GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2020
In Columbus, Ohio, a 23-month old toddler found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the stomach. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Several adults and other children were reportedly in the home when the accident occurred.
No arrests have been reported.
Source:
“Toddler Taken To Ohio Hospital After Apparent Accidental Shooting,” KDKA 2 Pittsburgh (November 16, 2020).
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2020
In Luther, Oklahoma a 74-year old grandmother was shot in the back and killed in an accidental shooting. Her name has not been released.
According to police, five people were inside the home were the accident occurred. A family member was holding a gun that was believed to be unloaded. The gun accidentally discharged.
There is an ongoing investigation.
Source:
Hicham Raache, “Grandmother Fatally Shot in Luther, Possibly Accidental,” Oklahoma’s News4 (November, 18, 2020) .
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2020
An 11-year old died in a gun accident in Texarkana, Texas today. His death marks the second time this week that a Texas pre-teen died in an accidental shooting. In both incidents, a boy was using a gun belonging to an older sibling.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Roland Toney, the boy shot in the Texarkana incident, had taken his brother’s gun. When his brother attempted to take it back, the gun accidentally fired. An autopsy is in process.
Roland’s obituary runs as follows:
Roland was the sweetest and most kind-hearted child who loved with all his heart. Roland loved Jesus and would pray with his Maw many times. He always talked to his Maw, brother, and sister about so many things and was never afraid to say what he was feeling or thinking. He always made sure to make everyone laugh; he was a true comedian through and through. He brought joy and cheer to all of our hearts daily. His hobbies included camping, fishing, and of course lots of sports. He always enjoyed playing his game console, and taking care of his pets. Most of all, Roland always made sure he told his Maw every day and night “I love you so so so much” and in return he always heard his Maw say the same. Roland is now in heaven with Jesus waiting and smiling!
Source:
“Texarkana Child Dies when Sibling Tries to take Gun Away,” KTBS 3 (November 19, 2020).
Obituary, “Roland Elijah Toney,” Chapelwood Funeral Home (September 30, 2009 -- November 18, 2020).
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020
When a Kansas City, Kansas man lost control of his motorbike and crashed, a gun in his waistband fired and struck him in the hip. He was then also struck by another vehicle whose driver fled the scene of the accident.
Police arriving at the scene discovered a bag of methamphetamine. Although the man’s injuries were not considered life-threatening, he was charged as a felon in possession.
Source:
Travis Meier, “Man with Meth Crashes Bike, Accidently Shoots Self and Gets Hit by Car in KCK,” Fox 4 (November 20, 2020). FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020
Two men and a 10-year old boy were hospitalized with wounds suffered in accidental shootings today. Very little information is available about what happened in any of these gun accidents.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
In Bourne, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, a man was accidentally shot while cleaning his gun. He was hospitalized in Rhode Island with non-life threatening injuries.
A Caldwell, Idaho man suffered injuries from what investigators called a self-inflicted accidental discharge. He was taken to a local hospital.
The 10-year old accidentally shot himself in Phoenix, Arizona. An unidentified woman was home with him at the time of the accident. The boy was hospitalized, but is expected to survive. It’s not clear how he obtained a gun.
Sources:
Beth Treffeisen, “Bourne Man Accidentally Shoots Himself while Cleaning Gun,” Cape Cod Times (November 21, 2020).
“Man Injured in Accidental Shooting at Caldwell Apartment,” KTVB 7 (November 20, 2020).
David Baker, “10-year-old Finds Gun and Shoots Himself, Phoenix Police Say,” azfamily.com (November 21, 2020).
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2020
In Kearns, Utah, 16-year old Roman Karpunin was accidentally shot and killed by his 18- year old friend Kaden Christiansen. Christiansen was arrested and charged with a single count of manslaughter.
According to the arrest report, “Christiansen told police he was ‘mimicking being a police officer and arresting’ the 16-year-old when he pulled the trigger, thinking the gun was on safety and not loaded because he had removed the magazine.” The single round hit Karpunin in the back.
Source:
Jonah Napoli, “Update: Victim Named in Accidental Shooting Over the Weekend in Kearns,” Fox 13 Salt Lake City (November 23, 2020). SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2020
In Houston, Texas, a man who was watching T.V. in his living room was accidentally shot in the face by a neighbor who was cleaning his gun. The bullet went through a wall and a
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021 window before it struck the victim, according to police. The victim was flown to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.
"There's two pistols laying on the table, one is disassembled, the other one has had the magazine removed from the gun," explained a police sergeant. "It's a type of pistol that you basically have to pull the trigger to remove the slide. If you don't sit there and confirm that the chamber is empty, you'll have an accidental discharge. It's actually pretty frequently that happens."
Source:
“Man Shot by Next-door Neighbor Accidentally, HCSO Says,” ABC 13 Eyewitness News (November 23, 2020).
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2020
A hunting accident in Hartford, Arkansas killed 14-year old Newt Hodge and wounded his 21-year old brother. While the boys were loading a deer they had killed into a truck, a rifle leaning on the truck fell and discharged. The bullet passed through Newt and struck his brother Kasey in the shoulder.
Arkansas Fish and Game announced that this is the second fatal hunting accident in the state this year. There were also two fatal accidents last year. The report does not state what type of gun was involved in the accident or explain why the gun discharged without a trigger pull.
Source:
“14-year-old Dead Due to Hunting Accident in Sebastian County,” 5News (November 24, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020
In Forney, Texas, a 14-year old boy was taken into custody after accidentally shooting and killing his 1-year old neighbor at her home. A 9-year old was also injured.
At the time of the incident, four children were in the home. No adults were present.
The 14- year old was charged with ‘Unlawful Carrying Weapons’ and ‘Making a Firearm Accessible to a Child,’ both Class A Misdemeanors.” He was taken to a juvenile detention facility.
Source:
“Juvenile Arrested After Shooting Death Of 1-Year-Old In Kaufman County,” 11/21 CBS DFW (November 24, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020
In a story made more complicated because two witnesses initially lied to police, Devin Black, a resident of Powell, Tennessee, was accidentally killed by a gunshot wound to the head. Two witnesses initially told police that Black had been killed by a “black man in a hoodie” who then ran away. In a search, Police found no signs of any such suspect.
The two witnesses then admitted they had lied and that black had shot himself in the head while playing with the gun. Both were arrested and are being held on a charge of making false reports to police.
Source:
“KCSO: Two Charged for Lying to Officers after Powell Man Found Dead with Gunshot Wound,” 10News (November 27, 2020).
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2020
On Thanksgiving Day, a three-year old in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan found a gun in a bedroom at his home and shot himself in the head. He is in critical condition at a local hospital.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
"There’s really no words to describe it in most cases like this,” said Grand Blanc Township Police Chief Ron Wiles. “These are preventable with taking some precautions."
"We need to be responsible gun owners,” he added. “Have these discussions with your kids, make them aware of what firearms are. But take that next step in properly secure and store those firearms as well.”
Source:
Rachel McCrary, AnnMarie Kent, “Police Chief Stressing Gun Storage Safety after 3-year-old Shoots Himself,” WNEM.com (November 27, 2020).
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2020
For the second day in a row, a three-year old boy found a gun at home and shot himself. Today’s accident occurred in Isbell, Alabama. The boy was airlifted to a hospital where he is in stable condition.
Authorities have not said whose gun the boy found or why he was able to fire it.
