wednesday, january 15, 2020 - gun accident journal...gun accident journal ii (60 days) january 15,...

GUN ACCIDENT JOURNAL II (60 days) January 15, 2020 to March 13, 2020

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2020

! In!Fort!Lauderdale,!Florida,!an!81year!old!found!his!father’s!loaded!handgun!when!his!father!left!him!alone!briefly!in!the!car!while!shopping.!!The!boy!shot!himself!in!the!leg.!!He!was!taken!to!the!hospital!with!serious!injuries.!!!Source:((

Associated!Press,!“Child!Left!in!Car!in!Florida!Finds!Dad's!Gun,!Shoots!Himself,”!3WEARtv!(January!15,!2020).!!

((

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020

( Providence,!Rhode!Island!police!found!221year!old!Edward!Rodriquez!in!a!hallway!in!his!apartment!building!at!16!What!Cheer!Avenue,!without!pants,!with!a!gunshot!wound!to!his!scrotum.!!Martinez!said!that!he!had!been!handling!a!gun!on!his!bed!when!it!fired.!!!According!to!police,!no!charges!will!be!filed.!!Mr.!Martinez!remained!hospitalized!with!non1life!threatening!injuries.!!(Source:(

Brian!Amaral,!“Providence!Man!Accidentally!Shoots!Himself!While!Sitting!in!Bed”!The!Providence!Journal!(January!17,!2020).!!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2020 At!Three!Fires!Elementary!School!in!Howell,!Michigan,!a!father!accidentally!discharged!his!gun!in!his!vehicle!while!waiting!to!pick!up!his!child.!The!initial!investigation!showed!no!criminal!intent,!though!the!school!was!placed!on!lockdown!at!the!time!of!the!shooting.!

! The!man!shot!himself!in!the!hand!and!leg.!He!was!taken!to!the!hospital,!but!his!injuries!were!not!considered!life1threatening.!!!

! According!to!investigators,!the!man!was!adjusting!his!gun!in!his!car!when!it!went!off.!!!


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Source:(!

Samuel!Dodge,!“Father!Shoots!Self!in!Leg!While!Picking!Up!Child!at!Howell!School,!Police!Say,”!MLive!Michigan!(January!17,!2020).!!

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2020

In!Allentown,!Pennsylvania,!an!accidentally!discharged!round!passed!through!the!

shooter’s!bedroom!door,!across!a!hallway!and!through!another!door!where!it!struck!521year!old!Virgen!Milagros!Rivera,!who!was!critically!injured.!!The!shooter,!who!was!found!to!have!negligently!handled!the!firearm,!was!charged!with!aggravated!assault,!simple!assault!and!reckless!endangerment.!!He!was!being!held!on!$75,000!bond.!!!

!Source:((

Pamela!Sroka1Holzmann,!“Allentown!Man!Charged!in!Hanover!Township!Shooting,!Cops!Say,”!lehighvalleylive.com!(January!19,!2020).!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020

In!Bloomington,!Indiana,!both!four1year!old!Tripp!Shaw!and!his!father,!Tyler,!were!shot!in!the!head!after!the!father’s!gun!accidentally!discharged.!!After!several!days!in!the!hospital,!Tripp!died!of!his!wounds.!!His!father!was!expected!to!recover.!!!


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According!to!authorities,!the!father!and!son!were!play1wrestling!on!a!bed!when!a!gun!concealed!in!the!father’s!waistband!fell!and!discharged.!!!

!A!Go1Fund1Me!campaign!to!help!the!family!cover!medical!expenses!has!raised!almost!$20,000.!“It!truly!takes!a!village!and!I!pray!that!the!burden!of!medical!debt!will!not!cloud!over!their!grief,'!Tripp's!aunt!wrote!in!a!Facebook!post.!!

Sources:((

“Police:!Apparent!Gun!Accident!Leaves!Indiana!Father,!41year1old!Son!with!Gunshot!Wounds!to!Head,”!WDRB.com!(January!20,!2020).!!

Megan!Sheets,!“Pictured:!Four1year1old!Boy!Who!Was!Shot!and!Killed!When!a!Gun!Tucked!into!his!Father's!Pants!Went!Off!While!They!Were!Wrestling,”!UK!Daily!Mail!(January!25,!2020).!! (

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 !! A!bullet!accidentally!fired!in!Chesterton,!Indiana,!near!Gary,!passed!through!two!adjoining!apartments!and!narrowly!missed!a!three1year!old!child.!According!to!a!police!report,!Samuel!Duley,!a!221year!old,!was!cleaning!his!rifle!inside!the!apartment!building!when!it!went!off.!!He!had!removed!the!gun’s!ammunition!clip,!but!“he!must!have!spaced!out”!and!forgotten!to!check!for!a!round!in!the!chamber.!According!to!the!report,!the!man!apologized!and!told!police!“I’m!so!stupid.”!!! !His!neighbor!was!watching!television!on!her!couch!when!she!heard!“a!pop.”!!!The!bullet!had!passed!through!an!adjoining!wall!and!into!another!apartment.!!Her!three1year!old!was!standing!less!than!211/2!feet!from!the!bullet’s!trajectory!when!the!incident!occurred.!!!! In!Illinois,!there!is!no!requirement!that!guns!have!a!“magazine!safety!disconnect,”!a!device!that!might!have!prevented!the!gun!from!firing!with!the!magazine!removed.!!!Source:((

Amy!Lavalley,!“Chesterton!Man,!22,!Fired!Gun!into!Adjoining!Apartment:!Police,”!Chicago!Tribune,!(January!22,!2020).!!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

!! According!to!authorities,!a!171year!old!Charlestown,!West!Virginia!teen!shot!himself!in!the!arm!today!while!cleaning!his!gun.!!No!charges!will!be!filed.!!


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!Source:(!

Bailey!Pace,!“Teen!Accidentally!Shoots!Himself!According!to!Sheriff!Dept.,”!WVVA!(January!21,!2020).!!


( A!571year!old!Hackensack,!New!Jersey!man!was!placing!his!Smith!&!Wesson!.451caliber!handgun!on!his!nightstand!as!part!of!his!preparation!for!bedtime!when!it!accidentally!fired.!!The!victim!was!struck!in!the!abdomen.!He!remains!in!critical!condition!with!severe!internal!injuries.!!!

"We!are!doing!our!due!diligence,!as!always,!in!investigating,"!a!Hackensack!police!Captain!said,!"but!at!this!point,!there!is!nothing!that!indicates!any!type!of!foul!play.!It!appears!to!be!an!accident."!!

!Although!the!model!of!the!man’s!Smith!&!Wesson!handguns!is!not!available!in!

published!reports,!it!is!noteworthy!that!some!of!Smith!&!Wesson’s!.45!caliber!pistols!are!subject!to!a!“safety!alert”!due!to!a!problem!that!may!cause!them!to!fire!if!dropped.!According!to!Smith!&!Wesson’s!alert!as!published!on!its!website:!“any!unintended!discharge!of!a!firearm!has!the!potential!to!cause!injury,!and!we!ask!that!you!STOP!USING!YOUR!PISTOL!IMMEDIATELY!UNTIL!IT!HAS!BEEN!INSPECTED!AND,!IF!THE!CONDITION!IS!FOUND,!REPAIRED.”!There!is!no!way!to!know!if!the!victim!of!this!accidental!shooting!was!aware!of!or!had!complied!with!Smith!&!Wesson’s!“Safety!Alert.”!!

Sources:(

Jerry!DeMarco,!“Authorities:!Hackensack!Gun!Owner!Critical!After!Accidental!Bedtime!Shooting,”!Hackensack!Daily!Voice!(January!22,!2020).!!

Smith!&!Wesson,!“Important!Consumer!Safety!Alert!and!Inspection!Procedure,”!(August!22,!2013)!(covering!M&P!Shield!handguns!manufactured!prior!to!August!19,!2013).!!

