Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
On election day, two 12-year old boys were accidentally shot and killed in separate gun accidents. In Jackson, Michigan, Brayden Carnes, a middle school student, was at home when a gun that one of his friends had brought to his home accidentally fired. Brayden was shot in the chest. The shooter was also a child. …
At least three children were shot in separate gun accidents today. Two were wounded. One was killed. In Senatobia, Mississippi, a two-year old girl found a loaded gun and shot herself. She is being treated at a local hospital and is in stable condition. The incident is being reported as an “accidental discharge.” It is …
In Clay, Alabama, a teenage girl returning home after 2 A.M. was mistaken for an intruder by her stepfather. She was accidentally shot in the abdomen. Her parents say they “heard the garage door open and thought someone was breaking into the home. The stepfather retrieved his firearm and went to investigate.” After the shooting, …
Two young children were innocent victims of gun violence on Halloween. Both were bystanders when arguments broke out and shots were fired. In New York City, an 8-year old, her father and a third bystander were wounded by gunfire outside a supermarket. All three victims are in stable condition. According to a witness, three gunshots …
A nine-year old and an eight-year old were killed in gun accidents today. The nine-year old shot herself with a weapon found in her Detroit, Michigan home. Two other children 10 and under were home at the time of the incident. However, no adults were present. “We are seeing this too often, please put your …
In Birmingham, Alabama, a 5-year old child was injured after shooting himself in a car with his father’s gun. The boy’s father told police that he left the child in the vehicle while he went back inside, and when he returned “he found the child covered in blood and drove him to the hospital.” He …
Two more young children are unintended victims of shootings that occurred today. One incident occurred in North Carolina, the other in Michigan. Two Mississippi children were unintended victims yesterday. A 22-month old Winston-Salem, North Carolina boy was shot in the stomach inside a minivan. Damien Lopez Rumbo was taken to a local hospital where he …
Three children under ten-years old were shot by accident in separate incidents today. Two of the incidents occurred in connection with drive-by shootings in Mississippi. In the first, in Roxie Mississippi, six-year old Robert London was killed when someone fired into his home for unknown reasons. He was hit in the head. “They went by …
In the tiny town of Somersworth, New Hampshire, two men, Raymond Picard and Joshua Conley, were charged with felonies for accidental discharge of their firearms in unrelated incidents. Somersworth has a total population of just 11,754. In the first incident, a 53-year old man was shot in the chest and taken to the hospital. He …
In Seward, Nebraska, a nine-year old boy died after shooting himself accidentally while pheasant hunting. According to the local sheriff’s office, the boy, Gunnar Holte, was hunting with his father. Gunnar “had fired his shotgun at a bird, then went to reload when his dad heard another shot go off, turned around and saw his …
An unidentified three-year old in Porter, Texas found a gun and shot himself in the chest at his own birthday party. He later died at the local fire station. The boy’s family members were playing cards at the time of the accident. The gun had fallen out of the pocket of someone present at the …
For the second time this week, a woman was mistaken for an intruder in the middle of the night and shot by her partner. In an incident that bears a startling similarity to one reported in Utah on Tuesday of this week, a man was woken by noise in his home and grabbed a loaded …
Two children were accidentally shot and killed today. In Merced, California today, a 5-year old girl was shot and killed by another child who found a loaded and unsecured gun in the home. Her father drove her to the hospital where she died. The girl’s father, Rodney Mathews, left her at the hospital and led …
In Batavia, New York, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were qualifying at the local shooting range when one person was accidentally shot in the leg. The local Sheriff’s department is investigating. Source: Scott Desmit, “Person Shot in Leg at Emergency Training Center,” The Daily News (October 22, 2020).