Source:
William Thornton, “3-year-old Accidentally Shoots Himself in Franklin County,” Ala.com (November 27, 2020).
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2020
In Hamilton, Montana, 51-year old Steve Burgess died when a rifle accidentally discharged inside a vehicle. Burgess was on a hunting trip at the time of the accident.
His companions drove to meet responders, but Burgess was pronounced dead at the scene. “The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office offers condolences to the families affected by this tragic accident and asks the community to come together to offer support,” said a sheriff’s press release. “The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office would also stress that firearms safety rules can never be relaxed. Always unload firearms before transporting them and control the muzzle at all times.”
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Perry Backus, “Corvallis Man Dies in Hunting Accident,” The Fairfield Sun Times (November 30, 2020).
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020
Four teenagers were accidentally shot today in separate incidents. Three of the teens shot themselves. Two of the incidents, though unrelated, occurred at the same apartment complex in Atlanta, Georgia, just blocks away from where another teen had been accidentally shot last week.
In Augusta, Georgia, a 14-year old boy shot himself in the hip while playing with a gun. He is expected to survive.
The two Atlanta incidents happened in a single apartment complex several hours apart. In the first, a 13-year old girl was struck in the head by a bullet that entered her apartment. She was reportedly alert when taken to the hospital for treatment. Later in the day, a 14-year old boy accidentally shot himself in the leg on the street. The police do not believe that the two incidents were related.
Nor were the two incidents related to an incident that occurred just blocks away last Tuesday, when a 12-year old Atlanta girl was taken to the hospital with a bullet wound after a gun was accidentally fired in the home next door. In that incident, the girl’s neighbor was arrested and charged with reckless conduct.
Also today, in West Lafayette Indiana, 19-year old Dusten Burke shot himself in both legs while handling his roommate’s new handgun. According to the news report, Burke “learned a gun safety lesson the hard way.”
A local sheriff’s deputy said, “[b]efore allowing another person to handle a semiautomatic pistol, … proper gun safety dictates that the piece should be unloaded — the magazine removed — the round removed from the chamber, the slide locked back and the chamber visually inspected. Only then should the other person be allowed to handle the firearm.”
Sources:
Sidney Heiberger, “14-year-old Accidentally Shoots Himself on Tobin Street in Augusta,” 12/26 On Your Side (November 29, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Chelsea Prince, “2 Children Shot in Separate Incidents at SW Atlanta Apartment,” The Atlanta Journal Constitution (November 30, 2020).
Ron Wilkins, “West Lafayette Teen Accidentally Shoots Himself in Both Legs,” Journal & Courier (November 30, 2020).
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2020
Kristen Whitted, a St. Louis, Missouri woman, died alone in her car when she has struck by a stray bullet fired in a shootout between two cars on Interstate I-170. An innocent bystander, she “had no connection to the other vehicles and was caught in the crossfire.”
Kristen’s family released the following statement:
“Kristen always strived for more knowledge, wanting to know more about everything. Never settling on just the surface of a situation. She always got the most out of everything. It showed in her job and her cooking. She never stopped and never settled. Always moving and taking others along with her, it made it easy to open up to her. She was always available and gave an ear to all.”
The people involved in the shooting were gone before police arrived.
Source:
Rachel Rice, “Bridgeton Woman Killed in Crossfire of Gunfight on Interstate 170 was ‘Innocent Victim’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch (December 2, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020
At his home in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, Craig Steven Galford, age 54, was placing a gun in his shoulder holster when it accidentally discharged. The bullet struck him in the left side of his torso and caused a fatal wound.
It is unclear why Galford had a gun at all. According to an earlier news story, he was arraigned in 2019 on 45 felony charges “stemming from alleged sexual assaults of a girl over a period of nearly nine years, from 2003, when the girl was 9 years old, to 2012, when she was 17.” The disposition of those charges is not provided in available reports.
Sources:
Katie Gushard, “Cambridge Springs Area Man Dies after Accidentally Shooting Himself,” The Meadeville Tribune (December 2, 2020).
Mike Crowley, “Police: Sexual Assaults Occurred Over Nine Years,” The Meadville Tribune (July 16, 2019).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020
Another Ohio child died in a gun accident today.
12-year old Lidia Ghide of Reynoldsburg, Ohio was inside her apartment when she was shot in the back. Her neighbor, 42-year old Eric Carpenter, was cleaning a gun when it fired. The bullet passed through Carpenter’s front door and into Ghide’s apartment.
Carpenter was arrested and charged with negligent homicide.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Bethany Bruner, “Police: 12-year-old Girl Fatally Shot by Southeast Side Neighbor Cleaning Gun,” The Columbus Dispatch (December 3, 2020).
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2020
At the St. Lucie Shooting Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, a bullet pierced a barrier and struck a shooting center employee. An off-duty police officer was present at the time. She and another officer applied a pair of tourniquets. The injured man was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.
A police investigation revealed that the employee was behind a barrier while patrons were firing on the range. Police said that a bullet penetrated the barrier and hit the employee in the leg.
In October, in an unrelated incident, two Glock handguns were stolen at the same shooting center. Two men were arrested and a third is still at large.
Sources:
Gary Detman “Bullet Pierces Barrier at St. Lucie Shooting Center, Employee Wounded,” 12 News (December 4, 2020).
Gary Detman “Third Man Sought in Gun Shop Thefts in Port St. Lucie,” 12 News (October 15, 2020).
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2020
At least three children were victims of gun accidents today, two were killed and one was wounded. The accidents occurred in Georgia, California and Ohio.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Five-year old Jada Willingham was killed in Lithonia, Georgia after being shot by another child who found a gun in her home. Police arrested 35-year old Chad Brooks, Sr. whose loaded gun was found and used to shoot Jada in the face. Brooks was charged with second degree murder and cruelty to children.
The shooter was another five year old, Jada's long-time playmate. “I only pulled (the trigger) back a little bit,” the child explained. Brooks was arrested for leaving the gun unattended.
“Even … grown men feel sad and want to cry when they see things like this,” a police officer said. “Her life didn’t get to start yet. Her life didn’t even start,” a neighbor added.
In Bell Gardens, California, two boys were “messing around” with a loaded handgun when it went off. The boys were 16 and 17. The 17-year old was pronounced dead at the scene.
And, for the second time in three days, a Columbus, Ohio area child was shot in an accidental incident. A nine-year old was shot in the head by his 14-year old brother while they were handling a gun. The victim is expected to survive. Police are working to determine how they got a gun.
Sources:
Eric Perry, “Man Charged in Deadly Shooting of Young Girl in Lithonia Home,” Fox 5 (December 5, 2020).
Asia Simone Burns, “5-year-old Killed in Lithonia Home was Shot by Playmate, Police Say,” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (December 8, 2020).
“Two Boys Play with Gun in Bell Gardens; One Shot to Death,” My News LA (December 5, 2020).
“Police: 9-year-old Accidentally Shot by 14-year-old Brother at Columbus Home,” 10 WBNS (December 5, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020
At Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, a city plagued with recent gun violence, police responded to shots fired inside the Neiman Marcus store. Police concluded that “the gunfire was the result of a person walking through the store and adjusting his pants when the firearm he had in his waistband went off.” No one was injured and police have not found the gun owner.
"We urge gun owners to be responsible and we would recommend they leave their firearms at home while they are out shopping in public areas," the department said in a statement. "Instances like this are unacceptable and we expect more from those who choose to carry firearms."