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 ( (

In!Prestonburg,!Kentucky,!a!messenger!for!an!armored!car!service!was!shot!when!his!gun!accidentally!discharged!while!he!was!making!a!drop!at!a!Big!Lots!store!in!a!strip!mall.!!"His!weapon!became!lodged!between!himself!and!items!he!was!carrying,"!according!to!Prestonburg!


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police!detective!Ross!Shurtleff.!"While!it!was!lodged!between!him!and!those!items!he!was!carrying,!the!firearm!discharged1!striking!him!in!the!abdomen."!

!! The!injured!messenger!was!airlifted!to!a!trauma!center!in!West!Virginia,!where!he!is!being!treated!for!a!gunshot!wound!to!the!abdomen.!Video!footage!confirmed!that!the!shooting!was!an!accident.!!Source:(

Buddy!Forbes,!Lynette!Cooney,!“Update:!Police!Release!More!Details!About!Shooting!at!Prestonsburg!Big!Lots,”!Mountain!News,!WYMT!(January!24,!2020).!!

!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020 Of!eight!reports!of!accidental!shootings!today,!involving!a!total!of!11!shooting!incidents,!

three!occurred!in!Ohio,!one!each!in!Mississippi,!Wyoming,!Florida,!North!Carolina!and!Virginia.!None!of!the!11!shootings!was!fatal.!!Two!of!the!incidents!involved!accidental!self1inflicted!shootings,!three!involved!young!children!shot!accidentally!by!others,!three!involved!women!apparently!accidentally!shot!by!their!boyfriends,!and!three!in!Toledo!Ohio,!were!unexplained.!!!

Among!the!incidents,!the!one!in!Ocala,!Florida!stands!out.!!A!two1year!old!girl!was!shot!in!the!upper!body!by!her!young!brother.!!When!police!arrived!at!the!scene,!he!was!hiding!under!a!bed.!!On!questioning,!he!told!police!that!he!had!found!his!father’s!gun!under!his!mother’s!bed.!!His!mother!told!police!that!she!did!not!know!that!her!husband’s!gun!was!under!the!bed!when!she!put!the!children!down!for!a!nap!in!her!room.!

The!injured!girl!was!taken!by!airlift!to!a!hospital!in!Gainesville,!Florida,!where!she!was!treated!and!released!several!days!later.!!

Sources:(((

Austin!L.!Miller,!“21year1old!Ocala!Girl!Who!Was!Shot!Last!Week!Now!Out!of!the!Hospital,”!Ocala!Star!Banner,!Ocala.com!(January!29,!2020).!!

“Accidental!Injuries,”!Gun!Violence!Archive!(accidental!injury!reports!dated!January!24,!2020).!!

!!!!!


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SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020 ( (

31year!old!Amir!Antoine!of!Baton!Rouge,!Louisiana!shot!and!killed!himself!Saturday!morning!in!his!home.!!He!was!handling!a!gun!and!accidentally!pulled!the!trigger.!!!

!This!was!the!second!accidental!shooting!in!the!Antoine!home!in!the!last!four!years.!!In!

2016,!171year1old!Ahmad!Antoine!was!charged!with!negligent!homicide!after!he!accidentally!fired!a!shotgun!and!killed!another!teen.!

!Reports!also!noted!that!Antoine’s!shooting!was!not!the!only!accidental!shooting!

affecting!a!child!in!Baton!Rouge!this!weekend.!On!Friday,!a!five1year!old!shot!himself!in!the!hand.!!!

!“No!matter!how!high!you!put!a!gun!or!no!matter!how!well!you’ve!think!you’ve!hidden!it,!

if!it’s!not!locked!up![children]!are!probably!going!to!find!it,”!Baton!Rouge!gun!expert!Benjamin!Moore!said.!“People!usually!get!a!gun!in!order!to!protect!children!so!it’s!a!big!disaster!if!the!tool!you!got!to!protect!them!ends!up!killing!them.”!

Moore!also!says!that!his!organization!offers!free!classes!for!parents!and!children.!Moore!says!when!kids!are!educated!on!guns!“its!not!a!toy!now.!They!understand!that!it!takes!away!the!mysticism!of!the!gun!and!they!realize!it!can!be!a!destructive!tool.”!

The!NRA!promotes!gun!safety!training!for!children,!but!an!empirical!study!has!found!that!gun!safety!programs!for!kids!actually!make!it!more!likely,!rather!than!less,!that!children!will!play!with!a!gun!if!they!find!it!in!an!unsupervised!setting.!

Sources:(

WBRZ!Staff,!“Coroner:!31year1old!Accidentally!Shot,!Killed!Himself,”!WBRZ2!(January!28,!2020).!!

Kennedi!Walker,!“BRPD!Reminds!Residents!of!Gun!Safety!Amid!Deadly!Weekend,”!brproud.com!(January!27,!2020).!!

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 26, 2020 ! In!another!fatal!gun!accident!involving!a!child!in!Pataskala,!Ohio,!a!town!of!less!than!16,000!people!near!Columbus!(see!December!14,!2019),!151year!old!Noah!Bigham!shot!and!killed!his!best!friend,!a!high!school!freshman,!while!attempting!to!distract!him!from!playing!a!video!game.!!Noah!was!using!the!laser!sighting!mechanism!on!a!Smith!&!Wesson!pistol!by!directing!it!at!his!friend’s!eyes!when!the!gun!went!off.!!


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! Noah!was!charged!with!reckless!homicide,!a!third!degree!felony.!!According!to!Bigham’s!lawyer,!"[i]t!is!my!understanding!the!juveniles!were!able!to!have!…!unfettered!access!to!firearms![in!Bigham’s!home].!This!is!what!happens!when!you!have!firearms!accessible.!It's!just!awful.!What!we!know!for!sure!is!it's!unintentional."!!Source:(

Michaela!Summers,!“Police:!Pataskala!Teen!Shot!'Best!Friend'!While!Trying!to!Distract!Him!from!Video!Game,”!Lancaster!Eagle!Gazette!(January!27,!2020).!!

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MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020

! In!Byesville,!Ohio,!371year!old!David!Wray!was!charged!as:!“a!parent,!guardian,!custodian,!person!having!custody!or!control,!or!person!in"loco"parentis"of!a!child!under!18!years!of!age,!who!did!create!a!substantial!risk!of!the!health!or!safety!of!an!unidentified!child,!by!violating!a!duty!of!care,!protection!or!support,”!a!fourth!degree!felony.!!! The!charge!followed!an!incident!in!which!a!five1year!old!girl!was!accidentally!shot!and!severely!injured!while!visiting!her!grandmother’s!apartment.!!The!shot!was!fired!by!a!four1year!old!boy!through!the!ceiling!of!the!apartment!below.!!Wray!is!accused!of!leaving!a!loaded!handgun!on!a!table!where!it!was!found!by!the!four1year!old.!!! The!girl!was!dancing!in!front!of!the!television!with!her!grandmother!when!the!bullet!came!up!through!the!floor,!hitting!her!in!the!leg!and!side.!!At!the!time!of!the!report,!the!girl!remained!at!the!hospital!in!critical!condition.!!The!boy!was!later!released!into!the!custody!of!his!grandmother.!!!!Source:!!

Rick!Stilton,!“Charges!Filed!in!Connection!with!Shooting!that!Injured!Girl,!Age!5,”!The!Daily!Jeff!(January!29,!2020).!!

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020

! An!unidentified!man!died!today!after!accidentally!shooting!himself!while!in!line!at!the!Supreme!Bean!coffee!shop!in!Spokane,!Washington.!!No!further!information!about!the!accident!has!been!reported.!!An!investigation!is!ongoing.!!!


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! On!the!other!side!of!the!country,!in!Cedartown,!Georgia,!at!Zorba’s!restaurant,!a!man!accidentally!shot!himself!in!the!parking!lot.!!According!to!the!restaurant!owner,!the!man!was!taking!his!keys!out!of!his!pocket!when!his!gun!went!off,!hitting!him!in!the!knee!and!foot.!!!

