, of Cleveland, Ohio, was shot and killed in his bedroom when his aunt mishandled a gun in an upstairs room. The bullet passed through the ceiling and struck Cayden in the head. Police said the round went through the floor and ricocheted off a mirror before striking Cayden. Cayden’s aunt was …
In Mount Croghan, South Carolina, a 15-year old accidentally shot and killed her 15-year old boyfriend while the two children were playing with a gun. The girl has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. “Looked like they were playing with a gun, handgun, and the gun went off, the safety somehow went off …
Trent Byerly, a Des Allemands, Louisiana 19-year old, was handling a gun inside a car when it accidentally fired. The round struck him in the chest and killed him. Two of his co-passengers were arrested for obstruction of justice. An eight-year old Chicago, Illinois girl was accidentally shot by a 12-year old neighbor in her …
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 …
On Memorial Day, two women were shot inside their homes as a result of gun violence occurring outside. In Queens, New York, 72-year old Margaret Henry, a grandmother and a retired librarian, was struck in the arm by a bullet fired outside. She was in bed watching television at the time of the incident, having …
A 14-year old Decatur, Illinois boy was accidentally shot in the neck while at home with a 15-year old and an 8-year old. Several adults were also present. The boy’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Despite identifying the incident as accidental and having a variety of likely witnesses, police have not yet described …
Gabriel Hojnacki of Grand Rapids, Michigan, age 13, was playing with a gun with a friend when he was accidentally shot and killed. According to his family, “Gabe loved fishing, biking and his five siblings.” The boy who fired the gun was taken into custody. George Gross, the grandfather of the alleged shooter said “it …
Among ten shootings reported in 24 hours in Portland, Oregon, there were at least two that involved innocent bystanders. In one, the victim was in bed asleep when she was struck by a round fired in an altercation outside. The extent of the woman’s injuries was not reported. In the other, a woman getting out of a …
Back in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where gun accidents involving children appear common, two children found a loaded gun in their home. A four-year old was shot and injured, but is in stable condition at the hospital. The children’s uncle, Kiante Hawkins, was arrested and charged with negligence. Police determined that he had left the gun …
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 …
This page is intentionally left blank in memory of the dead and injured in the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting.
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 …
For the second time this week, a Phoenix, Arizona teenager accidentally shot a teenage friend today. In the latest incident, Sergio Lopez Ruiz accidentally shot his friend Brian Lujan, also 18, while the two were handling Lopez Ruiz’s gun. Lujan died at the hospital and Lopez Ruiz has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. On …
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 …
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 23-year old Kendrick Wilson was shot to death by 26-year old Deangelo Coleman while Coleman was allegedly playing with a gun. Coleman was arrested and charged with negligent homicide. The shooting was reportedly just one of three in Baton Rouge today. A Lexington, Kentucky firefighter who was chasing a “squatter who …
In Chicago, Illinois, a seven-year old took a gun to school in a backpack and it “accidentally discharged while in a classroom.” The gun was reportedly still in the backpack when it discharged. Another child suffered a graze wound to the stomach. The child’s mother, Tatanina Kelly, was arrested and charged with three misdemeanor counts …
Savannah Holmes, an Ankeny, Iowa four-year old shot herself in the face with her father’s gun. She later died at the hospital. According to the police, Savannah’s father responded to people pounding on the door by getting a gun and leaving it on the couch while going to get his son. Savannah got out of …
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, …
In Palo Alto, California, two young men were shot and injured in a ghost gun accident. One was struck in the hand and the other in the leg in a local shopping center parking lot when a gun went off while they were smoking marijuana in a truck. A bloodied and loaded handgun with no …
In Wellsville, Ohio a 14-year old boy found a gun in a closet in his home and removed the gun lock. He accidentally fired the gun and shot himself in the stomach. According to police, he was using his cell phone when the gun went off. The boy is expected to recover and may face …
Ashley Cronan of Waterloo, Iowa was accidentally shot in the leg in an incident that, according to police, involved a convicted fellow behaving irresponsibly with a gun. Roy Stewart was arrested after the incident and charged with illegal possession. Cronan was an innocent bystander. “Detectives investigating the shooting interviewed several witnesses confirming that Stewart sustained …
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.” …
A four-year old Dutton, Alabama boy accidentally shot and killed himself after apparently finding a loaded gun in an unspecified location. He was airlifted to a hospital where he died of his wound. No further information has been reported. Andre Sharp, a 29-year old Dallas man, surrendered to authorities after unintentionally shooting and killing an …
In St. Louis, Missouri, a three-year old is in critical condition at the hospital after he grabbed his babysitter’s gun from a mattress and shot himself in the head. The child’s mother was at work at the time of the incident. A 22-year old was arrested and charged after the incident. “It was the irresponsibleness. …
A 12 year-old Valdosta, Georgia boy is dead and a 16-year old has been arrested after the two stole five guns from vehicles over the course of a single night. The two boys were apparently playing with their recently stolen guns when one of them went off while being held by the 16-year old. The …
Five more children were killed or injured in gun accidents today. In Katy, Texas, a four-year old boy died after being shot in the head by his nine-year old brother today with his uncle’s Glock. The uncle, Franciso Lupian, had brought the gun into the home and showed the boys how to use it. He …
Two children were killed and two were injured by unintended gun violence today. In Shreveport, Louisiana, 13-year old Landry Anglin was shot and killed as an innocent bystander when a round was fired from a vehicle in a rolling gun battle. Landry was a middle school student and was inside a home when she was …
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 …
A five-year old Middletown, Ohio boy left at home with his 14-year old brother and two other kids found his father’s loaded 9 millimeter pistol in a bedroom and shot himself in the leg. As a result of the investigation, Fernando Enamorado, 31, was charged with “felony endangering children.” According to the report, the boy’s …
In Piqua, Ohio, three police officers returning from the range after qualifying with their service weapons were struck by shrapnel when a gun discharged while it was being cleaned. All three officers were taken to the hospital. The officer who was cleaning their gun apparently did not know the gun was loaded. According to 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 …
Gun accidents occurred all over the country today. In Henrico, Virginia, a 7-year old found his father’s loaded gun and shot himself. His injuries are not considered life-threatening. The boy’s father, Landin Lewis, Sr., was arrested and charged with allowing his son to access the gun. In Somerville, Massachusetts, a police officer shot himself while …
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 …
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 …