A Provo, Utah woman is in critical condition after being accidentally shot by her husband. He had woken in the night and mistaken her for a burglar. According to a police detective, ““[h]e had heard some noise in the house, gotten up from bed still tired but he suspected it was a burglar. He grabbed …
Diana Davis of Chester, Pennsylvania was driving home from work when she was killed by a stray bullet fired along her route. Video shows her car then slowly crashing into a utility pole. No arrests have yet been made. “Turn yourself in man. Turn your damn dumb self in. It doesn’t make no sense. That’s …
As a society, we spend substantial resources trying to prevent accidents caused by drunken drivers. Efforts include ubiquitous public service announcements, enhanced criminal and civil penalties, and legal remedies creating potential liability for those selling or otherwise providing alcohol to inebriated people. Many of these efforts are designed to deter drunken driving by the in …
In a Providence, Rhode Island apartment, a woman was struck in the leg by a stray bullet while nursing her baby. The round was fired outside the apartment by an unknown shooter for an unknown reason. It passed through the apartment door and an inside wall before hitting the woman, Asende Mosi. Her baby was …
A 28-year old in Wichita, Kansas was injured when a gun tucked into his waistband accidentally fired. He was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital with a serious injury. Source: Michael Stavola, “Accidental and Self-inflicted Shooting at Towne East Square, Official Says,” Kansas.com (October 17, 2020).
At a virtual arraignment in New York City on Thursday, prosecutors described a gun accident in a Bronx apartment and its consequences: “The defendant carelessly assumed the firearm was unloaded and discharged the firearm, causing a bullet to strike a sleeping child in the abdomen, ripping through her torso and exiting her body through her …
19-year old Hunter Pontus was killed in a gun accident today in York County, South Carolina. An older man was taking apart a gun when it fired. The round passed through the man’s hand and then struck and killed Hunter, who was sitting nearby. There is an ongoing investigation. Source: “Deputies: 19-year-old Killed in Accidental …
Two children under the age of five were involved in fatal gun accidents today. Details are scarce. In Adams Township, Ohio, a four year-old died at the hospital after being shot in the chest. The local Sheriff’s office confirmed that the shooting was an accident. It is not clear who fired the gun and no …
In Montgomery, Michigan, a group of curious toddlers found a loaded gun while their parents were in the kitchen making dinner. One of the kids used the gun to shoot another child, age three, in the neck and face. The three-year old was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. The Michigan State …
In Albert Lea, Minnesota, a man was injured Monday morning in an accidental shooting. He was reportedly shot in the leg in what police describe as a “negligent firing of the gun.” Police logs show that at the time of the accident, the injured man and another person were preparing to go to the gun …
In New Castle, Pennsylvania, at a business called New Castle Brothers Market, a 17-year old accidentally shot his brother in the chest. The victim suffered “serious bleeding” and was taken to a hospital. According to police, the investigation is ongoing. This is the second gun accident in two days involving teenage siblings. Source: Pete Sirianni, …
In Vicksburg, Mississippi, a 16 year-old and his teenage brother were examining a gun when it fired today. The boy was shot in the chest and was taken to the hospital where he is in critical condition. There is an ongoing investigation. Source: John Surratt, “Teen Wounded after Gun Goes Off,” The Vicksburg Post (October …
James Kenneth Lindquester, a Beaverton, Oregon three-year old, found a gun in his home and shot himself in the head. According to authorities, the loaded gun was in a bedside table. James was pronounced dead at the hospital. In Hemet California, a 75-year old woman was accidentally shot and killed by her caregiver as he …
A Cambria, Wisconsin woman was struck by shrapnel in her home and was flown by medical helicopter to a nearby hospital for treatment. According to authorities, the accident occurred as others in her home were preparing to go coyote hunting. Source: Bridget Cooke, “MedFlight Takes Woman from Cambria Residence after Accidental Shooting, Police Say,” Madison.com …
Three children under age 10 shot themselves today. In Chicago, Illinois, three boys left home alone while their father was picking up their mother from the hospital found a loaded gun. One of the boys, a five-year old, accidentally shot his nine-year old brother in the head. The boy, Ashton Lipscomb, died at the hospital. …
There were two reported gun accidents in Tennessee today. In Crossville, a man cleaning his gun at a firepit accidentally shot himself in the thigh. He was flown by “Lifestar” helicopter to a nearby hospital. In Memphis, two young brothers found a gun and one of them was shot in the hand. The boy went …
In Channelview, Texas, a 15-year old boy accidentally shot his 16-year sister in the arm in a hotel room. Both children were listed as runaways. The local family-violence unit will investigate to determine if charges will be filed. Source: “15-year-old Possibly Playing with Gun Shoots Sister in Channelview, Deputies Say,” ABC13 (October 6, 2020).
