Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Two children were accidentally shot and killed by older siblings in their homes today. A third child, age 8, found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself. A 12-year old Baton Rouge, Louisiana child was arrested and placed in juvenile detention after admitting that he accidentally shot and killed his four-year old sister. …
Three children shot and killed themselves today with loaded guns they found in their homes. In each case, few details were reported. In Smithfield, Utah, a five-old and his family returned from a camping trip on Tuesday night and left their camping gear in a downstairs room. The boy came downstairs early on Tuesday morning …
Columbus, Ohio police urged residents to take advantage of a free gun lock program after a 5-year old girl found a loaded gun in her home and shot herself in the head. She died at the hospital. Columbus appears to be a city where gun violence involving children is common. The City of Columbus recently …
Children were unintentionally injured in Indiana and Wisconsin today. The Indiana shooting occurred in Evansville, where a parent who was unloading his firearm accidentally shot his own six-year old child in the leg. The round passed through a wall before striking the child. In Milwaukee, an eight-year old was shot. Police are investigating, but have …
A San Antonio, Texas woman who heard gunshots and retrieved her gun to protect herself shot herself in the leg while putting the gun away. She was taken to the hospital in stable condition. Source: “Woman Hears Gunshots, Pulls Out Gun for Protection, Shoots Herself Putting Gun Away,” News4SA (July 29, 2021).
Once again, the focus today is on the rash of gun violence affecting American children. Three toddlers were shot in apparent gun accidents today. At least ten teenagers were also killed or injured in eight shootings across the country. Two four-year olds and a three-year old were involved in gun accidents that were barely covered …
At least eight teenagers were injured in eight separate shooting incidents in the United States today. In light of minimal reporting, the circumstances of most of the incidents remain murky. Teens were shot in Chicago and Decatur, Illinois. The other incidents occurred in Iowa, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Delaware. As reported, the incidents …
In High Point, North Carolina, a four-year old boy found a gun underneath a couch cushion and shot himself in the head. He later died at the hospital. His mother, Jasmine Eagan, has been charged with felony child abuse. Several adults were in the home at the time of the incident. According to the report, …
A 6-year old child was killed and two teenagers were injured in accidental shootings today. Again, minimal details were reported. The 6-year old, Charles Garza or Amroy, Mississippi, was killed in a gun accident in his home. No details were reported other than that his father, Justin Garza, is a fire fighter. A Go-Fund-Me page …
One child was killed and three were injured in accidental shootings today. In each case, reports of the incident contain minimal details. In Dallas, Texas, 17-year old Chadrick Good was shot and killed by a 16-year old who accidentally fired a gun while sitting behind Good in a vehicle. The 16-year old has been charged …
In Pensacola, Florida, a patron of O’Reilly’s Uptown Tavern pulled a gun to show it to other patrons. The incident was apparently caught on video. When he mimed an attempt to return the gun to a shoulder holster, it went off, striking him in the upper torso. “I don’t know if he was pretending to …
In Little Rock, Arkansas, a three-year old found a loaded gun and shot himself in the eye. The boy is in critical condition at the hospital. There was no discussion in the article about how the boy obtained an unsecured loaded gun or about why manufacturers are allowed to design guns that a three-year old …
In Westport, Massachusetts, an off-duty police officer shot himself in the thigh with a .40 caliber round while training with his gun at a local firing range. According to the report, the incident occurred while he was “putting in or taking his gun out of the holster.” The officer’s injury was described as “minor” but …
For the second time this month, a Sumner County, Tennessee child was killed in a gun accident. In this case, which occurred in the small town of Westmoreland, the sheriff’s office announced only a fatal accident involving the death of a six-year old child. The office stressed that the incident was “purely accidental” and declined …
In Hickory, Mississippi, a three-year old found a loaded gun in the glove compartment of his family car and shot and killed himself while his parents were inviting people to a revival meeting. The boy’s parents were not charged. The local sheriff called the incident a “horrible accident.” No other details were reported. Sources: “Newton …