Sources:(

Kaitlin!Riordan,!“Man!Dies!After!Reportedly!Shooting!Himself!in!Line!at!Spokane!Coffee!Stand,”!KREM.!Com!(January!29,!2020).!!

Staff!Report,!“Cedartown!man!injured!in!accidental!shooting!at!Zorba's,”!The!Polk!County!Standard!Journal!(January!29,!2020).!!

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! A!101year!old!St.!Louis,!Missouri!boy!found!a!gun!outside!his!apartment!building,!brought!it!inside!and!accidentally!shot!himself!in!the!leg.!!The!gun!had!earlier!been!stolen!in!Springfield,!Missouri!according!to!police.!!Source:(((“Boy,!10,!Accidentally!Shot!Himself!With!Stolen!Gun!He!Found!Outside,!Police!Say,”!KMOV4!(January!30,!2020).!!!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020

( Four!young!children!accidentally!shot!themselves!today!with!found!guns!in!separate!incidents.!!Two!are!dead.!!Two!are!hospitalized.!!!!! In!Philadelphia,!Pennsylvania!a!four1year!old!found!a!Glock!pistol!in!a!closet!and!shot!himself!in!the!head!in!his!bedroom.!!His!three1year!old!brother!was!in!the!room!at!the!time.!!Police!say!the!boy’s!father!may!face!charges.!


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! !! In!Mobile,!Alabama,!two1year!old!Corey!Davis,!Jr.!died!after!shooting!himself!with!a!found!gun!in!the!hotel!room!where!he!was!staying!with!his!mother!and!her!boyfriend.!!Guests!at!the!hotel!reported!that!Corey’s!mother!came!out!of!the!room,!covered!in!blood,!carry!her!son!and!calling!for!someone!to!call!the!police.!!She!was!later!arrested,!charged!with!manslaughter!and!released!on!bond.!!!!! The!other!two!incidents!occurred!in!Utah.!!In!Brigham!City,!Utah,!a!nine1year!old!was!hospitalized!after!shooting!himself!in!the!head.!!Police!confirmed!that!the!shooting!was!accidental!and!self1inflicted.!!!In!Murray,!Utah,!a!three1year!old!boy!is!in!stable!condition!also!after!shooting!himself!in!the!head.!!He!climbed!onto!a!counter!in!the!kitchen!to!remove!the!gun!from!a!shelf!where!it!was!stored.!

After!the!Murray!incident,!the!manager!of!local!gun!shop,!Dave!Larsen,!says!modern!firearms!will!not!discharge!accidentally!on!their!own,!adding!an!extra!responsibility!on!gun!owners!to!handle!their!guns!with!safety!and!keep!them!in!a!secure!place.!!“The!best!safety!is!up!here,”!he!said!while!pointing!to!his!head.!

!“Rule!number!one!is!always!keep!your!gun!facing!the!right!direction,”!Larsen!added.!“Rule!number!two,!keep!your!finger!off!the!trigger!until!you’re!ready!to!shoot.”!

Sources:((“Cops:!PA!Father!Made!Up!Home!Invasion!Story!After!41year1old!Fatally!Shot!Himself,”!6WJAC!(January!30,!2020).!!!Justin!Moore,!Keith!Lane,!“Mobile!Police:!21year1old!Shot!at!Mobile!Motel!Has!Died;!Mother!Bonds!Out!of!Jail,”!NBC!15!(January!30,!2020).!!!Hector!Ponce,!“91year1old!Suffers!Accidental!Gunshot!Wound!to!Head!in!Brigham!City,”!Fox!13!Salt!Lake!City!(January!30,!2020).!!

Erin!Cox,!David!Wells,!“31year1old!Suffers!Gunshot!Wound!in!Murray,”!Fox!13!Salt!Lake!City!(January!30,!2020).!!

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020

!! Three1year!old!Keegan!Vasquez!shot!himself!in!the!face!with!a!.25!caliber!pistol!he!found!on!a!TV!stand!in!his!great1grandmother’s!home.!!The!Callaghan!County,!Texas!boy!was!taken!to!a!hospital!in!Fort!Worth,!where!he!later!died.!!! The!boy’s!great1grandmother!said!that!she!had!forgotten!that!the!gun!was!there.!!The!sheriff!ultimately!said!that!no!charges!will!be!filed.!!“She’s!going!to!be!punished!enough.!…!It’s!something!she’ll!remember!every!night!when!she!goes!to!bed.”!!!

According!to!the!news!reporter,!“this!small!community!got!a!bit!quieter!after!losing!one!big!bundle!of!joy.”!!Source:((

Jamie!Burch,!Nick!Bradshaw,!“Sheriff:!31year1old!Baird!Boy!Accidentally!Shot!Himself!While!Playing!with!Gun,”!(compiled!video!reports)!KTXS12!ABC!(January!31,!2020).!!!

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020

!

In!Hinckley,!Ohio,!131year!old!Max!Muzyczka,!an!eighth!grader,!was!shot!to!death.!!!Police!reported!that!“the!initial!investigation!indicates!this!was!sadly!a!tragic!accident.”!!Authorities!declined!to!release!additional!information!about!the!incident!out!of!respect!for!the!the!boy’s!family.!

!According!to!a!statement!issued!by!the!school!district,!“Max!was!a!good!student,!an!

athlete!and!had!many!friends.”!!The!district!will!provide!crisis!counselors!over!the!next!few!days!in!order!to!provide!assistance!to!grieving!students!and!staff.!!

!Sources:(

Courtney!Shaw,!“131year1old!Boy!Dies!After!Accidental!Shooting!in!Hinckley,”!News!5!Cleveland!(February!2,!2020).!!

Kaylyn!Hlavaty,!“131year1old!Hinckley!Boy!Who!Died!in!Accidental!Shooting!Described!as!a!'Good!Student!and!Athlete',”!News!5!Cleveland!(February!3,!2020).!!

!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020

!

In!Harvest,!Alabama,!five1year!old!Maxton!Hughes,!the!son!of!a!Huntsville!police!officer,!apparently!found!a!gun!in!the!family!car!and!accidentally!shot!himself!in!the!head.!!A!parent!found!the!child!and!drove!him!to!the!hospital!where!he!was!pronounced!dead.!!An!investigation!is!ongoing!but!no!charges!are!expected.!!


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“This!is!a!tragic!situation!and!our!thoughts!and!prayers!are!with!the!family!during!this!difficult!time,”!the!Sheriff!said.!

! The!state’s!Child!Death!Review!Team!will!look!into!the!accidental!shooting.!The!review!team!that!investigates!the!case!is!made!up!of!local!and!state!experts.!The!team!identifies!trends!that!put!children!at!risk!with!the!goal!of!preventing!further!tragedies.!!

!Source:((

Ashley!Thusius,!“Madison!County!Sheriff’s!Office!Says!No!Charges!Expected!After!51year1old!Shot!Himself!in!Driveway,”!WAAY!31!ABC!(February!3,!2020).!!

“Five1year1old!Identified!in!Accidental!Shooting,”!WAFF48!(February!5,!2020).!

!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2020 ( (( Police!announced!today!that!they!are!still!considering!filing!charges!against!an!unidentified!211year!old!in!White!Township,!Pennsylvania,!who!accidentally!shot!his!four1month!old!son!with!a!91mm!handgun.!!The!boy!suffered!significant!injuries!after!being!hit!in!the!upper!body,!but!is!expected!to!survive.!!! At!the!time!of!the!shooting,!the!boy’s!parents!immediately!notified!a!neighbor!who!called!emergency!services.!!“Troopers!do!not!have!any!reason!to!believe!that!this!was!an!intentional!discharge!of!the!firearm,”!a!Pennsylvania!State!Police!news!release!said.!!Source:!

