WHEN ADULTS ACCIDENTALLY SHOOT ANOTHER PERSON, MOST OFTEN THE VICTIM IS A CHILD

In less than a week, three Tennessee adults unintentionally shot themselves or another person. In the most recent incident, a handgun dropped from a man’s pants and discharged, injuring a 4-year-old child.

“Unintentional shootings continue to be a serious problem in our state,” said Beth Joslin Roth, policy director for The Safe Tennessee Project. “It’s bad enough when an adult unintentionally shoots themselves, but in at least 8 incidents this year, an adult unintentionally shot another person, most often a child. In one of these incidents, a 13-year-old girl was killed. If a person chooses to be a gun owner, they must be responsible with it at all times. Too often in Tennessee, people aren’t.”

THREE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS IN FIVE DAYS:

JUNE 9, 2016 - MEMPHIS
A family, including a 4-year-old boy, was locked out of their home. A family friend attempted to climb through the window to open the door. As he climbed through the window, a gun fell from his pants and discharged, firing a bullet that hit the 4-year-old. The child was taken to the hospital with non-critical injuries.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/crime/4-year-old-injured-in-accidental-shooting-382469211.html

JUNE 7, 2016 - NASHVILLE
A man was attempting to clear his pistol when it unintentionally fired two rounds into his leg. He was hospitalized and is reported to be in critical condition.
http://www.wsmv.com/story/32170219/nashville-man-accidentally-shoots-himself-in-leg

JUNE 5, 2016 - MEMPHIS
A Memphis man unintentionally shot himself in the leg. He was hospitalized with non-critical injuries.
http://wreg.com/2016/06/05/man-in-hospital-after-accidentally-shooting-himself/-

“Shooting yourself while cleaning or handling your gun is not being a responsible gun owner,” said Roth. “Carrying a loaded gun in your pocket where it can easily fall out and discharge is extremely careless, not to mention an issue of public safety. If you can’t exercise the most basic level of gun safety, you don’t need a gun. You’re putting yourself and others at risk.”

2016 INCIDENTS WHERE AN ADULT UNINTENTIONALLY SHOT SOMEONE ELSE

JUNE 9, 2016 - MEMPHIS - CHILD INJURED
A family, including a 4-year-old boy, was locked out of their home. A family friend attempted to climb through the window to open the door. As he climbed through the window, a gun fell from his pants and discharged, firing a bullet that hit the 4-year-old. The child was taken to the hospital with non-critical injuries.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/crime/4-year-old-injured-in-accidental-shooting-382469211.html

MARCH 15, 2016 - CHATTANOOGA - ADULT KILLED
A 22-year-old man was handling a weapon when it discharged, killing 19-year-old Carly Ellis inside a Chattanooga home. The bullet went through a wall and hit Ellis in the neck, according to Chattanooga police.
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2016/mar/16/womshot-killed-chattanooghome/355528/

MARCH 14, 2016 - CHATTANOOGA - CHILD INJURED
A 15-year-old teen was accidentally shot in what Chattanooga police describe as an “domestic-related” shooting. No word on his condition.
http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/31464741/teen-shot-in-chattanooga

FEBRUARY 4, 2016 - MEMPHIS - CHILD INJURED
A 20-year-old was handling a gun that fired and hit a 16-year-old girl. Police report the two knew each other and that the shooting was an accident. The 20-year-old has been charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. The victim is in stable condition.
http://www.fox13memphis.com/news/jeffrey-gray-charged-after-teen-accidentally-shot-in-oakhaven/63473488

FEBRUARY 3, 2016 - KINGSPORT - ADULT INJURED
As he was attempting to kick out an unwanted houseguest, a Kingsport man accidentally shot the houseguest in the chest. The shooting victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/law-enforcement/2016/02/04/Kingsport-man-arrested-after-accidental-shooting-1.html