In West Jordan, Utah, a 13-year old boy was accidentally killed by his 15-year old friend. According to police, the two had snuck out in the middle of the night with a handgun and were “messing around with it” in a church parking lot. “At some point, the 15-year-old accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting and …
A 22-year old was killed and three children were seriously injured in gun accidents today. In Dunmore, Pennsylvania, 22-year old Tyler Sitar was accidentally shot in the stomach by his friend Luigi Lorusso, who was handling a gun. Sitar died of his wound and Lorusso was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Another Columbus, Ohio child, …
Jason Smalley of Athens, Texas accidentally shot and killed his friend Stoney Conley in the mistaken belief that he was acting in self-defense. The two men were smoking meth together when they heard a suspicious noise. Smalley went to fetch his .22 caliber rifle and aimed at a person he could only see from the …
In Wichita, Kansas, a three-year old found a gun and shot herself and her father while he was sleeping. The girl was struck in the hand and her father was struck in the leg. Both were treated at the hospital. Police are investigating how the firearm was stored. During the investigation, three other children have …
According to Maple Heights, Ohio police, 5-year old Princeton Patterson found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the head. They found him dead at the scene. There is an open question about whether an adult will be charged for failing to properly secure the gun. A local law professor says state …
Two Tennessee children were unintentional victims of gun violence today; an 11-year old was killed and a 5-year old was injured in separate incidents. In Memphis, Tennessee, a single gunshot inside an apartment complex struck and killed an 11-year old, according to neighbors. Police are investigating. “It’s overwhelming, overwhelming, you know what I’m saying,” said …
In Newton, Kansas, a 14-year old girl was shot and killed by a drunk 16-year old boy while hanging out with friends. The intoxicated boy apparently was waving a gun around and pointing it at members of the group when it went off and the girl was shot. The report does not provide information about …
In a chaotic incident, a Chicago, Illinois man appears to have accidentally shot his girlfriend, the mother of his two children, while futilely trying to defend himself after a minor traffic accident. The accident occurred during Chicago’s Puerto Rico day parade on June 19, but the circumstance are just being reported today. The man, Gyovanni …
Two more children died in gun accidents today, a seven-year old girl and a five-year old boy. In Heber City, Utah, a man who was described as “incredibly intoxicated” fired a gun through an apartment wall. The round struck a seven-year old girl in the next apartment and killed her. Christopher O’Connell, age 34, was …
Two children were killed in gun accidents today, a baby boy and a 16 year old. In Jackson, Mississippi, one-year old Jordan Bradfield was struck in the head by a bullet fired by a 14-year old who was handling a gun. Jordan died at the hospital. No charges have been filed. The 16-year old was …
Two people died today in apparent gun accidents. In Goodlettsville, Tennessee, police found 8-year old Brayden Bowling in his home, suffering from an apparent accidental gunshot wound. No specifics of the incident have been reported, including whether the boy found a loaded gun and shot himself. Brayden later died at the hospital. The principal of …
A four-year old and a three-year old apparently found guns and shot themselves to death today. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a four-year old found a gun in the family car and shot himself in the head. He died at the scene. At the time of the incident, which occurred in a parking lot, the boy’s …
Adam L. Carroll of Lenexa, Kansas, died today after his friend negligently fired a gun inside an apartment building. The shooter, who was not identified, immediately called 911 and attempted life-saving measures. There is an ongoing investigation. “I just hope it was an accident and, at the end of the day, they just get down …
Although there were many hundreds of incidents of gun violence on Independence Day, there were thankfully no deaths clearly associated with celebratory gunfire. However, several people were injured in such incidents across the country. Also today, a six-year old Knoxville, Tennessee boy found a gun and shot himself to death. In Raleigh North Carolina, Alexandria …
At least three toddlers and two teenagers were injured in gun accidents today. The reported details of most of the incidents are limited or murky. In Birmingham, Alabama, a two-year old apparently shot himself inside a vehicle at a gas station. The news story implies that the child found a gun in the car, perhaps …