Jonathan!D.!Silver,!“Police!Believe!Indiana!County!Man,!21,!Shot!Own!Baby!by!Accident,”!Pittsburgh!Post!Gazette!(February!3,!2020).!!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020

( A!151year!old!boy!was!injured!in!Fannett,!Texas!when!a!dog!jumped!into!his!four1wheel!UTV!and!discharged!his!.22!caliber!rifle!by!knocking!it!over.!The!gun!fired!one!round!into!the!boy’s!stomach.!

( According!to!reports,!this!was!the!third!accidental!shooting!involving!a!Southeast!Texas!teenager!in!less!than!60!days.!!!


13

Source:(

Raegan!Gibson,!Tyler!Seggerman,!“151year1old!Boy!in!Stable!Condition!After!Dog!Causes!Rifle!to!Accidentally!Fire!in!Fannett,”!12!News!ABC!(February!4,!2020).!!

!

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 ! A!five1year!old!boy!in!Macon,!Georgia!accidentally!shot!his!six1year!old!brother!in!the!shoulder!while!they!were!playing!with!a!handgun!they!had!found!in!their!home.!The!injured!boy!went!to!the!hospital!and!is!listed!in!stable!condition.!

Source:(

Tucker!Sargent,!“Bibb!Deputies:!51year1old!Accidentally!Shoots!61year1old!Brother,”!41!WMGT!(February!5,!2020).!!

!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020

! 201year!old!Betty!Spado!of!Pendleton,!South!Carolina!died!after!being!shot!when!a!gun!discharged!inside!her!apartment.!!Her!boyfriend!and!two!other!men!were!handling!guns!while!visiting!when!one!of!the!guns!went!off.!!!

The!coroner!ruled!her!death!an!accident.!!!

Source:((

Live!5!Web!Staff,!“S.C.!Woman!Killed!After!Gun!Misfires!While!Boyfriend!Was!Handling!It,!Coroner!Says,”!Live!5!WCSC!(February!7,!2020).!!


14

!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Lincoln!Mack,!a!41year!old!boy!in!Pemberton!Township,!New!Jersey,!accidentally!shot!and!killed!himself!today!after!finding!a!loaded!handgun!in!his!home.!!His!parents!and!two!siblings!were!in!the!home!at!the!time.!!!!! Lincoln’s!preschool!teachers!described!him!as!a!“sweet!and!fun!little!boy!with!a!smile!that!lit!up!the!room.”!!Lincoln’s!father,!Andrew!Mack!is!a!petty!officer!at!the!local!naval!base.!!His!Facebook!page,!according!to!reports,!show!Mr.!Mack!with!various!guns!and!memes!in!support!of!gun!ownership.!Andrew!Mack!was!later!arrested!and!charged!with!endangering!the!welfare!of!a!child!and!a!disorderly!person’s!firearms!offense!for!allowing!a!minor!to!gain!access!to!a!firearm.!!

The!County!prosecutor!said,!“I!urge!everyone!who!owns!a!gun!to!go!—!right!now!—!and!make!sure!it!is!secure!and!not!accessible!to!any!children!in!their!home.”!The!local!Sheriff’s!department!free!gun!locks!to!any!citizens!of!the!county.!!! Andrew Mack 31, of the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township, was arrested Wednesday and charged with !

!Source:(

David!Levinsky,!“‘Unspeakable!Tragedy’:!Pemberton!Boy’s!Shooting!‘Entirely!Preventable,’!Prosecutor!Says,”!Burlington!County!Times!(February!8,!2020).!!

George!Woolston,!“Father!Charged!in!Death!of!Son,!4,!Who!Shot!Himself!in!Pemberton,”!Burlington!County!Times!(February!19,!2020).


15

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2020

! In!Dayton,!Ohio,!a!91mm!pistol!accidentally!fired!when!a!man!and!his!his!grandfather!were!inspecting!it.!The!man!was!shot!in!the!foot!and!taken!to!the!hospital.!!His!name!and!condition!were!not!released.!!!Source:(((Nevin!Smith,!“Man!Shoots!His!Foot,!Medics!Respond,”!Dayton!Now!(February!8,!2020).!!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2020

A!family!in!Pittsburgh,!Pennsylvania!is!mourning!the!death!of!three1year!old!Chassity!Clancy!who!was!shot!to!death!in!a!gun!accident!in!her!home.!!According!to!reports,!511year!old!Marlin!Pritchard!was!babysitting!and!feel!asleep!next!to!Chassity!with!a!loaded!pistol!grip!shotgun!under!his!pillow!when!the!gun!went!off.!He!woke!to!find!Chassity!had!been!shot!and!killed.!!Pritchard!was!charged!with!criminal!homicide,!child!endangerment!and!various!weapons!offenses.!!Among!other!things,!he!was!a!convicted!felon!who!was!barred!from!having!a!gun.!!!! !! Her!adult!cousin!told!reporters,!“She!was!an!angel!to!everybody.!When!you!see!her!it!was!like!‘oh!my!gosh,!who!is!this!baby!with!fuzzy!socks,!tulle!pants,!and!beads!with!tulle!in!her!hair.”!!He!added,!it!was!a!traumatic!loss,!a!shocking!loss,!but!God!is!good!and!God!is!going!to!see!us!through!it!all.”!!! Police!are!still!investigating.!!Source:((

“‘She!Was!an!Angel’:!Family!Mourns!31Year1Old!Girl!Allegedly!Shot,!Killed!by!Babysitter!In!Beltzhoover”!KDKA2,!CBS!Pittsburgh!(February!10,!2020).!!

!


16

!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2020

In!Tampa,!Florida,!171year!old!Ivan!Johnson!died!today!after!being!shot!with!a!BB!fired!from!a!pellet!gun!by!an!eight1year!old!friend!while!they!were!waiting!for!the!younger!boy’s!father!in!the!father’s!car.!!The!BB!struck!Ivan!in!the!eye.!!He!was!taken!to!a!hospital!before!dying!three!days!after!the!incident.!!

!According!to!police,!the!father!had!left!the!gun!in!the!back!seat!while!using!an!ATM!

machine.!!The!eight1year!old!grabbed!the!gun!and!fired!one!shot.!“We!hope!that!he!definitely!is!responsible!for!what!he’s!done,”!Ivan’s!dad!said.!“Even!though!it!was!an!81year1old!child!that!pulled!the!trigger,!I!think!a!responsible!parent!would!have!put!the!gun!somewhere!else!and!not!in!the!backseat.”!!

!Source:((

Ryan!Hughes,!“Family!Wants!Answers!After!Teen!Shot,!Killed!by!Boy!with!BB!Gun!in!Tampa,”!New!Channel!8!(February!10,!2020).!!


The!Police!Chief!in!Magnolia,!Arkansas,!Todd!Dew,!was!accidentally!shot!by!a!fellow!

officer!while!attempting!to!serve!a!warrant!on!a!man!who!had!violated!the!terms!of!his!probation.!According!to!a!statement,!the!officers!were!entering!a!home!when!the!gun!went!off!and!struck!the!Chief!in!the!back.!!!

!Chief!Dew!was!wearing!a!bullet!proof!vest!at!the!time!he!was!shot!and!his!injuries!were!

minor.!!The!statement!did!not!provide!information!about!why!an!officer’s!gun!was!drawn!or!how!it!fired.!!

!Source:((!J.D.!Bailey,!“Magnolia!Police!Chief!Accidentally!Shot!in!Back!While!Serving!Arrest!Warrant,”!Banner!News!(February!11,!2020).!!