In Huntington, West Virginia, Roger Martin Stanley, II accidentally shot his nine-year old son in the head. Stanley was walking around his home with a handgun and activating the laser when it fired. The boy was taken to the hospital where he is in stable condition following surgery. Stanley was arrested charged with child neglect …
Accidental shots were fired at a peaceful protest today in Lafayette, Louisiana. No one was struck or injured. The accidental shooting occurred during a protest by the Not Fucking Around Coalition (“NFAC”), an armed black militia group. The NFAC was protesting in Lafayette because of the death on August 21, 2020 of Trayford Pellerin at …
Jo-Jo Flores, a 14-year old Corpus Christi, Texas middle school student was accidentally killed in yet another incident in which teenagers were playing with a gun. 17-year old Ivan Farias was later arrested, imprisoned and charged with manslaughter. “It looks like it was an unfortunate accident between a couple of males, possibly playing with …
In Shishmaref, Alaska, a 12-year old boy was killed in a gun accident on Saturday August, 22, 2020. The best report of his death available on the internet is an incident report issued by Alaska’s Department of Public Safety. It reads, in full, as follows: On 8/22/2020 at approximately 1921 hours, AST received a report …
A six-year old boy was shot by a sibling while sitting in the parking lot of a Family Dollar Store in Dutchtown, Louisiana. He is in critical condition after being taken by MedEvac helicopter to a nearby hospital . No information is available other than that the siblings were sitting together in a car. Presumably, …
The impact of random gunfire on innocent bystanders was felt again today, when Bertha Arriaga, a mother of three boys, was shot and killed in her bedroom in Queens, New York. The bullet passed through a window and struck her in the neck. One of Arriaga’s sons found her bleeding on the floor. “He found …
An 11-year old in Flint, Michigan is in critical condition after a gun accident. At the time of the shooting, the boy was home alone with three other kids ranging in age from 9 to 14. Investigators have not determined who pulled the trigger. “They got a hold of a firearm that was inside the …
In Lucas County, Ohio, the Sheriff’s Office reports that there was an accidental shooting today in Springfield Township that did not result in life-threatening injuries. The victim was taken to the hospital. The police say “there is no danger to the public at this time.” Source: “1 Person Shot in Springfield Twp.; Police Say it …
A two-year old in Bakersfield, California accidentally shot a relative with a loaded gun he found inside his apartment. The unidentified woman is in critical condition at the hospital. “At this point, we are going through all the various interviews and still doing some follow-up investigations as far as where the gun was located, how …
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a 7-month old infant is recovering from a gunshot wound after being accidentally shot by a man who was playing with a gun. There is no indication of the relationship between the man and the infant. Sheriff Deputies say that the incident is being considered an accident at this time. The …
A nine-year old Clayton, North Carolina boy shot his two-year old sister in the head today. The girl was taken to the hospital where she is in serious condition. Police were looking into how the boy found a loaded handgun in his home. Under North Carolina law, the boy’s parents could face charges if the …
In Greenwood, South Carolina, a nine-year old boy found a gun in the center console of the family car today and shot himself. He was taken to the hospital with his parents, where his injuries are not considered life threatening. There is an ongoing investigation, but no arrests have been made. Certainly everyone is lucky …
In Lincolnton, North Carolina, 18-year old Mathew Combs was arrested and charged with second degree murder after the shooting death of 13-year old Gabriel Teems. Teems was shot in the living room of his home and died at the scene. Surprisingly, Teems’ brothers rallied around Combs, a close family friend. They say the shooting was …
Two people were accidentally shot today at a motel in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Neither injury was considered serious. According to police “it was determined after further investigation that the shooting was accidental. Police said others at the scene who were involved in the argument have not filed any criminal charges.” Source: “HPD: Shooting Incident that Injured …
In Okaloosa County, Florida, a 19-year old boy is under arrest for manslaughter after accidentally shooting his 21-year old friend shortly before midnight. The two men were tossing an AK-47 back and forth, believing it to be unloaded, when the 19-year old, Mathew Gunn, pulled the trigger. Hugo Sanchez, 21, died of a gunshot wound …