In Moore, Oklahoma, a 19-month old baby was taken to a local trauma center with an accidental gunshot wound that occurred, according to his family, when a gun “fell off a dresser and discharged.” The baby was shot in the abdomen. The family is cooperating and no charges are contemplated. “It’s sad and our prayers …
For the second time in less than a week, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ten-year old has died in a gun accident. In the latest incident, a 10-year old girl was found to have suffered a wound to the head in West Philadelphia. She died at the hospital. “Less than one week after meeting with family in …
Devonte Carter, Jr., a four-year old, found his father’s loaded gun and accidentally shot himself to death in Jennings, Missouri. His father, Devonte Carter, Sr., age 25, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm and is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond. Source: “4-year-old Jennings Boy …
Michelle Cummings, a Houston mom visiting Annapolis, Maryland to drop off her son at the Naval Academy was killed as an innocent bystander when someone opened fire near the hotel where she was staying. She was on the patio of the hotel at the time of the shooting. Apparently the round that killed Ms. Cumming …
Four kids were killed or injured as innocent bystanders to other people’s violence in three incidents today. In Statesville, North Carolina, an eight-year old girl was killed and a nine-year old boy was injured when a gunman pulled up at their home in a car and started shooting. The children happened to be caught outside. …
In Manhattan, New York, a newly commissioned off-duty New Jersey trooper accidentally fired a round on a Penn Station train platform while adjusting his holster. He shot himself once in the leg and was treated at the hospital. No word about whether the gun had a manual safety and whether it was deployed. There …
A three-year old and a ten-year old died in gun accidents on opposite sides of the country today when they found loaded guns in their homes. In Fresno, California, 3-year old Bryson Vang found his father’s loaded gun and shot and killed himself. His parents and siblings were home at the time. The gun was …
A child, believed to be 6 or 7 years old, shot themselves in their Burbank, Illinois home today, sometime in the mid-afternoon. No details of the circumstances of the accident were released. In Milton, New Hampshire a 32-year old man was shot in the head by his 8-year old nephew while hunting chipmunks. “It’s not …
A Hopkinsville, Kentucky 15-year old was critically injured in a gun accident today. He was hospitalized locally with critical injuries, but was expected to be transferred by helicopter to Nashville for further treatment. No details of the circumstances of the accident were released. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a city riven by recent gun violence, a 12-year …
In Surry County, North Carolina, two Sheriff’s deputies were injured due to “accidental discharge of a firearm” during a training exercise at a local firing range. Both deputies were treated for minor injuries and the Sheriff’s department has opened an internal investigation. Source: Paul Choate, “2 Surry County Deputies Injured by ‘Accidental Discharge of a …
In Detroit, Michigan, three children found a loaded gun in their home. One of them pulled the trigger and accidentally shot and killed a 12-year old boy. The victim’s twin and a 13-year old cousin were present at the time of the accident, but it is unclear who pulled the trigger. No adults were present …
In Houston, Texas, a gunshot struck and injured a six-year old boy inside his home, according to the Houston sheriff. He is in stable condition at the hospital. “They’re just shooting for fun,” said a neighbor. “That’s amazing to me, because they’re shooting to these houses. As a mother, it broke my heart … because …
As gun violence continues unabated across America, a 32-year old Chicago, Illinois man who was simply standing on a sidewalk in Humboldt Park was shot in the back. Also in the park, a 28-year old women was shot in the head while she was driving a car, causing her to crash. Both victims are hospitalized, …
Six women and a toddler were struck by stray bullets in four incidents today. Although the shooters may have had violent intent, all of the women struck were not intended targets. In Aurora, Colorado, numerous shots were fired by two or more shooters outside an apartment complex. Two of the rounds passed into the building. …
Two women were severely injured today when men they were with mishandled guns. An 18-year old Danville, Illinois woman is in stable condition after she was accidentally shot in the chest by her 16-year old boyfriend who mishandled a handgun. The boyfriend was taken into custody on charges of reckless discharge of a firearm and …