In the last two months, there have been two other incidents of gunfire at Lenox Square including one, in October, inside the Neiman Marcus store.
Source:
Christopher Buchanan, “Saturday Gunfire Inside Lenox Square Result of Armed Man Adjusting Pants, Police Say,” 11 Alive (December 6, 2020).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2020
In Mesa, Arizona, 20-year old Tyler Rascon died in an accident caused by the absence of a magazine safety disconnect. His 21-year old friend, Michael Whipple, is under arrest.
According to a report, the accident is explained in court documents:
“it all started when Whipple, his girlfriend, Rascon, and a witness had returned to Whipple's house at 3 a.m. after going to a party. The witness said Whipple's girlfriend went to bed but the other three stayed up. The witness said Whipple grabbed a handgun out of his nightstand to show him and Rascon. The witness told police that Whipple removed the magazine from the gun and handed it to Rascon saying ‘OK, see it's safe, it's not loaded.’"
Documents state “that the witness turned to look at their cell phone then heard a gunshot. Rascon screamed and fell to the ground. Whipple and his girlfriend began CPR on Rascon and one of the homeowners called 911.”
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Whipple was arrested and charged with one count of manslaughter. Whipple told police that he had just purchased the handgun for his birthday and he wanted to show it to his friends.
Source:
Laura Lollman, “Mesa Police Arrest Suspect for Manslaughter in Deadly Shooting,” azfamily.com (December 7, 2020).
MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020
An 8-year old Oakland, California boy was hit in the leg by a stray bullet while watching television on a sofa at a relative’s home. He is in stable condition after undergoing surgery.
The bullet that struck the boy was fired in a dispute outside the apartment complex. It passed apartment through the door before striking the boy.
The chief of the local housing authority police force said, “[m]y heart goes out to the victim, the victim’s family and the community at large who are contending with firearm-related trauma. These senseless shootings cannot continue.” A $7,500 reward has been offered for information that leads to the arrest of the shooter.
Source:
Harry Harris, “8-year-old Shot at Oakland Apartment,” East Bay Times (December 8, 2020).
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020
Two people were hurt today in another accident that could have been prevented by a magazine safety disconnect.
Two cousins, ages 16 and 21, in Holly Hill, South Carolina were parked in a car when the older boy removed a pistol from his backpack and removed the magazine. Shortly afterward, the mother of the 16-year-old said she heard a “pop” sound and then heard her son “running and screaming, ‘Mom, I’ve been shot!’”
According to investigators, the older boy told law enforcement officers that after removing the magazine he assumed incorrectly the chamber was clear. However, when he pulled the trigger, the fired round passed through both his younger cousin and himself. The
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021 older boy was struck in the hand and his cousin was struck in the shoulder. Neither wound was considered life-threatening.
Source:
Martha Rose Brown, “Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office: Cousins Injured in Accidental Shooting,” The Times and Democrat (December 9, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2020
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a 12-year old girl was accidentally shot in the wrist by a 12- year old friend. When police arrived at the scene, they found the girl with blood dripping down her arm and a sweatshirt tied around her hands.
Witnesses told police that the 16-year old had accidentally shot the girl. That person was taken into custody “for pointing a firearm.”
Source:
K. Querry, “Police Investigating After 12-year-old Shot,” Oklahoma News 4 (December 10, 2020).
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020
In Detroit, Michigan, a nine-year old boy was accidentally shot and seriously injured as his father was checking the chamber on his gun to make it was unloaded. Police arrested the father even as the boy remained hospitalized.
"What we know about this story so far is no doubt it's tragic and it's unfortunate this is something I hear about way too often," said Chad King, a firearms safety instructor and president of the Black Bottom Gun Club. "The basics of firearm safety are to always make sure you treat a firearm like it's loaded and clear it every time you pick it up," King added. "Ancillary and next to that is you make sure you never point a firearm in a direction that's not safe."
Source:
Jack Nissen, “9-year-old Boy Shot by Father in Accident as He Was Cleaning his Gun,” Fox2 Detroit (December 10, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2020
In New York City, a 41-year old innocent bystander was shot in the back by a round that was fired near West 64th Street. He is expected to survive. The shooting took place just a few blocks away from Lincoln Center, a cultural community that has more than five million visitors annually. The round was fired by one of four men in a Chrysler Minivan, which left the scene at the time of the incident.
The injured bystander “was delivering food for the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, an organization that attempts to alleviate hunger by providing healthy food options and supportive services for the community.”
Police are investigating.
Source:
Dean Moses & Robert Pozarycki, “NYC Shootings: Pair Wounded in Upper West Side Drive-by, Two Take Bullets in Brooklyn & Bronx,” AM NY (December 12, 2020).
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2020
In Jackson, Mississippi, a 15 year-old girl was accidentally shot in the neck when she found a gun under a couch. She remains in the hospital in critical condition.
According to a witness, when the girl found the gun, a 14-year old boy attempted to take it away from her and the gun went off. A witness also said that the teens were drinking at the time of the incident.
Source:
WJTV, “Teen Shot in the Neck Saturday Night,” WJTV (December 13, 2020).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2020
Two young people were accidentally shot and killed by friends today while playing with guns.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
18-year old Armani Hall of Louisville, Kentucky was shot and killed by her 21-year old friend Adrianna King. King admitted that she had been playing with the gun. She was arrested and charged with one count of reckless homicide.
In Tollhouse, California, a group of young men were drinking and playing with guns when they decided to shoot each other with rubber bullets. After one of the men was shot with a rubber bullet without incident, 23-year old Bradly Smith donned a military helmet and protective vest. His friend, Elvis Hernandez, accidentally picked up the wrong gun and shot Bradly with a powerful round. Bradly died at the scene.
Hernandez was charged with involuntary manslaughter. “This is just a real cautionary tale, gun safety 101, you never point a firearm at somebody whether it’s loaded or unloaded, even if it’s a fake gun and to basically use somebody as target practice for fun, just not smart at all,” a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said.
Sources:
Sarah Jackson, “Friend Charged in Fatal Shooting of 18-year-old Shot,” Wave 3 News (December 14, 2020).
Angelica Lei Lani, “Alcohol and Gunplay Ends with Fatal Shooting in Tollhouse, Deputies Say,” YourCentralValley.com (December 14, 2020).
MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2020
On the anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, at least four children were killed or injured in gun accidents. Three of the incidents involved guns that were found by the children themselves or by other children. The fourth involved a child who was hit by a stray bullet while walking on the street.
In Cocoa, Florida, a two-year old boy was accidentally shot and killed in his home. According to witnesses, several teenage boys were at the home visiting a friend. A 15-year old was “actively displaying a firearm when it discharged,” police said. The toddler was struck when the gun fired. The teenagers were then seen running from the home.
Police are still attempting to find the 15-year old shooter. “We would certainly like the person who had the firearm to come forward,” a police spokesperson said. “If this was an accidental incident, there are ways to deal with that that we can mitigate.”
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
In Hartford, Connecticut, an eight-year old found a gun and shot himself. He is in critical but stable condition. According to police, “other people were in the home at the time of the incident, but that the child was alone in a room with the firearm.”
In Atlanta, Georgia, a 12-year old boy is in stable condition after an accidental shooting. According to police, “a 12-year-old boy and his 14-year-old brother found a pistol on Sunday. The two boys were playing with the gun and accidentally fired it -- injuring the 12-year-old.”