Three individuals shot themselves in the lower body today in various handgun accidents. A toddler is severely injured, a man is dead, and another appears to have lost his ability to reproduce. A three-year old in Jupiter Inlet, Florida gained access to his uncle’s handgun and shot himself in the thigh and hand. He is …
In Fairview Township, Pennsylvania, a 17-year old boy died in a gun accident at his home today. He was visiting with two friends, age 14 and 15, who were showing him a gun when it discharged. None of the three children apparently knew that the gun was loaded. There is an ongoing investigation. This is …
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, two friends had returned home from a visit to the shooting range when 19-year old Brandon Spratley accidentally shot 20-year old Jermaine Sampson. Spratley was attempting to unload his handgun when the accident occurred. Sampson died at the hospital. Spratley was arrested and charged with negligent homicide. Source: “20-year-old Killed in …
In Eastover, South Carolina, a 12-year old boy was showing a friend a gun that he found in his home when he shot himself in the upper body. The boy was taken to the hospital where he was treated for the wound. Police say two 12-year old boys were home alone at the time of …
For the third day in a row, a child injured himself with a gun found in his home. In this instance, it is a three-year old in Baltimore, Maryland. He was treated at the hospital for a wound to the hand. We continue to need clearer legal requirements for safe storage, better child access prevention …
Two more children shot themselves today with found guns, one in Illinois and one in Oklahoma. In Chicago, a 5-year old boy shot himself in the thigh and was rushed to the hospital after accidentally shooting himself with a gun he found in his home. In Oklahoma City, a 13-year old who was left alone …
Two deaths today occurred when guns were unintentionally fired by young boys. In both cases an older boy accidentally killed a younger child. Both of the shooters are being prosecuted. In a third incident, two boys were injured after shooting themselves with a gun they found in a car. In Canton, Ohio an 11-year old …
Zachary Rock, an 11-year old boy died in a gun accident in Clay Township, Michigan at a “youth deer hunting event.” The boy was shot by his stepfather and died at the hospital. While police were at the scene, the boy’s mother accidentally discharged a gun while attempting to unload it and was struck in …
Twice today, a gun accidentally discharged in public, injuring four people. In both cases, a loaded gun was discharged inside a place of business while being carried by its owner inside his pants pocket. In Camden, New York, at the Grape and Grog restaurant, a police deputy accidentally discharged one round from his gun while …
In Miami, Florida, Pastor Gregory Boyd was an innocent bystander killed when caught between two arguing groups of men firing guns. Pastor Boyd “was known for the high-energy messages he would deliver at New Birth Harvest Outreach Ministries Churches of Deliverance.” Boyd was walking in front of a shoe store at a local mall when …
In Chicago, Illinois, a mail carrier was the innocent victim of a drive-by shooting. She was accidentally shot four times while delivering the mail and is in critical condition. She was struck in the legs, stomach and back of her head by shots fired from one of two cars traveling past at a high rate …
Details are scarce about an incident in which 5-year old Amani Barringer was shot in the neck by her 14-year old brother with an unsecured gun. Amani was home, in Charlotte, North Carolina, with two teenagers age 14 and 15, when she was killed. The 14-year old was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter. An …
In Wichita, Kansas, 18-year old Jeremy Retana was accidentally shot and killed by a child outside a store. 21-year old Christian Concha faces charges of felony murder and aggravated child endangerment because he left a gun in the care of two children while he went into a convenience store. The children were 10 and 9-years …
For the second time in two weeks, a young Cincinnati, Ohio boy found his mother’s loaded gun and shot himself. In this incident, a 6-year old shot himself in the leg. His injuries are not considered life threatening. Once again, the boy’s mother has been arrested. Once again, the report does not indicate how the …
A nine-year old Grand Rapids, Michigan boy “somehow accessed a gun” in his home and accidentally shot himself in the arm. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. No arrests were made. The Michigan Department of State Police publishes a pamphlet which says, in part: Firearm ownership carries with it a responsibility of safeguarding …