In Temple, Maine, a two-year old found a loaded gun in his home and used it to accidentally shoot and kill himself. Other family members were home at the time of the accident. The incident comes just over a month after another Maine two-year old found a loaded Glock piston on a nightstand in his …
In an incident caught on video and later broadcast on local television, a Newbury, Ohio man accidentally shot himself in the face with a pistol at a local gun range. His injuries apparently were not life threatening. In Crowley, Louisiana two teenagers were handling a gun when it discharged. One of them was shot in …
A 14-year old Jacksonville, Florida boy was arrested and charged with negligence after a 6-year old found a gun in a bedroom of his home and accidentally killed himself. Police said the 14-year-old is accused of improperly storing the gun because he had had possession of the weapon earlier that day. The child, 6-year old …
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a 22-year old man was arrested after pointing and firing a gun that he believed to be unloaded. The man, Zachary Shipley, was playing video games with his friend, Christian Price, also 22, and wanted to frighten him. Price was struck in the head and killed. Shipley had taken the magazine out …
In Grande Prairie, Texas, 29-year old Marque Wilford accidentally discharged his firearm inside his apartment. The bullet passed through an apartment wall and struck and killed his 32-year old neighbor. Wilford was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Source: “North Texas Man Arrested For Allegedly Shooting Through Apartment, Killing Neighbor,” 11/21 CBS DFQ (June 14, 2021).
All over the country today, people were injured, in some cases critically, in gun accidents. The available news reports make it difficult to separate those who were engaged in unsafe practices from those who were injured based on lack of safety features on their guns. In most cases, accidents can presumably be attributed to both …
An Atlanta, Georgia three-year old shot himself in the hand when he found a loaded gun in his home. The boy’s mother was in the next room at the time of the incident. The boy is in stable condition at the hospital. And no decision has been made about whether his mother will be charged. …
In Youngstown, Ohio this afternoon, two teenagers were playing with a gun when one of them was shot and killed. Malik Stewart, the victim, was 16-years old. His friend, also 16, was arrested and charged with reckless homicide and tampering with evidence, both third-degree felonies. Fifty people have been shot in Youngstown so far this …
In Americus, Georgia, a 16-year old boy was listed in critical condition after being accidentally shot. He and a group of boys were horsing around with a gun on the back deck of a local home. One of the boys, Jordan Hamilton, age 17, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct. In Waterbury, Connecticut, a …
For the second time this week, a man who believed he was acting In self-defense shot and killed someone in error. In today’s incident, 37-year old Matthew Sharpf shot and killed his best friend, Jonathan Hankins, also 37, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Hankins was knocking on a window of Sharpf’s home when the fatal shot …
Thomas Marrinan, a retired New York transit police officer was shot by a friend, a former corrections officer, when the two attempted to subdue an unruly man during a street fight in Brooklyn, New York. Robert Velasquez, the former corrections officer, accidentally shot his friend when he pulled his gun to end a scuffle with …
In Miami Beach Florida, a Georgia woman accidentally shot her sister in the head while they were filming a video for Instagram. The sisters were riding in a Jaguar SUV at the time of the accident. The woman, Taniyria Akias Holt, age 24, was arrested “on charges of culpable negligence inflicting personal injury and improper …
A good deal has been written about the risks of paint ball weapons and toy guns that are designed to look real. The marketplace has far too many facsimile weapons that can be mistaken as potentially lethal. Police officers frequently report being unable to tell the difference between individuals armed with real guns from kids …
A Mission Bend, Texas woman who went to her daughter’s home after an argument with her husband was shot multiple times by her son-in-law. He believed she was an intruder. According to the report, the 43-year old woman, who had been drinking, was banging on the back door when her son-in-law fired multiple shots through …
In Dallas, Texas a five-year old boy was shot and killed by an eight-year old who found a loaded gun. Authorities announced that they are investigating how the 8-year old got access to the gun. No other details have been released. Source: Jozelyn Escobedo, “5-year-old Boy Dies After Being Shot by Another Child in Dallas …