And in Washington, DC, a nine-year old girl who was walking with a relative near the Anacostia library was struck by a stray bullet. Her injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Sources:
Daniel Dahm and James Sparvero, “2-year-old Shot to Death at Cocoa Home, Police Say,” ClickOrlando.com (December 14, 2020).
Alex Ceneviva, Eva Zymaris, “Hartford PD: 8-year-old in Critical Condition, ‘Appears he Accidentally Shot Himself,’” News 8 WTNH.com (December 14, 2020).
LaPorsche Thomas, “12-year-old Boy Finds Pistol, Accidentally Shoots Himself in SW Atlanta,” 11 Alive (December 15, 2020).
Nick Boykin, “Police: 9-year-old girl shot in Southeast near Anacostia Library,” WUSA 9 (December 15, 2020).
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2020
Children in Michigan, Indiana and Idaho died in gun accidents today.
The Michigan accident occurred in Canton Township. Eight-year old Jack Bennett, an only child, died when a bullet discharged as his father was cleaning a gun. According to his mother, Tammy Snyder, “[i]t was a freak accident. It was supposed to be an unloaded gun and my husband was just doing maintenance cleaning on it like he normally does. There wasn’t supposed to be any rounds in it or anything like that.”
Snyder added that Jack “loved planes, trains, trucks, and said he wanted to be a garbage man when he grew up. He loved going fishing with his dad, loved watching all kinds of movies, especially Nightmare Before Christmas.”
In Fairmount, Indiana, a two year old found a loaded gun and shot himself. HE was pronounced dead at the hospital. The coroner said “it was reported that the toddler located a handgun in the home and discharged it, striking him.”
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
A later news story reported that the 2-year old, Leighton Owings, found the gun, a 9mm Ruger handgun, in another room while his mother was busy feeding his infant brother. "He loves his family and loved life," according to a GoFundMe page seeking funds to pay for the boy's funeral.
In Castleford, Idaho, an 11-year-old girl died Tuesday after a gun accidentally discharged in her home. No other information about the accident was released.
Sources:
Kim Russell, “Mom Blames a Tragic Accident for Shooting Death of her 8-year-old Son in Canton Township,” Fox17Online.com (December 16, 2020).
“2-year-old Boy Dead in Grant County after Finding, Firing Gun,” WISHTV.com (December 15, 2020).
Jeff Truesdell, "Boy, 2, Fatally Shoots Himself by Accident While Mom Feeds His Infant Brother in Other Room: Police," People Magazine (December 18, 2020).
Zac Ezzone, “Castleford Girl Dies Following Accidental Gun Discharge in Home,” MagicValley.com (December 16, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020
In Las Vegas, Nevada, Jasmin Vargas was charged with two counts of “child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm leading to death” after she accidentally shot her 3-year old son. Vargas was a new gun owner who was showing the gun off to her friends in the parking lot of a local apartment complex.
According to a police report, Vargas told detectives that “she didn’t know there was a bullet in the chamber when she brandished the weapon, switched the safety off, pointed in front of her and pulled the trigger.” She also told police that she was surprised when the gun fired because she didn’t know there was a round in the chamber.
A police lieutenant reported that this was the 10th accidental shooting investigated in Las Vegas this year, including an incident Thanksgiving Day in which a 2-year-old child found an unsecured gun and killed a 6-year-old sibling.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Ricardo Torres-Cortez, “Police: Mother Accidentally Shot Son, 3, While Showing off Gun,” Las Vegas Sun (December 17, 2020).
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2020
Aerial Katelynn Brazzell of Hamilton, Ohio was arrested for reckless homicide after accidentally shooting and killing a 16-year old boy at her home. Brazzell, who is 21, was playing with a firearm when she pointed it at the victim, Bennie Boggs, Jr. The gun went off and Boggs is dead.
Boggs ‘”liked to be a funny person and he liked to hunt and was very considerate and helpful to older people,” his grandmother said. “He was lots of fun to be around.” He was planning to join the army.
“You just can’t stress it enough where we tell young kids, we tell our own children, how serious guns are and not to play with guns,” a Hamilton police officer said. “It happens often. We just have to keep educating our young adults, and a gun’s a gun.”
Sources:
“Bond Set for Woman Accused of Fatally Shooting Teen While Playing with Gun,” Fox 19 Now (December 18, 2020).
Lauren Pack, “‘He was Lots of Fun’: Hamilton Teen Killed in Shooting Remembered for Humor, Hopes of Joining the Army,” Journal News (December 19, 2020).
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020
Three guns were accidentally fired today. Three injuries resulted.
In Thomasville, Georgia, a man was moving his friend’s AR-15 rifle at the request of his friend’s grandmother, without knowing that the gun was loaded, when it inadvertently fired. A child was injured. There is no report on the victim’s condition.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
In Knightdale, North Carolina, a man in a car was passing a gun to his friend when it got caught on a seatbelt and fired. The friend was struck in the arm. The two men were smoking marijuana at the time of the accident.
A man traveling with a performing group stopped for gasoline in Pelham, Tennessee. When someone in the car attempted to move a jacket, a gun in the pocket of the jacket went off, striking one of the passengers in the thigh.
It is unclear whether any of the guns involved had manual safeties that, had they been switched on, would have prevented these accidents.
Sources:
Cristi McKee, “Thomasville Police Department Responds to Accidental Shooting, One Minor Injured,” WCTV.tv (December 19, 2020).
Rosalia Fodera, “Police: Knightdale Man Accidentally Shot in Arm by Friend,” WRAL.com (December 19, 2020).
Preston Steger, “One Injured in Accidental Shooting in Grundy County,” WRCBtv.com (December 18, 2020).
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2020
In Little Rock, Arkansas, 18-year old Donte Jones died in a gun accident. The Police report indicates only that a juvenile has been arrested in connection with the incident and charged with manslaughter, tampering with evidence and possession of a handgun by a minor.
Source:
Max Brantley, “Teen Dies in What Police Term Accidental Shooting,” Arkansas Times (December 20, 2020).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2020
In Greenville, South Carolina, there is an ongoing investigation of a gun accident at City Arsenal, a gun store and shooting range, that injured two people. An individual inside the store accidentally fired a shot that struck his own hand and then struck a second man, according to the Sheriff's Office. Both men are hospitalized in stable condition.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Kirk Brown, “Deputies: 2 Hurt in Apparent Accidental Shooting at Greenville County Gun Store,” Greenville News (December 20, 2020).
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020
Three young girls were struck by bullets and injured in unrelated incidents today. Two children were shot in their homes. A third was in a car when she was struck. In each case, it is clear the child was not the intended target of gun violence. No suspects are in custody.
In the first incident, a 6-year old Louisville, Kentucky girl was struck by a bullet that passed into her family’s apartment. The round was fired outside and police do not believe that the girl’s family was an intended target. Police are trying to piece together what happened outside the apartment and who fired the shots. "This seems to be probably exactly what you think it is — a ridiculous consequence of gun violence," a law enforcement officer said.
The shooting caps a record-breaking year in Louisville for shootings. "Throughout this year in our city there have been many, many, many heartbreaking evenings for families across our city," the law enforcement officer said.
In Atlanta, Georgia, a sleeping eight-year old girl was struck by a bullet in her bedroom. She was hospitalized with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Police believe that someone may have intended to harm a member of the girl’s family.