17

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

141year!old!Jesus!Jimenez!Solis!was!cleaning!a!gun!in!his!bedroom!when!it!accidentally!fired,!killing!his!151year!old!friend,!Sylas!Lieb.!!Jimenez!Solis,!an!Omaha!Nebraska!boy,!was!holding!the!gun!in!his!lap!and!wiping!it!with!a!towel!when!it!went!off.!!Lieb!died!at!the!scene.!!! According!to!investigators,!Jimenez!Solis!had!found!the!gun!at!a!laundromat!days!earlier.!!An!eighth1grader!at!the!Lewis!&!Clark!middle!school,!Jimenez!Solis!was!charged!with!manslaughter!and!sent!by!the!Court!to!a!Youth!Detention!Center.!!!Source:((

Alia!Conley,!“Teen!Who!Fatally!Shot!Omaha!Central!Student!Didn't!Intend!to!Kill!Him,!Douglas!County!Attorney!Says,”!Omaha!World!Herald!(February!13,!2020).!!


! !

!!

A!student!at!Henley!High!School!in!Klamath!County,!Oregon!was!hospitalized!after!an!accidental!shooting!in!the!school!parking!lot.!!According!to!reports,!two!students!were!moving!a!gun!from!one!car!to!another!after!shooting!together!when!the!gun!went!off,!hitting!one!of!the!students!in!the!hand.!!!Source:(


18

Anna!Weeks,!“Accidental!Gun!Discharge!Sends!Student!to!Hospital,”!Fox!26!(February!13,!2020).!!

!


On!Valentine’s!Day,!four!young!children!were!shot!and!injured!in!their!homes!by!other!children.!!Three!children!were!shot!in!two!incidents!in!Chicago,!Illinois.!!The!other!incident!occurred!in!Dallas,!Texas.!!! An!eight1year!old!boy!and!a!121year!old!girl!were!both!shot!in!Chicago’s!Bronzeville!neighborhood!on!the!South!Side!by!another!boy!who!found!a!gun!in!the!home.!!All!three!children!were!related.!!The!eight1year!old!was!shot!in!the!shoulder!and!the!girl!was!hit!in!the!arm.!!! Also!in!Chicago,!a!seven1year!old!girl!shot!an!111year!old!boy!in!the!neck!after!finding!a!gun!in!her!home.!!She!was!handling!the!gun!when!it!went!off.!!The!boy!was!taken!to!the!hospital,!where!he!was!reportedly!in!serious!condition.!!! In!the!Dallas!incident,!a!five1year!old!boy!was!accidentally!shot!in!the!back!by!his!ten1year!old!brother,!who!was!handling!a!pistol.!!The!boy!was!being!treated!at!a!local!hospital,!where!he!was!in!stable!condition.!!!Sources:((

Kate!Chappell,!“Weekend!Violence:!At!Least!4!Wounded!in!Accidental!Shootings!Across!Chicago,”!5!Chicago!(February!15,!2020).!!

“Child!Accidentally!Shoots!Boy,!Girl!Inside!Bronzeville!Home:!Police,”!The!Chicago!Sun!Times!(February!15,!2020).!!

Emmanuel!Camarillo,!“Boy,!11,!Accidentally!Shot!by!71year1old!Sister!in!Lawndale,!Police!Say,”!The!Chicago!Sun!Times!(February!14,!2020).!!

“Boy!Accidentally!Shot!in!Dallas!by!Brother:!Police,”!5!NBCDFW!(February!15,!2020).!!!


19

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 !! In!St.!Louis,!Missouri,!a!121year!old!boy!was!accidentally!shot!when!a!family!member!fired!a!warning!shot!at!a!person!she!believed!was!going!to!rob!her.!!The!bullet!struck!the!ground!and!the!ricochet!hit!the!boy!in!the!hand.!!He!was!taken!to!a!hospital!where!he!was!expected!to!recover.!!!! This!comes!after!a!61year!old!St.!Louis!girl!was!hit!in!the!knee!by!stray!gunfire!earlier!in!the!day!as!she!was!sitting!inside!a!parked!vehicle.!The!girl’s!injuries!were!also!not!considered!life1threatening.!!Sources:((

Nicole!Sanders,!“121year1old!Accidentally!Shot!After!Family!Member!Fires!Warning!Shot!at!Would1be!Robber,”!KMOV!4!(February!16,!2020).!!

“Child,!6,!Shot!While!in!Car!in!South!City,”!KMOV!4!(February!16,!2020).!!!

!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2020 !! In!Dunmor,!Kentucky,!a!151year!old!boy!was!killed!when!a!firearm!accidentally!discharged!while!he!was!target!shooting!with!a!friend!and!his!friend’s!mother!on!their!property.!!The!Kentucky!State!Police!investigated!and!concluded:!!

“it!was!an!accidental!discharge.!!Detectives!are!working!to!determine!exactly!how!the!incident!happened.!No!one!has!been!charged!with!a!crime.!It!is!truly!a!tragic!situation.”!!

No!information!was!provided!about!the!make!and!model!of!the!gun!that!accidentally!discharged!or!about!the!circumstances!in!which!the!accident!occurred.!!Source:((

Doreen!Dennis,!“Teen!Dies!from!Accidental!Gunshot!Wound!in!Dunmor,”!SurfKY!(February!17,!2020).!!(

!

!

!


20

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2020

( In!Killingly,!Connecticut,!Mountain!Robicheau!shot!through!his!leg!when!showing!off!his!gun!to!his!sister.!!The!man!told!police!that!“he!was!showing!his!sister!the!de1cocking!mechanism!of!his!Beretta!96A!.401caliber!pistol!when!his!finger!slipped!while!he!was!trying!to!lower!the!weapon’s!hammer.”!

Robicheau!opted!not!to!immediately!go!to!the!hospital!“since!the!bullet!exited!my!leg,”!according!to!an!arrest!warrant!affidavit.!However,!the!pain!from!the!wound!eventually!led!him!to!seek!medical!treatment.!!!

Robicheau!was!ultimately!charged!with!various!offenses!including!illegal!discharge!of!a!firearm.!!!

Source:((

John!Penny,!“Police:!Man!Shoots!Self!in!Leg!in!Killingly!While!Showing!Off!Pistol,”!!The!Norwich!Bulletin!(February!19,!2020).!!!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 ( (

A!man!sitting!in!his!apartment!in!Plano,!Texas!today!was!shot!in!the!leg!by!a!neighbor!who!was!moving!a!shotgun!inside!his!home.!!The!man!whose!shotgun!accidentally!fired!is!expected!to!be!charged!with!the!misdemeanor!crime!of!discharging!a!firearm.!!Source:((

“Police:!Man!Accidentally!Fired!Shotgun!Inside!Plano!Apartment,!Injuring!Neighbor,”!11/21!CBS!DFW!(February!18,!2020).!!

(WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2020

!! In!Bryan,!Texas,!two!police!officers!were!injured!when!a!gun!“accidentally!went!off”!at!the!police!station.!!Both!officers!were!taken!to!the!hospital,!treated!and!released.!!

A!release!issued!by!the!Bryan!police!department!says!that!an!administrative!review!of!policies,!procedures,!and!training!will!take!place!to!determine!what!can!be!done!to!ensure!that!similar!incidents!do!not!occur!in!the!future.!No!other!details!of!the!incident!were!reported.!!


21

Source:

Michael!Oder,!“Two!Bryan!Police!Officers!Injured!After!Accidental!Shooting,”!KBTX!TV3!(February!19,!2020).!!

!!


In!Brooksville,!Florida,!an!unidentified!man!accidentally!shot!and!killed!himself!while!playing!with!a!gun.!!He!was!waiting!for!a!haircut!at!the!time.!!!

!The!sheriff’s!office!called!the!incident!a!“horrible!accident.”!!The!make!and!model!of!the!

gun!that!accidentally!fired!was!not!released.!!!Source:((

Associated!Press,!“Florida!Man!Waiting!for!Haircut!Fatally!Shoots!Himself!While!Playing!with!Gun,”!!Click!Orlando.com!(February!20,!2020).!!

!