JANUARY 7, 2016 - MURFREESBORO - ADULT INJURED
A Murfreesboro man was unloading his 9mm when it accidentally discharged. A bullet penetrated the wall, through his neighbor’s bedroom before lodging in another wall. The woman was injured. No charges were filed.
http://www.dnj.com/story/news/crime/2016/01/07/police-bullet-shoots-through-sleeping-womans-bedroom/78445954/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

JANUARY 5, 2016 - MEMPHIS - ONE INFANT INJURED AND ONE CHILD KILLED
According to police, a 21-year-old man and another person were handling a gun in the upstairs part of a townhome-style apartment when the gun accidentally discharged. The bullet went through the floor, striking a 13-year-old girl who was holding a 12-week-old boy, police said. LeTara Jones, a sixth-grader at Humes Preparatory Academy, was taken to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in critical condition and later died. The infant was grazed by a bullet and was in noncritical condition at the hospital. As the 21-year-old man tried to run away, he was shot by a family member.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/Police-A-13-year-old-girl-dies-after-shot-at-Frayser-apartment-364230151.html

PERMIT HOLDERS WHO UNINTENTIONALLY SHOT THEMSELVES IN 2016

MARCH 5, 2016 - KNOXVILLE
A Knoxville man with a valid gun permit accidentally shot himself outside the West Towne Mall Cheesecake Factory. The 23-year-old man unintentionally discharged his Glock, injuring his leg.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local/kpd-man-who-shot-himself-in-mall-parking-lot-was-gun-permit-holder-2d78717c-a272-1e1d-e053-0100007f3-371275611.html

FEBRUARY 16, 2016
An employee at City View Magazine with a valid carry permit was holstering his handgun after using the restroom when he accidentally shot himself in the right leg. He was taken to the hospital to be treated.
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/man-accidentally-shoots-self-in-leg-after-using-bathroom/45010846

TENNESSEE UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS BY THE NUMBERS

2016 UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS TO DATE – 6/10/2016
This includes ALL 2016 unintentional shootings, including those where children were unintentionally shot by adults and those where a child gains access to an unsecured, loaded gun.

Unintentional shootings involving children- deaths: 3
Unintentional shootings involving children- injuries: 14
Unintentional shootings involving children: 17

Unintentional shootings involving adults- deaths: 5
Unintentional shootings involving adults- injuries: 23
Unintentional shootings involving adults with no injuries: 0
Unintentional shootings involving adults: 28

Total accidental shooting incidents to date: 45

2015 UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS THROUGH – 6/10/2015
This includes 2015 unintentional shootings, including those where children were unintentionally shot by adults and those where a child gains access to an unsecured, loaded gun through June 10, 2015.

Unintentional shootings involving children- deaths: 4
Unintentional shootings involving children- injuries: 7
Unintentional shootings involving children: 11

Unintentional shootings involving adults- deaths: 0
Unintentional shootings involving adults- injuries: 5
Unintentional shootings involving adults with no injuries: 4
Unintentional shootings involving adults: 9

Total 2015 accidental shooting incidents to date through 6/10/2015: 20

2015 UNINTENTIONAL SHOOTINGS
This includes ALL 2016 unintentional shootings, including those where children were unintentionally shot by adults and those where a child gains access to an unsecured, loaded gun.

Unintentional shootings involving children- fatalities: 9
*Intentional (fatal) shooting of a child by a child with an unsecured gun: 1
Unintentional shootings involving children- injuries: 15
Total Unintentional shootings involving children: 25

Unintentional shootings involving adults- fatalities: 4
Unintentional shootings involving adults- injuries: 18
Unintentional shootings involving adults with no injury: 4
Unintentional shootings involving adults: 26

Total accidental shooting incidents in 2015: 51

“There’s no way you can look at these numbers and not see this is a growing problem in our state,” Roth said. “This time last year, there were 9 adult-involved unintentional shootings. This year, there have already been 28. In all of 2015, there were 51 total unintentional shooting incidents. We are not even halfway through 2016, and there have already been 45. As unintentional shooting numbers continue to go up in Tennessee, our lawmakers continue to expand where guns can be carried, and the gun lobby continues their push to eliminate the requirement to have a permit to carry firearms in public.”