Also in Atlanta, a 7-year old girl was driving with her aunt along Peachtree street when they heard gunshots. “They continued to drive and as they were on Interstate 85, the aunt noticed her niece wasn’t feeling well. That is when she realized the 7-year-old had been shot. The girl is hospitalized after surgery and remains in critical condition.
Sources:
“'Ridiculous Consequence of Gun Violence': LMPD Seeks Leads after Girl Wounded by Stray Bullet,” WLKY (December 22, 2020).
Asia Simone Burns, “8-year-old girl Shot in her DeKalb Bed was not Intended Target,” Atlanta Journal Constitution (December 21, 2020).
“7-year-old in Critical Condition after Hit by Bullet in Shooting Near Phipps Plaza,” WSB-TV 2 (December 21, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2020
Elijah Morin, a 16-year old Lubbock, Texas boy was shot and killed today in a gun accident. Kimberly Hozepma, a 64-year old has been charged with negligent homicide.
Police say Hozepma called 911 himself, and voluntarily gave a statement. In the statement, Hozepma acknowledged that “he had removed the magazine to check his gun, with the barrel pointed away from him, when it fired and shot through an adjacent bedroom wall. His grandson alerted him that Morin had been shot.” Hozepma also reportedly told police that he has had safety training and that he violated safety rules in connection with the accident.
Source:
“Updated: Police Say Man Shot and Killed Teen after Accidentally Firing Gun,” Fox34.com (December 22, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2020
Jose Ortega, a 19-year old in San Antonio, Texas, died after being shot in the head in a gun accident today. In the same incident, an 18-year old woman was struck in the leg. She is expected to survive.
A 16-year old girl was playing with a gun that belonged to a family member when it fired. Police continue to investigate.
Source:
Ben Spicer and Max Massey, “Teen Killed in Accidental Shooting on West Side ID’d by Medical Examiner,” KSAT.com (December 23, 2020).
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2020
On Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, a homeless fired a gun into the air at about 10:00 PM on Christmas Eve and accidentally injured another homeless man. The victim is in stable condition at a local hospital. Police are investigating.
Source:
“Homeless Man Firing Gun Into Air Wounds Man,” LA.com (December 25, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2020
Two teenagers were shot and killed in gun accidents on Christmas day.
In Indian Head, Maryland, 17-year old Edwin Roberto Rivera Juarez was accidentally shot in the upper body by a 13-year old relative who was handling a firearm. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police are investigating how the teenagers gained access to a gun.
In Denton, Texas, 19-year old Ty Jordan also died in an accidental shooting. A preliminary investigation indicated that he shot himself.
Jordan was a star running back at the University of Utah, where his Coach released the following statement:
“Words cannot express the devastation and heartache that our team is feeling right now upon learning of the tragic death of our teammate and brother, Ty Jordan. Ty’s personality and smile were infectious and he made a huge impact on our program in the short time he was with us. He leaves an indelible mark on each of us and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. From the bottom of our hearts, all of us in the Utah Football Family want to say we love you Ty and may you rest in peace.”
Sources:
Matt Pusatory, “Charles County Deputies: 13-year-old Kills 17-year-old in Christmas Shooting,” WUSA 9 (December 26, 2020).
Jennifer Gardiner and Dana Greene, “Utah Football Star Running Back Ty Jordan Dies in Accidental Shooting,” abc4.com (December 27, 2020).
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2020
In what appears to be the third gun accident involving a San Antonio, Texas teenager this month, a 16-year old accidentally shot himself in the head. Two teenagers were playing with an AR-15 at the time of the accident, believing it to be unloaded. The boy was taken to the hospital with injuries that were believed to be life threatening.
“It was not a suicide attempt, it was not intentional, it was not some type of homicide. It was truly an accident as best as we can tell, at this point,” officials said in a statement. Police
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021 are investigating how the teens got the gun, one of several AR-15s that one of the boy’s parents keep locked up in their home.
In a prior incident in San Antonio this month, two 15-year old cousins were playing with a handgun when it fired. The boy who was hit was taken to the hospital in critical condition. In the other incident, 19-year old Jose Ortega was accidentally shot and killed by a 16-year old girl who was playing with a gun.
Source:
Cody King, Steven Cavazos and Joe Arredondo, “Teen in Critical Condition after Accidentally Shooting Himself in Head, San Antonio Police Say,” KSAT.com (December 27, 2020).
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2020
A teenage girl attending a party at the Moon Rocks recreation area in Nevada was struck by a stray bullet. The 17-year old is recovering after being struck in the leg. The sheriff’s office said it is believed somebody at the party fired a weapon into the dark not knowing the victim was in the area.
Source:
“WCSO: Shooting Near Moon Rocks Likely Accidental,” KOLO News 8 (December 28, 2020).
MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2020
In Denver, Colorado, a four-year old girl sitting in a parked car was critically injured when a nearby dispute about a car improperly parked in a handicapped space resulted in
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021 gunfire. According to police, the girl “was caught in the crossfire when the suspect left a business and started shooting at another man taking pictures of the suspect’s car in a handicapped parking spot.” The four-year old, an innocent bystander, was entirely unconnected to either the suspect or his intended target.
The person taking the pictures of the car was also shot and wounded.
Source:
Audra Streetman, “Child Critically Hurt In Denver Shooting Over Car Parked In Handicapped Spot,” Denver.CBS.local.com (December 30, 2020).
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020
In Woodbridge, Virginia, Kaitlyn Marie Roulten Ellis, a 29-year old mother of two, was arrested after she negligently discharged a gun while caring for her two daughters, a 1-month old and a four-year old. Ms. Roulten Ellis was handling a gun when it discharged and struck her in the arm. She was arrested after being treated at the hospital.
Police had been called for a welfare check at the home and discovered the accidental shooting upon arrival. Ms. Roulten Ellis was charged with two counts of child neglect and one count of reckless handling of a firearm.
Source:
“Police: Woodbridge Mom Arrested after Shooting Herself while Caring for Infant, 4-year-old,” Prince William Times (December 30, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020
In Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Richard James Russell was arrested for mishandling a gun after he accidentally shot his 21-year old son in the abdomen. Mr. Russell was showing the gun to his son at the time of the accident. Police also said that Russell initially mislead them by claiming that his son had been shot somewhere else.
Source:
Cory Smith, “Broken Arrow Man Arrested for Mishandling Gun after Son is Shot, Police Say,” News 8 ABC (December 31, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2020
In Richmond, Indiana, a four-year old child was flown to a Dayton, Ohio hospital after suffering an accidental gunshot wound. Police arrested 23-year-old Khylier Childress-Shelby and preliminarily charged him with possession of a handgun without a license and neglect of a dependent. Although the charges are consistent with an incident in which the child found a loaded gun and shot himself accidentally, police have not yet publicly described what happened. They continue to investigate.
Sources:
“Richmond Police Arrest Man after Child Flown to Hospital with Gunshot Wound,” Fox 59 (December 31, 2020).”
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2021
Across the country, people young and old were injured or killed by celebratory gunfire on New Year’s morning. The incidents are too numerous to fully describe.
Returning to Texas, the site of one of last year’s worst celebratory gunfire tragedies, at least four people, including a sleeping eight-year old Houston boy, were struck by celebratory gunfire.
The eight-year old was home in bed when he was struck. The bullet passed through an apartment wall. He is expected to survive.