!! In!Texarkana!Arkansas,!Kayden!May!was!charged!with!manslaughter!after!the!shooting!death!of!his!girlfriend!Abbigale!Thacker!in!their!home.!!Both!May!and!Thacker!were!181year!olds.!!! May’s!charge!was!reduced!from!second1degree!murder!to!manslaughter!after!concluding!that!Thacker’s!death!resulted!from!an!“extreme!case!of!gun!safety!violations.”!!A!Texarkana!police!officer!had!earlier!said,!“police!do!not!classify!what!happened!as!an!accident!and!pointed!to!state!statute!which!says!an!individual!commits!second1degree!murder!when!they!‘knowingly!causes!the!death!of!another!person!under!circumstances!manifesting!extreme!indifference!to!the!value!of!human!life.’”!!


22

! Even!after!the!reduction!in!charge,!police!declined!to!elaborate!on!the!circumstances!of!the!incident.!!“It’s!nothing!short!of!two!individuals!whose!lives!were!completely!changed,”!the!Officer!said.!“One!is!no!longer!here.!It’s!very!sad.”!!!Source:(

Nyssa!Kruse,!“Arkansas!Teen!Charged!in!Girlfriend's!Death;!'Extreme!Case'!of!Gun!Safety!Violations,!Police!Say,”!Arkansas!Democrat!Gazette!(February!21,!2020).!!!

!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 ! A!131year!old!Muskegon!Heights,!Michigan!boy!fired!a!flare!gun!that!accidentally!passed!through!a!window!and!started!a!fire!in!the!home!of!an!881year!old!neighbor.!!Police!officers!responding!to!the!incident!heard!a!faint!cry!for!help!from!inside!the!dwelling!and!rescued!the!881year!old!and!her!unconscious!cat.!!The!woman!was!treated!at!the!hospital!for!smoke!inhalation!and!is!expected!to!recover.!!The!cat!was!also!resuscitated.!!

( The!131year!old!was!charged!with!second!degree!arson!and!is!being!held!at!the!local!juvenile!detention!center.!"We!try!and!preach!this:!you!can!ruin!your!life!in!about!30!seconds,"!a!police!officer!said.!"This!young!man!did!that.!It!doesn't!matter!if!people!on!Facebook!call!it!an!accident;!an!accident!of!this!magnitude!and!you!get!the!same!charge."!

Source:((

Jon!Mills,!“Muskegon!Heights!Police!Officers!Save!881year1old!Woman!from!House!Fire!Started!by!Flare!Gun,”!!13!ABC!On!Your!Side!(February!24,!2020).!!

!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2020 ! Two!Tennessee!teens!were!unintentionally!shot!this!weekend.!One!is!dead!and!the!other!is!recovering!at!Vanderbilt!University!Medical!Center.!!!

( In!Memphis,!161year!old!Jordan!Milan!was!shot!and!killed!by!his!171year!old!friend,!who!was!playing!with!a!gun.!!The!171year!old,!who!was!not!identified!by!police,!was!arrested!and!charged!with!reckless!homicide.!!According!to!a!family!friend,!Jordan!was!a!good!kid!and!a!good!student!who!did!well!at!school.!!"Typical!Day...!Mom!leaving!home.!Both!of!her!boys!were!at!home.!So,!how?!Safest!place!we!could!be!right?"!the!friend!said.!!!


23

! A!131year!old!Nashville!boy!was!also!shot!by!another!teenager!playing!with!a!gun.!!The!police!believe!that!the!shooting!was!accidental,!but!did!not!say!whether!they!intend!to!press!charges.!!The!Nashville!boy!is!recovering!at!the!hospital.!!!!!Sources:(((

Zachary!Downes,!Quametra!Wilson,!“Teen!Killed!in!Southeast!Shelby!County!Shooting,”!News!3!Memphis!(February!23,!2020).!!

Natalie!Allison,!“Police!say!131year1old!boy!injured!during!accidental!shooting!in!Nashville,”!Tennessean!(February!23,!2020).!!

!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2020 (( A!151year!old!in!Houston,!Texas!turned!himself!in!to!police!after!accidentally!shooting!his!51year!old!sister!in!the!stomach.!!The!accident!occurred!while!his!parents!were!asleep.!!The!boy!panicked!and!ran!from!the!home!when!his!parents!woke!up!to!the!sound!of!the!gunshot.!!! The!51year!old!was!rushed!to!a!trauma!center!in!critical!condition.!She!reportedly!told!police!that!her!brother!shot!her!by!accident,!though!the!circumstances!of!the!accident!remain!unclear.!!!The!151year!old!was!charged!with!reckless!aggravated!assault!with!a!deadly!weapon.!!!!Source:((

Erica!Ponder,!“Teen!Turns!Himself!in!After!Admitting!to!Accidentally!Shooting!51year1old!Sister,!Police!Say,”!!Click2Houston.com!(February!25,!2020).!

!


! For!the!second!day!in!a!row,!a!child!was!accidentally!shot!by!an!older!relative!in!Houston,!Texas.!!According!to!sheriff’s!deputies,!191year!old!Caitlyn!Smith!accidentally!shot!her!101year!old!nephew!while!she!was!taking!selfies!with!a!gun.!!The!Sheriff!announced!that!Ms.!Smith!was!arrested!and!charged!with!“Injury!to!a!Child!–!Serious!Bodily!Injury,”!a!second!degree!felony.!The!child!was!taken!to!a!hospital!for!surgery!and!is!expected!to!survive.!

! Ms.!Smith!was!babysitting!her!nephew!at!the!time.!!"Weapons!are!not!meant!to!be!props!in!selfies!or!any!type!of!videoing,"!a!Sheriff’s!deputy!said,!adding!that!the!teen!"could!


24

have!caused!a!homicide."!According!to!the!deputy,!Ms.!Smith!took!a!video!of!herself!holding!the!gun!and!then!went!to!disengage!the!magazine!from!the!pistol,!but!because!her!finger!was!on!the!trigger,!when!she!pulled!to!eject!the!magazine,!the!gun!fired.!!!

! Under!Texas!law,!which!has!been!loosened!several!times!in!recent!decades,!no!safety!training!is!required!to!purchase!a!rifle!or!handgun!unless!the!buyer!also!obtains!a!license!to!carry!the!gun!outside!the!home.!!In!addition,!although!the!circumstances!of!the!accident!are!murky,!a!loaded!chamber!indicator!or!a!magazine!safety!disconnect!might!have!prevented!this!accident.!!Source:(((

Debra!Patterson,!“Woman!Arrested,!Accused!of!Playing!with!Gun!Before!Shooting!her!Nephew,”!KHOU!11!(February!26,!2020).!!

Emily!Shapiro,!“Babysitter!Takes!Video!of!Self!with!Gun,!Accidentally!Shoots!101year1old:!Sheriff”!ABC!News,!(February!27,!2020).!!

(WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

! For!the!third!day!in!a!row,!a!child!was!accidentally!shot!in!East!Texas!by!another!child.!!In!Joaquin,!Texas,!171year!old!Heston!Avery!accidentally!shot!and!killed!his!friend,!whose!name!was!not!reported.!!!

At!the!time!of!the!shooting,!Avery!called!for!emergency!help,!but!deputies!pronounced!the!victim!dead!at!the!scene.!!Avery!was!arrested!and!charged!with!criminally!negligent!homicide.!!!

Source:(

Mintie!Betts,!“East!Texas!171year1old!Accidentally!Shoots,!Kills!Friend,”!KTEX!Fox!51!(February!27,!2020).!!

!


( Two!teenagers!were!shot!to!death!today!by!others!in!incidents!that!involved!playing!with!a!gun.!!!!! In!Tamaqua,!a!borough!in!Eastern!Pennsylvania,!Eric!Tavener!was!shot!and!killed!accidentally!by!211year!old!Francis!Witmayer.!!Witnesses!said!that!Tavener,!an!181year!old,!was!