In yet another innocent bystander shooting, 14-year old K-Ron Surratt was shot and killed near his home in Emporia, Virginia. K-Ron was getting ready to enter the 9th grade. His mother said, “K-Ron was ‘a very outspoken person, he was fun to be around, he loved to listen to music, he loved to dance,’ as …
A 5-year old and a 4-year old were victims of shootings today as innocent bystanders. The 5-year old was attending a birthday party in Fresno, California when she was struck by a stray bullet fired by one of several people arguing in the neighborhood. According to the report, police do not believe that the 5-year …
In Stokes County, North Carolina, a 6-year old found a gun at home this afternoon and shot themselves to death. The child’s name and gender were withheld as were the circumstances in which they got their hands on a gun. A parent was home at the time of the accident. “I couldn’t believe what had …
13-year old DeAdrian Walker of San Antonio, Texas died when a handgun he was playing with accidentally fired and hit him in the chest. The gun may have been stolen. Several other teenagers who were with DeAdrian at at the time of the gun accident are cooperating with an ongoing investigation. In Cincinnati, Ohio, 16-year …
In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, a 17-year old Native American girl is in critical condition after a gun was accidentally discharged. According to police, Artavius Gregerabdo was handling a gun when it went off and shot the girl in the head. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and reckless discharge. The girl who …
An 11-year old and a 12-year old were involved in gun accidents today. In Lake County, Florida, 12-year old Jeremyah Wyatt found an unsecured gun in his home and accidentally shot and killed himself. “This is that one of those calls that deputies don’t want to ever go to — and paramedics. No one wants …
During a police action in Taft, Texas, a woman was accidentally shot by police. She was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. According to the report, an identified man pointed a gun at police and then retreated into a home. The woman was injured when police then fired into the home. When …
A young child in Virginia Beach, Virginia found a loaded unsecured firearm today, picked it up and accidentally shot himself. The child’s age was not released. His injuries were not considered life-threatening. In Virginia, it is illegal for a person “to recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm in such a manner as to endanger the …
In Evansville, Indiana, nine month old Iowa Meriweather was accidentally shot in the face and killed by her father. At the time of the shooting, the girl’s father was handling a friend’s gun that he had found in a couch while his friend was out of the room. The situation was initially complicated because the …
A 6-year old Cincinnati, Ohio child found a gun and shot himself while his mother slept. His mother, Darnasia McKinney, 26, was arrested and charged with felony child endangerment. The boy was hospitalized. No information about his condition is available. It is unclear how the boy will be cared for upon release from the hospital. …
Two people were injured today when guns were accidentally discharged. In each incident the victim was not in the room where the gun was fired. At John Wayne airport in Orange County, California, a sheriff’s deputy accidentally fired his service weapon at 7 AM this morning. The round penetrated a wall and hit an airport …
A three-year old in Springfield, Illinois apparently found a loaded unsecured firearm and shot himself. The child’s injuries are not believed to be life threatening. This gun accident occurred in the home of a relative who is not the child’s legal guardian. According to the report, the relative was the legally licensed owner of the …
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1-year old Zykier Young was killed inside his home by a bullet fired outside. According to investigators, the shot traveled through a window and then two walls before hitting Zykier. A Pittsburgh police press release stated, “[w]ith a police sergeant driving, two police officers held the baby in the backseat and worked …
In Nyack, New York, two young men were fooling around with a gun in a car when it went off. Darien Brydie, a 21-year old Illinois man died after surgery at a local hospital. Collyer Goodman, an 18-year old from Valley Cottage, New York was arrested and charged with second degree manslaughter. “This appears to …