In another incident in Houston, a 24-year old woman was struck in the abdomen when her intoxicated grandfather began firing in the air. She was taken to the hospital for surgery and is also expected to survive.
In Laredo, Texas, an 8-year old girl was watching fireworks in her driveway when she was grazed by a stray bullet. Laredo police called celebratory gunfire “illegal and extremely dangerous” and stated “What goes up must come down... bullets shot up do NOT disappear.”
A 4-year old boy in Arlington, Texas was not as lucky. He was struck in the head and killed while people in his home were dancing and playing with a gun. "Again, another tragic case, certainly preventable," a police lieutenant said.
Put simply, celebrations should not turn into tragedies.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Sources:
Courtney Fischer, “8-year-old Among 2 Celebratory Gunfire Victims Across Houston Area on New Year's Day,” ABC 13 Eyewitness News (January 1, 2020).
Zach Davis, “Laredo Child, 12, Hit by Stray Bullet while Watching Fireworks,” Laredo Morning Times (January 1, 2020).
Frank Heinz, “Boy, 4, Killed in Accidental New Year's Shooting in North Arlington: Police,” NBC DFW (January 1, 2020).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 2021
A pair of two-year old children were shot and critically injured today, one in Kentucky and the other in Maine. Police are investigating both incidents.
In Louisville Kentucky, a two-year old girl found a gun and shot herself. She is expected to survive. Police are investigating how she got the gun.
In Waterville, Maine, a two-year old boy was shot by a sibling, who apparently found a gun in a closet, then loaded and fired it. The age of that sibling has not been disclosed. The two-year old was struck in the head and is in the hospital in critical condition.
Sources:
Emma Austin, “LMPD: 2-year-old Girl Hospitalized with What 'Appears to be Self-inflicted' Gun Shot Wound,” Courier Journal (January 3, 2021).
“2-year-old Boy in Critical Condition after Being Shot in Waterville,” 13 WGME (December 3, 2021).
SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2021
Four-year old Andre Walker of Sedalia, Missouri, found a loaded gun in his home. He shot and killed himself. Two other children were in the home at the time. Police say the investigation is continuing but no foul play is suspected.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
“Sedalia 4-year-old Dies after Accidentally Shooting Himself,” Fox 4 KC (January 5, 2021). MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2021
Indianapolis, Indiana police officers working part-time at Sam’s Club responded when they heard a shot fired inside the store. An armed shopper had accidentally discharged a gun and hit a store employee. The employee was grazed by a bullet and was hospitalized after the shooting in stable condition.
The customer was not being charged with a crime, a police spokesperson said. It was not immediately known if Sam’s Club allows weapons inside the store. Nor were the circumstances in which the gun was accidentally fired reported.
Officers were working part-time at Sam’s Club when the shooting happened, Young said.
Source:
“IMPD: Sam’s Club Customer Accidentally Shoots, Injures Employee,” 93.1 FM WIBC (January 5, 2021).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021
A 15-year old boy in Pittston Maine shot himself in the hand with his grandfather’s two - shot Derringer today. Police said the boy went behind a garage wearing a coat that belonged to his grandfather. The boy found the pistol in a pocket and “tried to pull the hammer back, when his thumb slipped off, releasing the hammer and causing the firing pin to strike a .410-gauge shotgun shell.”
Police found that there was an empty .410-gauge shotgun shell and one Colt .45 bullet still loaded in the chamber. Police do not intend to file charges in connection with the incident.
Source:
“Boy Accidentally Shoots Himself in Hand with Pistol in Pittston,” Kennebec Journal (January 6, 2021).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021
Two 15-year old boys died in gun accidents today, one in Pennsylvania and the other in Mississippi.
In Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, three teenagers were “handling a firearm” when it discharged. 15-year old Marcus Gibson was pronounced dead at the scene. No other details were released.
In Pascagoula, Mississippi, a 14-year old and a 15-year old were handling a gun and the 15-year old was killed. He was not identified. Although the 14-year old was initially taken into custody, the police later determined that the shooting was an accident.
The deceased Mississippi boy was apparently the second Pascagoula teenager to have been shot and killed in 2021. Both incidents are under investigation.
Sources:
“Police: Gun Handled by 3 Boys Goes Off, Killing 15-year-old,” 6 WJAC (January 6, 2021).
“Fatal Shooting of Teenager an Accident, Says Pascagoula Police Chief,” WLOX (January 6, 2021).
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021
At Hope’s Closet Thrift Store in Jacksonville, Florida, a “young child” found a gun and shot herself in the hand. She was treated at the hospital. The Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office says “no criminal activity is being investigated at this time.”
Source:
Mindy Wadley, “Child Taken to Hospital after Finding Gun in Southside Thrift Store, Accidentally Shooting Self in Hand,” FirstCoast News (January 7, 2021).
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a toddler found a gun and used it to shoot his mother. Her injuries are not considered life threatening, but local police are investigating “possible child neglect.” No other information is available.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
The incident is one of many recent incidents in Indiana in which young children have been involved in serious gun accidents. It is reminiscent of an accident last November in Danville, Indiana in which a 2-year old found a semi-automatic pistol and shot his mother. In that incident, he toddler’s five-year old brother called their grandmother, who then called 911. At that time, police said the shooting “appears to have been an accident.”
Source:
“Police Say Child Accidentally Shot Mother,” Fort Wayne NBC (January 8, 2021).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2021
Two three-year old children and a five-year old were injured in gun accidents today. Reported facts about each incident are minimal.
A five-year old Columbus, Ohio boy was playing with his mother’s loaded handgun when it fired. He is expected to survive.
A Wichita, Kansas teenager was handling a handgun when it fired accidentally and struck a three-year old. The child suffered serious but not life threatening injuries.
And in Jacksonville Florida, a three-year old boy playing with his mother’s loaded handgun fired a round accidentally. He shot himself in the hand and was taken to the hospital.
All three incidents are under investigation by local law enforcement.
Sources:
“5-year-old Shot While Playing with Gun,” nbc4i.com (January 10, 2020).
“Teen Handling a Handgun Seriously Injures 3-year-old Saturday Evening,” KWCH12 (January 10, 2020).
Matthew Copeland, “3-year-old Injured After Accidentally Shooting Himself with Mother's Gun in Lakeshore Area,” FirstCoast News (January 9, 2020).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021
A Sun Prairie, Wisconsin man was hospitalized after shooting himself in the leg. The accident happened while he was parked in the lot of a Nitty Gritty restaurant. There is an active investigation.
Source:
Emily Hamer, “Man Hospitalized after Shooting Himself in Leg, Sun Prairie Police Say,” Wisconsin State Journal (January 10, 2021).
MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2021
In Houston, Texas, 25-year old Karina Montelongo was shot in the face when she was attempting to show her roommate how to use a gun. The roommate told officers that Montelongo was showing her a gun she owned. She had never handled a gun before and did not know it was loaded.
According to the roommate, she was holding the gun while Montelongo was teaching her about it and it accidentally went off. While on the way to the hospital, Montelongo also told authorities that the shooting was an accident.
Source:
“Investigation into Shooting at 10222 Forum West Drive,” cityofhouston.news (January 12, 2021).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2021
In Gloucester, Massachusetts, a man with many guns in his apartment accidentally fired one of them through a wall and into his neighbor’s apartment unit. No one was injured.