25

playing!with!a!gun!when!he!was!asked!to!return!it!by!its!owner,!Witmayer.!!After!taking!the!gun!back,!the!gun!fired!as!Witmayer!attempted!to!disassemble!it.!!The!round!struck!Tavener!in!the!chest.!!Witmayer!was!taken!into!custody!without!incident.!!! In!Hazelwood,!Missouri,!outside!St.!Louis,!an!unidentified!151year!old!boy!was!accidentally!shot!and!killed!by!Timothy!Nguyen,!an!181year!old!who!was!playing!with!a!gun.!Nguyen!was!reportedly!loading!and!unloading!the!gun!at!the!time!of!the!accident.!!!He!was!charged!with!first!degree!manslaughter.!!!Sources:((

Kayla!Dwyer,!“Tamaqua!Man,!18,!Dies!After!he!is!Shot!in!the!Chest!by!Man!Disassembling!Gun,!Police!Say,”!The!Morning!Call!(February!28,!2020).!!

“Teen!Charged!with!the!Deadly!Shooting!of!a!151year1old,”!KMOV!4!(February!28,!2020).!!

!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020 !! Malinda!Broyles!of!Fairmount,!West!Virginia!died!after!being!accidentally!shot!in!the!neck.!!Gene!McIntosh!was!reportedly!manipulating!the!action!on!his!rifle!when!the!gun!fired.!!Although!Mr.!McIntosh!was!charged!with!wanton!endangerment!and!the!circumstances!of!the!accident!are!still!being!investigated,!a!rifle!should!not!fire!unless!the!trigger!is!pulled.!!!!! Three!children,!including!an!eight1year!old!were!in!the!home!at!the!time!Ms.!Broyles!was!shot.!!!(Source:(

“Update:!Woman!Dead,!Man!Charged!after!Fatal!Fairmont!Gunshot!Incident,”!12!WBOY!(February!29,!2020).!!

!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020 !! In!Biloxi,!Mississipi,!Bennie!Hiep!Lu,!a!151year!old,!accidentally!shot!and!killed!another!teenager.!!The!boys!were!playing!with!a!gun!and!Lu!pulled!the!trigger!in!the!belief!that!the!gun!was!unloaded.!!!!


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! Reports!indicate!that!“Bennie!has!been!placed!under!arrest!and!is!being!charged!as!an!adult!with!manslaughter.!…!After!being!booked!in,!Bennie!was!transported!to!the!Harrison!County!Adult!Detention!Center.”!!Source:((

Carey!Cox,!“Police:!151year1old!Accidentally!Shoots,!Kills!Boy!While!Playing!with!Gun,”!12!News,!WJTV!(February!29,!2020).!!

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2020

An!111month!old!child!in!Plymouth!Massachusetts!was!injured!when!a!gun!was!accidentally!fired!near!his!home.!The!boy!was!taken!to!a!nearby!hospital!for!treatment.!! !

The!boy’s!neighbor,!a!licensed!gun!owner,!accidentally!discharged!his!gun,!according!to!the!local!police!chief.!!“He!says!he!was!putting!a!trigger!guard!on!it,!he!had!taken!out!the!magazine,!and!there!must!have!been!still!one!in!the!chamber,”!the!Chief!said.!“The!weapon!went!off.”!!The!man’s!gun!license!was!revoked!and!he!was!charged!with!discharging!a!firearm!within!500!feet!of!a!residence.!!!

!This!is!an!accident!that!would!have!been!prevented!by!a!magazine!safety!disconnect.!!

Massachusetts!regulations!require!that!all!new!handguns!sold!have!either!a!magazine!safety!disconnect!or!a!chamber!load!indicator,!but!not!both.!!

!Source:((

!Steve!Cooper,!“Police:!111month1old!Boy!Injured!After!Gun!Accidentally!Goes!off!in!Plymouth,”!7!News!Boston!(March!2,!2020).!!!(

(MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020


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( Ashley!James,!a!191year!old!who!recently!starred!on!the!Green!Run!High!School!basketball!team!in!Chesapeake,!Virginia,!was!shot!and!killed!today!in!an!accidental!shooting.!!He!and!another!teen!were!handling!a!gun!when!it!went!off.!!James!received!emergency!care,!but!died!from!his!wound.!!No!further!information!about!the!nature!of!the!accident!was!reported.!According!to!police,!no!criminal!charges!will!be!filed.!!!! The!night!of!the!accident,!James!had!been!in!attendance!as!his!former!high!school!team!won!a!double1overtime!game!to!become!the!Region!5A!Champions.!!During!his!high!school!career,!James,!a!61foot13!guard,!was!named!“the!Class!5!Region!A!Player!of!the!Year,!the!Beach!District!Player!of!the!Year!and!a!two1time!first1team!all1state!selection.!He!is!best!remembered!for!hitting!the!game1winning!half1court!shot!…!that!sent!the!Stallions!to!the!state!tournament.”!!!!

He!had!recently!committed!to!play!at!Missouri!State!next!year.!!According!to!a!report,!“[n]ow,!he’s!being!remembered!as!a!wonderful!person!with!an!infectious!smile!and!determined!attitude.”!!Sources:((

“Former!Green!Run!High!School!Basketball!Player!Dies!in!Accidental!Shooting,”!3!WTKR!Coastal!VA!(March!3,!2020).!!

Larry!Rubama,!“Former!Green!Run!Basketball!Star!Ashley!James!Killed!in!Accidental!Shooting,”!The!Virginian1Pilot!(March!3,!2020).!!

!

!

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2020

! A!three1year!old!shot!himself!in!the!head!today!in!Columbia,!South!Carolina!with!a!gun!he!found!in!a!bedroom!in!his!home.!!He!is!hospitalized!in!critical!condition.!!Authorities!are!investigating!how!he!was!able!to!obtain!the!gun.!!! In!Bolivar,!Missouri!a!two1year!old!child!shot!his!four1year!old!brother!in!the!abdomen.!!That!boy!is!also!hospitalized.!!According!to!police,!a!preliminary!investigation!showed!that!the!gun!was!in!easy!reach!of!the!child.!

! In!connection!with!the!latter!incident,!a!neighbor!said,!“I'm!sure!that!their!mom!and!dad!wish!they!could!go!back!in!that!moment!hide!that!gun!better,!unload!that!gun."!!


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"Every!parent!makes!mistakes.!Just!so!happens,!their!little!guy!made!a!big!one,"!she!added.!!

Sources:(

“CPD:!31year1old!Boy!in!Critical!Condition!After!Suffering!Gunshot!Wound!to!Head,”!3!WBTV!(March!3,!2020).!!

Nikki!Ogle,!“Toddler,!4,!Accidentally!Shot!by!Brother,!2,!at!Bolivar!Home,!Police!Say”!KY!3!(March!3,!2020).!

(

!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2020 !! In!Brownstown,!Indiana,!a!police!investigation!has!determined!that!a!shot!was!accidentally!fired!by!a!man!who!was!handling!a!handgun!in!the!living!room!of!his!home.!!A!bullet!from!the!gun!went!through!the!man’s!leg!and!then!entered!the!leg!of!his!51year!old!son.!!! The!man!was!treated!and!released.!!The!boy!remained!hospitalized!for!further!treatment.!!An!investigation!is!ongoing.!!Source:((

“Shooting!Investigation!Ongoing!in!Brownstown,”!WBIW.com!(March!6,!2020).((

!!

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 ! A!school!maintenance!worker!in!Weston!Florida,!near!Ft.!Lauderdale,!was!accidentally!shot!in!the!eye!by!an!armed!school!security!officer.!The!security!officer,!who!worked!for!a!private!company,!dropped!the!shooting!victim!at!a!local!hospital!and!went!home.!!!

According!to!authorities,!the!security!officer,!Julian!Suarez,!was!not!authorized!to!carry!the!gun!on!school!grounds.!!He!has!been!charged!and!is!being!held!on!a!$7,500!bail!in!an!ongoing!investigation.!

Source:((

Sabrina!Lolo,!“Maintenance!Worker!Shot!in!the!Face!at!Broward!County!School,”!12!News!(March!6,!2020).!!


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!

FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020

In!another!accident!involving!a!police!officer,!this!time!in!Detroit!Michigan,!an!officer!shot!herself!accidentally!at!police!headquarters.!!She!was!taken!to!the!hospital!where!she!was!listed!in!serious!condition.!!! Compared!to!most!other!American!gun!owners,!police!officers!undergo!significant!firearm!safety!training.!!Even!with!training,!accidents!frequently!occur.!!Police,!for!their!own!safety,!should!take!a!leadership!role!through!their!purchasing!power!to!press!manufacturers!for!safer!guns.!!!!Source:((

Sarah!Rahal,!“Police:!Detroit!Officer!Hurt!after!Shooting!Self!by!Accident,”!The!Detroit!News!(March!6,!2020).!!

!

!SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2020

! After!accidentally!shooting!a!woman!in!Paris,!Tennessee,!the!shooter!apparently!took!his!own!life.!!After!the!accident,!the!man!apparently!accompanied!the!woman!to!the!hospital.!!She!was!admitted!and!is!in!stable!condition.!!! The!man!went!missing!and!then!shot!himself!in!the!hospital’s!emergency!medical!services!building.!!“We!have!no!indication!that!it!was!anything!other!than!an!accidental!shooting!and!suicide!at!this!point,”!the!Paris!police!caption!said.!!He!“urged!anyone!handling!handguns!or!firearms!to!always!treat!any!weapon!as!if!it!were!loaded.”!Source:(

Glenn!Tanner,!“Paris!TN:!Accidental!Shooting!Ends!in!Apparent!Suicide!at!HCMC,”!The!Post!Intelligencer!(March!8,!2020).!!

!

SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020 !! !A!child!is!dead!after!a!gun!accident!in!Fairview,!North!Carolina.!Although!sources!indicate!that!the!wound!was!self!inflicted!and!that!the!victim!was!five1years!old,!authorities!expressly!declined!to!release!any!details!of!the!incident!on!the!basis!that!the!victim!was!under!18.!!An!investigation!is!ongoing.!!


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! This!case!illustrates!the!difficulties!of!gathering!details!of!gun!accidents!sufficient!to!make!informed!public!policy!decisions.!!!!Source:(

WLOS!Staff,!“One!Minor!Dead!after!Accidental!Gunshot!Wound!in!Fairview,”!WLOS!(March!9,!2020).!

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2020

!! Darric!Appleton,!a!141year!old!Phoenix,!Arizona!teenager,!was!accidentally!shot!and!killed!by!a!161year!old!friend.!!7!children,!age!5116,!were!in!the!home!at!the!time!of!the!incident.!!No!adults!were!present.!!! According!to!police,!the!161year!old!brought!a!gun!to!the!residence,!pointed!it,!and!accidentally!pulled!the!trigger.!!!Appleton’s!relatives!called!the!accident!“an!innocent!consequence!of!a!loaded!gun!being!in!the!wrong!hands.”!!The!161year!old!was!arrested!and!charged!with!manslaughter!and!weapons!violations.!!! Family!members!also!said:!!“Darric"was"a"great"kid"and"a"typical"teenager."He"loved"playing"video"games"and"was"very"involved"with"sports."His"father"had"just"taken"him"to"buy"track"cleats"a"few"days"ago"in"anticipation"for"the"upcoming"track"season."His"mother"worked"very"hard"at"providing"him"with"a"stable"home."Both"are"suffering"right"now.”"!Sources:(

Nicole!Garcia,!“Phoenix!police:!161year1old!Arrested!in!Connection!to!Shooting!that!Left!Teenage!Boy!Dead,”!Fox!10!(March!10,!2020).!!


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“141year1old!Boy!Shot,!Killed!at!Laveen!Home!Monday!Was!an!Athlete!at!Tempe!High,”!AZ!Family!(March!10,!2020).!

(TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020

! Derrius!Atkinson,!a!Wake!Forest,!North!Carolina!teenager!pled!guilty!and!was!sentenced!to!13125!months!in!prison!in!connection!with!a!2018!gun!accident!that!left!his!best!friend!dead.!!Atkinson!was!also!ordered!to!pay!restitution.!!! Rodshawn!Barnes,!Atkinson,!and!two!other!boys!were!playing!video!games!at!Barnes’!home,!while!also!playing!with!a!9mm!gun.!Although!the!details!of!the!accident!remain!unclear,!according!to!Atkinson,!one!of!the!other!boys!“threw!the!gun!and!it!went!off.”!!Barnes!was!shot!and!killed.!!Atkinson!apparently!fled!with!the!gun,!which!has!never!been!recovered.!!Criminal!cases!against!the!other!boys!who!were!present!at!the!time!of!the!accident!remain!pending.!

! Prior!to!the!accident,!Atkinson!was!a!straight1A!student!and!a!standout!basketball!player!at!Community!Christian!School.!He!completed!his!high!school!diploma!in!prison.!At!the!time!of!sentencing,!Atkinson!apologized!to!Barnes’!family.!

Barnes’!grandmother!told!the!Court,!“My!grandson!can’t!speak!for!himself!anymore.!Life!is!no!game.”!!!Source:((!

Olivia!Neeley,!“Teen!Pleads!Guilty!in!2018!Accidental!Shooting,”!The!Wake!Weekly!(March!10,!2020).!!

(WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020

!! A!gun!unintentionally!discharged!in!a!Grand!Forks,!North!Dakota,!residence!while!its!owner!was!attempting!to!disassemble!it.!!A!man!in!the!residence!was!hospitalized!“with!a!non1life1threatening!gunshot!wound.”!! !! There!is!an!open!and!ongoing!investigation.!!Source:

“Man!Injured!after!Gun!'Unintentionally'!Discharged!in!Grand!Forks!Home,”!The!Grand!Forks!Herald!(March!11,!2020).!!!


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!

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020

( In!Laurinburg,!North!Carolina,!a!271year!old!man!accidentally!shot!himself!outside!a!Golden!Corral!restaurant.!!According!to!police,!the!man,!who!has!a!concealed1carry!permit,!“had!been!trying!to!take!the!gun!out!of!the!holster!to!put!away!before!going!into!the!restaurant!when!the!gun!went!off.”!!

The!report!did!not!disclose!where!the!man’s!wound!was!located,!but!he!was!hospitalized!with!non1life!threatening!injuries.!!!!Source:((

Katelin!Gandee,!“Man!Shoots!Self!in!Golden!Corral!Parking!Lot,”!The!Laurinburg!Exchange!(March!13,!2020).!!

!!

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020 (( A!131year!old!boy!in!Memphis!Tennessee!was!charged!with!negligent!homicide!after!accidentally!shooting!91year!old!Xavier!Jackson!with!a!gun!that!he!found!unsecured.!A!261year!old!man,!Lindsey!Williams!was!also!charged!in!connection!with!the!incident.!

"Too!many!kids!in!Memphis!have!died!this!year,"!a!relative!said.!!

"They!don't!know!no!better,"!according!to!a!neighbor.!"They!see!a!gun!or!something,!they!think!it's!a!toy.!They!will!play!with!it,!you!know."!

Another!neighbor,!Essie!Bailey,!said!"[t]hese!kids!are!out!of!school.!They!don't!have!anything!to!do,!so!they're!gonna!go!rambling!and!searching!for!something.!So!they!just!need!to!be!more!careful!and!put!the!stuff!up.!Put!their!guns!up."!

Sources:((

Mitchell!Koch!and!Luke!Jones,!“Teen!and!Adult!Charged!in!Shooting!that!Killed!Child!at!Northeast!Memphis!Apartment,”!News!3!WREG!Memphis,!(March!13,!2020).!!

Zachary!Downes,!“Police!Identify!91year1old!who!was!Shot!and!Killed,”!News!3!WREG!Memphis,!(March!14,!2020).!

wednesday, january 15, 2020 - gun accident journal...gun accident journal ii (60 days) january 15,...

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