In San Angelo, Texas, another 2-year old was shot by a young sibling who had found a gun. It is unclear whether the injuries are life threatening. Police and the local child services agency are investigating. No arrests have been made. Source: “San Angelo Police Respond to an Accidental Shooting Incident Involving a 2-year Old …
In a tragic accident in Trenton, New Jersey, a long-time state employee was working on her front porch when she was shot and killed by a stray bullet. Vernetta McCray, 39, was an employee of New Jersey’s department of children and families. Phil Murphy, New Jersey’s governor praised McCray for her dedication and service. “This …
In separate incidents in the nation’s capital, an 8-year old girl and a 5-year old boy were struck and injured by gunfire. The news report also describes recent Washington, DC incidents in which 11-year old Davon McNeal and 17-year old Christopher Brown were struck and killed by gunfire. In each of these incidents, the victim …
A 14-year-old Columbus, Ohio boy shot himself in the hand in a gun accident today. He later told police he was handling “his handgun” when he accidentally shot himself. The boy’s mother was inside the house sleeping when the incident took place. In Ohio, a person must be over 21 to purchase a handgun, but …
Michelle Ansley, a 40-year old Thomson, Georgia woman was accidentally shot by a family member who was cleaning his gun. Ansley was shot in the leg and was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Police are investigating, but gun cleaning accidents are common, especially with certain guns that lack basic safety …
Police in Shreveport, Louisiana are investigating an incident in which a five-year old child was accidentally shot in the leg. According to a report, the gun went off when the child jumped on a bed where the gun was placed. The child suffered non-life threatening injuries. Source: “Shreveport Police Investigate 2 Shootings Monday Night,” KTBS3 …
Continuing a string of horrific accidents involving Indiana children, a 9-year old South Bend boy was shot today, apparently by his older brother. Tre’von Barnett and a group of neighborhood kids were playing with a gun which went off. Responding police found Tre’von dead in the yard. Investigators are attempting to figure out how the …
In Charlotte, North Carolina, 2-year old Amor Cureton shot and killed himself with a loaded handgun in a motel. His father Antonio Cureton was arrested and charged with “involuntary manslaughter, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen firearm and failure to secure a firearm to protect a …
In Brentwood, NY, a town on Long Island, a police officer making an arrest shot at a dog that was charging at him. The gunshot killed the dog, but also struck the person being arrested in the wrist. That individual was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. This is the second incident this …
Allen Merrick, a freshman linebacker at the University of Alabama at Birmingham was killed in a gun accident today in Gadsden, Alabama. Little information is available other than a Gadsden police statement that the shooting was accidental. Merrick was just 19. Merrick was a standout athlete at Gadsden High School. He played in the Alabama-Mississippi …
In Orlando, Florida, 20-year old Deontay Haynes was arrested and charged with manslaughter after he accidentally shot and killed his best friend. The charge is a first degree felony with the potential for up to 30-years in prison. He is being held without bail. According to police, Haynes pointed a gun that he believed was …
In Ottumwa, Iowa, Brian Rainey, an off-duty deputy sheriff for the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed in a gun accident. Authorities say he was shot in the torso. According to the Ottumwa police, the shooting was accidental. They have not said who fired the gun that killed Rainey. Other details of the …
A four-year old Gary, Indiana girl found a gun at 5:00 AM this morning and shot herself in the foot. She is hospitalized in stable condition. Police are investigating the incident as a gun accident and no arrests have been made. Source: David Struett, “Unattended 4-year-old Shoots Self in Foot in Gary: Police,” Chicago Sun …
Two children unintentionally shot and killed others while playing with guns today. Each gun accident involves two shattered lives. In Biloxi, Mississippi, a “deceased male … under the age of 18” was “hanging out at an apartment” with friends when a 13-year old, Jayden Kyshun Frazier, started showing off a gun and pointing it at …
For the second day in a row, a resident of Ohio was killed by a stray bullet. 64-year old Ellen Lakey of Columbus was inside her apartment when she was struck by a round fired in a gun fight outside. A neighbor said, “It happens over here all the time. No one cares until someone’s …