According to a report, investigating officers found a Remington 1100 12G Supermatic, a Remington 1100 20G, a Browning .22 long rifle, a Glock 19 9mm, a Beretta .22, and a Ruger .38- caliber in the man’s apartment. The last is the weapon that discharged. The man told police “that he was going over all the weapons and putting them away when the gun went off.” He said wasn't positive about what happened.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
The officer’s report says “it appears the gun discharge was a pure accident.”
Source:
Taylor Ann Bradford “Police/Fire: Gun Round Goes Through Apartment Wall,” Gloucester Daily Times (January 13, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2021
More than a year after an incident in which University of Central Missouri University student Jeremy Allen Manley accidentally shot and killed his friend, Stephon Abron, he pled guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter. At the time of the incident, which occurred in student housing, Manley had been arrested but not charged.
Manley told police he was teaching Abron about guns. He initially denied firing the gun but later told police he drew the weapon from a holster and it discharged, according to court records. Abron was struck in the chest. Manley said he thought Abron had unloaded the weapon before Manley picked it up and said he didn’t know how it went off.
Manley was sentenced to 120 days of “shock incarceration” and five years of supervised probation.
Sources:
“Update: Manley Enters A Guilty Plea in the Shooting Death Of UCM Student,” KMMO (January 14, 2021).
Kaitlyn Schwers, “Missouri College Student Charged after Fatal Shooting at Campus Housing,” Kansas City Star (November 14, 2019).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021
An 18-year old Lincoln, Nebraska man was shot and injured in a hunting accident today. Deputies said a 41-year-old man was putting a rifle in the backseat of a truck after deer hunting. The firearm discharged, went through the seat and hit the 18-year-old in the leg.
The injured 18-year old suffered serious injuries but is expected to survive.
Source:
Ryan Swanigan, “LSO: Man Hospitalized Following Hunting Accident,” 1011 Now (January 15, 2021).
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021
Once again, a Columbus, Ohio child was hurt in a gun accident. This time a four-year-old girl was hurt when her four-year old brother found a loaded unsecured gun in their home and pulled the trigger. The girl was struck and was hospitalized in stable condition.
Source:
“Police: 3-year-old Girl Accidentally Shot by 4-year-old Brother in North Columbus,” WBNS 10 TV (January 15, 2021).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2021
In Washington Terrace, Utah, a 47-year old man and a 25-year old woman were examining a gun they believed was unloaded when it fired. Both were struck.
The bullet first passed through the man’s leg, just below the knee, the Sheriff’s Office reported. It then entered the woman’s thigh where it lodged, striking and breaking her femur, and causing significant tissue damage. “Deputies began immediate first aid on both patients,” according to the Sheriff’s office. “Both were taken to the hospital. The medical staff told deputies the tourniquets put on both patients assisted them, and prevented them from sustaining more serious injuries.”
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Nancy Van Valkenburg, “Single Bullet Sends 2 to Emergency Room in Washington Terrace,” Gephardt Daily (January 16, 2021).
SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021
A 20-year old Arkansas hunter was killed in an accident today. Yell County deputies responded to a shooting near the Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge where the young hunter had died from a single accidental gunshot wound. No further information has been reported.
Source:
“20-year-old Shot and Killed in Hunting Accident in Arkansas,” KATV (January 18, 2021).
MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021
At a gated community in the Bronx, NY, Noble Grant, an eight-year old boy, retrieved a gun from a gun safe in his father’s closet and accidentally shot himself in the back of the head. It is unclear whether the safe was locked at the time the boy obtained the gun.
According to a report, the boy is “fighting for his life.” A neighbor said, “emergency workers were able to get the boy breathing,” and “brought him back to life” before he was taken to the hospital.
The shooting happened near Fordham University in a gated community billed as an “Oasis in the Bronx.” The boy’s father, Rajon Grant, a nightclub owner, was reportedly charged with criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.
Source”:
Jesse O’Neill, Larry Celona and Lorena Mongelli, “Eight-year-old Boy Shot in Bronx Gated Community” New York Post (January 18, 2021).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2021
At least three children were accidentally shot and injured today. They were aged 14, 15, and 7. The incidents occurred in states that have been regular sites of gun accidents involving children, Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.
The worst of the accidents was in Jacksonville, Florida. Ayva Guthrie, age 14,was accidentally shot by her mother. In a court hearing, prosecutors stated that Ayva had died, but later confirmed that she remains on life support. Ayva’s family is devastated and asking for “a miracle.”
Investigators said that the gun was not properly stored. Ayva was apparently handing it to her mother when it fired. Ayva’s mother, Amanda Guthrie, is charged with aggravated manslaughter on a minor by culpable negligence, child neglect, and armed possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana.
Ayva is reportedly a straight-A student at Sandalwood High School, where she plays basketball. She was described as a friendly, sweet girl.
A Jackson police representative issued the following statement: “We would ask that all firearms be safely stored and kept out of access from children and those not familiar with their use. We would remind citizens to treat all firearms as if they were loaded, never pointing them at others and never playing with them. And remember that, negligence with firearm storage has the potential to have deadly consequences for a child and criminal charges for adults in the home.”
The other two incidents were less comprehensively reported.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
In Millvale, Ohio, a 15-year old teenager is expected to recover after being accidentally shot by a 9-year old sibling while they were playing with a gun. A babysitter was home with them at the time of the incident. It is unclear how they found the gun.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, a 7-year old was hospitalized after being struck by a round that was fired outside his home. "These bullets land somewhere and this time hit a 7-year-old child," police said.
Sources:
Vic Micolucci, “14-year-old Girl Shot in Head Remains in Critical Condition; Mother Charged,” News4Jax (January 20, 2021).
“15-year-old Accidentally Shot by 9-year-old Sibling in Millvale,” Local 12 (January 19, 2021).
Meilin Tomkins, “7-year-old Struck by Stray Bullet in Charlotte Shooting,” WCNC Charlotte (January 20, 2020).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021
Two young children were killed in preventable accidental shootings, one in Philadelphia, the other in Detroit. The incidents are strikingly similar.
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, balloons were released at a vigil for nine-year old gun accident victim Nyssa Davis. Davis was shot and killed by a 5-year old relative in her home. The boy had found her father’s locked and unsecured gun.
The children were home and under the supervision of a 12-year old who called 911 when the accident happened. The girl’s father, 39-year-old Blake Davis, is now charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, and illegal firearms violations.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the Davis family for the terrible loss of a beloved child. This tragedy was 100% preventable. Kids should not be allowed unsupervised access to firearms, period. We can hold both that a father has suffered a horrific tragedy, and that he is also criminally responsible for this loss,” the District Attorney said. “As a community, we must also come together to ensure that the two other children found in this residence are able to heal and grow beyond the trauma inflicted on them.”
In Detroit, Michigan, an 18-month old pulled the trigger on a gun and killed his five-year old cousin. They were playing with a gun that they had found in the home. Police arrested the
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
5-year-old's father, who is also the uncle of the 18-month-old, in connection with the incident, according to a police officer.
"I'm not sure the 18-month-old is … even aware of what occurred," the officer added. "This is why we emphasize gun safety with gun locks and gun boxes so we don't have circumstances like this. [There have] been far too many of these kinds of circumstances in the City of Detroit."
Sources:
“Blake Davis Charged After 9-Year-Old Daughter Shot In Head, Killed By 5-Year-Old In North Philly,” 3 CBS Philly (January 22, 2021).