A Myrtle Beach, South Carolina man showing off a new gun holster to his friend shot himself in the hand while dropping the magazine out of his gun. The man was treated at the hospital. Police found the gun in a filing cabinet and a shell casing on the floor. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a 21-year …
For the second day in a row, a two-year old toddler got hold of and fired a loaded gun. In this instance, a Joliet, Illinois toddler shot herself. According to the local police, she “unfortunately succumbed” to her injuries. No other information is available. Source: “2-Year-Old Child Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound in Joliet, Police …
A nine-year old Canton, Mississippi child is in stable condition at the hospital after his two-year old sister found a loaded gun in the family truck and shot him in the head. Police say that the children’s parents had gone inside a home and had left the children in their truck unattended. The Canton police …
In Wichita, Kansas, two boys were playing with a loaded handgun they had found when it went off, striking both of them. A 12-year old was struck in the hand and a 15-year old was struck in the hand. Both boys are recovering. Wichita police reminded residents that most gun accidents are preventable. They provided …
In Dallas, Texas, a woman who was 8-months pregnant was struck by gunfire while leaving church today. She was an innocent bystander as two groups of men began firing at each other across the parking lot outside the church. The woman was rushed to the hospital where she was treated for a gunshot wound and …
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a man was accidentally shot through an apartment wall when the people next door tussled with a gun. The victim later died at the hospital. The deadly incident originated in domestic violence. Corry Lykes told authorities that he had threatened his girlfriend with a taser. When she then tried to take Lykes’ …
In Dallas, Texas, a ten-year old boy who found a gun in his home accidentally shot himself. His father originally claimed to police that the boy had been struck by a bullet fired by someone else while he was playing in the yard. Police say that there is a chance that charges will be filed …
Details are sketchy about a gun accident that left a person dead in Waterloo, Iowa today. No information about the circumstances of the accident or the age or identity of the victim have been released. The report of the shooting has only the following odd details: “The accidental shooting happened just days after the home …
Once again, multiple children were unintentional victims of gun violence today. One 7-year old was shot by a 9-year old relative. The other three victims were innocent bystanders to intentional gun violence. In Houston, Texas, a 7-year old child was shot by a 9-year old relative who found a loaded gun on the bed in …
After an Oxnard, California 9-year old found a gun in his home and accidentally shot himself, a 17-year old was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and unsafe storage of a firearm. Officers said the child thought the gun, which was easily accessible, was a toy. The boy is in stable condition at the hospital. …
A 15-year old girl died and two children, age 6 and 8, were injured as unintended victims of gun violence today. Destiny Greene, an Albany, New York high school student was an innocent bystander when gunfire erupted at a social event organized via social media. She died at the hospital. “Destiny is the tenth person …
Erik Keith Wood of Fortuna, California, age 42, was arrested and charged with attempted murder today after shooting a teenager who apparently was playing Ding Dong Ditch at Wood’s home. The game involves ringing someone’s doorbell and then running away. The teenager was treated at a hospital for a shotgun wound and released. Source: “Fortuna …
Seven children under the age of six were killed or injured by gunfire today. All of them were innocent bystanders to adult gun violence. In Memphis Tennessee, a one-year old child was shot and killed inside a vehicle. “Our kids are scared to death out there,” a local community group leader said. The other incidents …
In Lakeland, Florida, a man unsuccessfully hid a loaded gun in a couch to keep it away from children while he and a friend watched a basketball game. A 3-year old found it and used it to shoot his two-year old sister. The girl is in critical condition at the hospital. The gun’s owner was …
Day’Shawn Bills, a 12-year old Indianapolis, Indiana boy playing Fortnite was shot and killed today when a bullet passed through a window into his grandmother’s house. The police suspect a drive-by, but have no information about who fired shots or about the intended victim. “I mean it’s just silly for someone to shoot inside a …