Jan Carabeo, “Community Holds Vigil, Balloon Release For 9-Year-Old Nyssa Davis Who Was Shot In Head, Killed By 5-Year-Old In North Philly” 3 CBS Philly (January 22, 2021).
Oralandar Brand-Williams, “Toddler in Detroit Home Shoots and Kills 5-year-old,” Detroit News, (January 20, 2021).
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021
A 74-year old man was accidentally shot and killed in his Louisville, Kentucky home today. The round that killed him was fired in a dispute between two groups of people outside. The man has not been publicly identified and no arrests have been made.
We call him Mr. Herb," a neighbor said. "He's a great man; he is and was a pillar of the community."
"As any of us would do when you hear massive gunfire, as always happens here, we come to our front doors to see what's going on," she added. "Unfortunately, that cost him his life."
Source:
Gina Glaros, “Neighbor Remembers 74-year-old Man Shot and Killed by Crossfire at his West Louisville Home,” WDRB.com (January 22, 2021).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2021
There was another accidental gun death of a young child today. A three-year old in Owosso, Michigan found a gun in his home and shot himself. He later died at the hospital.
"Owosso Public Safety offers its condolences to any family or friends who have been impacted by this tragic event," the local public safety department said in a statement.
Source:
Sarah Lehr, “Police: 3-year-old Boy Dies after Accidentally Shooting Himself in Owosso” Lansing State Journal (January 22, 2021).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2021
Two innocent bystanders were accidentally shot at 2:06 A.M. on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. According to the report, two people opened fire on each other. Neither of the shooters was hit. The two victims were an 18-year old woman and a 57-year old man.
Police are looking for the shooters.
Source:
“NOPD Investigating Double Shooting on Bourbon Street Saturday Morning,” WDSU News (January 23, 2021).
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021
In Norton, Virginia, George Henry Sailers, IV, was charged with shooting his girlfriend in an accident that occurred while he was playing with his gun. Sailers allegedly told deputies that he had been trying to twirl a .22 Ruger pistol he had gotten for Christmas. While Sailers was trying to show how fast he could twirl it, the pistol fired and hit his girlfriend, Laken Bowen, in the head.
The couple’s two-year old child was present when the accident occurred. Sailers allegedly told investigators that he had pulled the hammer back on the pistol and thought the safety was on when he spun it and pulled the trigger.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Bowen was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive after treatment for bullet fragment in her brain. Sailers was charged with unlawful shooting, reckless handling of a firearm with serious injury, assault by shooting/stabbing/etc. in commission of a felony, shooting in an occupied building and child abuse/neglect with reckless disregard for life. He is being held without bond.
Source:
Mike Still, “Wise County Man Charged with Shooting of Girlfriend,” TimesNews (January 25, 2021).
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
In Engelhard, North Carolina, Brandon Marshall was accidentally shot and killed while duck hunting with his son. Details of the accident were not released other than that Marshall was in a duck blind at the time of the accident and that he died on the way to the hospital. An enforcement officer with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Authority said, “the Wildlife Commission’s investigation has concluded that [the] incident was a unforeseeable accident and that everything possible was done to save Marshall’s life.”
Source:
Jeff Marshall, “North Carolina Man Shot and Killed while Duck Hunting,” The Virginian-Pilot (January 26, 2021).
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2021
In Houston, Texas, Gerald Peavy was relaxing in his bed when he was killed by a shot accidentally fired by a friend staying in his living room. Peavy’s wife was with him at the time of the accident.
The friend, Norez Hargrove, was examining a gun he had found a gun in Peavy’s home. He told authorities that he “ assumed the firearm was not loaded, pulled the trigger, and shot the weapon.” The round passed through a wall and struck Peavy in his bed.
Manslaughter charges are pending.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
Source:
Erica Ponder, “Man Accidentally Shot, Killed by Family Friend while Relaxing in Bed in Northwest Harris County, Deputies Say,” Click2Houston (January 27, 2021).
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2021
Brooklyn Terrell, a 17-year old Lockland, Ohio teenager, was accidentally shot and killed when she and two other teenagers were handling a stolen gun. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with reckless homicide, obstructing justice and tampering with evidence. The other suspect, a 14-year-old boy, is charged with obstructing justice, tampering with evidence and theft of a firearm.
Lockland schools were briefly placed on lockdown after the incident. The school system announced that grief counselors will be available for students and staff.
It is unclear if the person whose gun was stolen, perhaps because it was loaded and unsecured, also bears some responsibility.
Source:
Felicia Jordan, “Teen Shot and Killed in Lockland Wednesday Morning,” WCPO (January 28, 2021).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2021
The Bennettsville, South Carolina police department issued the following statement about an accident that occurred today, reprinted here in its entirety:
“The Bennettsville Police Department Detectives' Division was called in reference to a shooting at a residence inside the city limits of Bennettsville, SC. A preliminary investigation has led detectives to conclude that a minor child was able to access and retrieve a handgun that was located inside the location. While [in] possession of the gun, the minor child is believed to have accidentally fired the gun striking two juveniles. At this time, the investigation is still in the early stages but the incident is being treated as accidental. Both victims were transported by EMS for medical treatment. Both individuals are in stable condition. This investigation is still on going,”
Source:
Tonya Brown, “Police: 2 Kids Shot in Bennettsville,” ABC15 News (January 28, 2021).
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2021
In Ellisville, Mississippi, a four-year old toddler found a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his family car and accidentally shot and killed his two-year old sister. Their mother had left them in the back seat of the car temporarily. The toddler was able to climb out of his car seat and grab the gun.
“It’s just a very sad situation,” a Sheriff’s deputy said. “You turn your head for a split- second and life can change forever. You have to be cautious with your firearms. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”
Source:
Mark Thornton, “Gunshot Kills Toddler,” The Laurel Leader Call (January 29, 2021).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021
Nia Reyes of Phoenix, Arizona was attempting to shoot a shoplifter, but instead accidentally struck an Ace Hardware store employee in the leg. The employee was in pursuit of the shoplifter at the time of the incident. It is unclear why Ms. Reyes, age 45, believed it appropriate to use potentially lethal force on a shoplifter in the first place.
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021) GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL VII (77 days) November 16, 2020 to January 31, 2021
The store employee was treated at the hospital for injuries that were not considered life threatening. Ms. Reyes was arrested and booked for aggravated assault and discharging a firearm within city limits.
"Many times, you're better off just being a good witness," a former assistant police chief told a reporter. "Anytime you use a weapon out there on the street, you may find yourself in a criminal court, or you may find yourself in a civil court and if you don't have insurance to cover your actions you could ruin your entire life financially by getting involved in a situation like that."
Source:
Rachel Cole, “Woman Arrested for Accidentally Shooting Ace Hardware Employee in Attempt to Stop Shoplifter,” 12 News (February 1, 2021).
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021
In Niles, Ohio, NIcklas Trkula, age 21, was attempting to shoot a man he believed to be his girlfriend’s lover. The bullet he fired passed through an apartment wall and struck another man in the leg while he was watching TV.
Trkula fled the scene with his girlfriend, but was later tracked down by police and arrested. He has been charged with attempted murder and felonious assault.
Police say the shooting was the result of a “love triangle.”
Source:
Nadine Grimley, “More Details Released in Niles Love Triangle Shooting,” WKBN (February 2, 2021).
Ó The Gun Accident Journal (2021)