In Akron, Ohio, a 13-year old boy accidentally shot a 15-year old girl. The boy was handling a gun in the back seat of a car when it fired. The round passed through a seat and struck the girl who suffered non-life threatening injuries. Also today, more than 10 innocent bystanders were shot in gun …
At a Desoto, Texas Walmart, one person was injured when a concealed weapon carried by another Walmart customer accidentally discharged. The victim was treated at the hospital for injuries that were not considered life-threatening. According to police, the person whose weapon fired left the premises before they arrived. When they tracked down the shooter, they …
At the home of a Helena, Alabama police officer, a three-year old child found a loaded gun and shot and killed a six-year old sibling. The officer was not home at the time of the incident. “This was a truly tragic morning for Shelby County. Our agency grieves with the family of this child. I …
Two young girls were accidentally shot and killed today, one in Arizona and the other in Michigan. In Tempe, Arizona, a four-year old girl found an older sibling’s loaded gun hidden under a piece of furniture and shot and killed herself. The girl’s sibling apparently told police that the gun was placed out of sight …
At a shooting range in Archbald, Pennsylvania, a man was killed when his handgun exploded. Robert Hamm, age 61, handed his pistol to someone else to fire. The other man fired, but the loading mechanism exploded and piece of shrapnel hit Hamm in the chest. Hamm later died at the hospital. Officials believe that Hamm …
For the second time in a week, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin toddler found a loaded gun and shot himself. This time a two-year old is in critical condition. A news report states that a 28-year old woman was arrested in connection with the incident. Just last Saturday, a Milwaukee three-year old found a gun and killed …
In Union, Missouri, a four-year old founded a loaded gun under the couch where his father was sleeping. The boy shot and killed himself. According to the local sheriff, the boy’s father, Scott E. Hilton, Jr., was restricted from having a gun in the home. Hilton was arrested and charged with second degree murder during …
Three people were injured when a Bath, Maine two-year old found a loaded 9 mm pistol on a nightstand in his parent’s bedroom. According to a report of the incident, the boy’s mother “sustained a ‘clean gunshot wound’ to her leg and the father, 25, sustained a minor injury to the back of his head. …
Police in Orlando, Florida are investigating an incident in which a four-year old child found a loaded gun and fired it. These are the available details according to a tweet by the Orlando police: “Upon investigating, officers determined that a 4-year-old child picked up a firearm and accidentally discharged it. The child suffered a non-life-threatening …
In Saint Joseph County, Indiana, a two year-old found a gun and shot himself. Police say the child suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries to his right foot, left leg and left hand and is being treated at the hospital. Police did not say how the child found the gun, but they are seeking at least one …
Six-year old Saryah Perez of San Antonio, Texas was shot and killed in her car seat when “a disturbance happened and shots were fired.” The car that Saryah was sitting in was struck and Saryah, an innocent bystander, was killed. Andrew Elizondo, age 23, was arrested and charged with murder. “It’s a random act by …
A three-year old child in Milwaukee, Wisconsin found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself to death. When the boy’s uncle sought emergency help, a medical assistant who was visiting next door responded. She said the boy’s mother was incredibly distraught. “I can still hear her screaming so I just hope it’s a …
In Escambia, Florida a two-year old was accidentally shot and killed by his mother’s friend, Quentin Wright. At the time of the accident, Wright was putting the gun away at the request of the boy’s mother. They boy, Sebastian Mooney, was struck by a single 9 mm round. Wright was arrested and charged with manslaughter. …
A 17-year old, a 12-year old and a four-year old were injured in gun accidents today. In Rigby, Idaho, a 17-year old was removing his gun from a vehicle while fishing with friends when the gun accidentally fired and he was struck in the chest. He was flown to the hospital and is expected to …
A 34-year old Burlington, North Carolina woman was arrested for failing to secure a firearm “to protect a minor” after a 15-year old boy was accidentally shot. The incident involved three children who gained access to the woman’s gun. The boy was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. In Helena, Montana, a 68-year old …