Four accidental shootings in Tennessee this week, one fatal. This has to be some kind of record. Also, WTF May 2? Go home, you’re drunk.
• May 7, 2016:
A Smyrna toddler accidentally shot herself in the face:
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) – A two-year-old was injured after she accidentally shot herself Saturday morning.
The Smyrna Police Department received a call about the shooting at 10:53 a.m. at a home in the 4000 block of Snowbird Drive.
Authorities say the toddler got access to a pistol and accidentally shot herself in the cheek. She was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center by LifeFlight.
This is the third accidental shooting involving a child under the age of 13 since Tennessee Republicans killed MaKayla’s Law in March.
• May 5, 2016:
Gun Report UPDATE: Charges have been filed against a Tullahoma-area mother and son related to the Deccember 2015 shooting of 11-year-old Sienna Owens, which was featured in the December 14 edition of the Tennessee Gun Report.
• May 3, 2016:
1- A stray bullet struck a car traveling through downtown Memphis near the National Civil Rights Museum.
2- Disaster narrowly averted in Rogersville:
ROGERSVILLE — A passing pedestrian reportedly found a loaded pistol with the hammer cocked on the campus of Rogersville City School Monday afternoon only minutes before children were to begin their afternoon outside playtime.
Rogersville Police Department Chief Doug Nelson told the Times-News that a burglary had been reported the night before on Huffmaster Street approximately a quarter-mile from the K-8 school campus.
During that burglary, multiple guns as well as some pills were reportedly stolen.
Next time one of you gun idiots has a loaded gun stolen from your home, remember this: it could just as easily end up on a school playground, or used in a crime, as it could end up in a Chicago or New York City gang. But guns make us safer. Riiiiight. Maybe if you weren’t so damn irresponsible we wouldn’t have so much gun violence in the first place.
• May 2, 2016:
1- A Murfreesboro man accidentally shot himself in the foot while cleaning his shotgun. Ouch.
2- An 18-year-old Huntingdon man accidentally shot himself in the head in his apartment. He died.
3- A Greeneville man was fondling his brand-new .38 when he accidentally shot himself in the foot with it.
4- A Crossville man was out on his ATV with his shotgun when someone “strong-armed” it away from him. Wait, I thought the point of carrying a gun was to prevent stuff like this from happening?
Veler reportedly made contact with Bilyeu and a second man on a wooded trail during which Bilyeu attempted to grab the shotgun. The two wrestled over control of the gun and Veler was “knocked unconscious.” When he regained consciousness, his shotgun valued at $600 and his ATV valued at $13,000 were gone.
So you have a gun to protect yourself but it ends up getting stolen when you’re knocked out? THAT isn’t in the NRA’s talking points.
5- Guns on campus is now the law, although our governor didn’t sign the bill.
6- Possibly the most Tennessee story you’ll read this week! A drunk Hawkins County man got upset that no one had washed the dishes so he did what anyone would do: fired a gun at his lazy step-son’s head. When sheriff’s deputies responded, they found a moonshine still in an outbuilding:
“James stated Guy had been drinking, and became irate because the dishes were dirty and no one had washed them,” Harrell said. “The argument continued into the living room where Guy got a handgun from under the cushion on the couch and fired one shot by his (Smallwood’s) head, striking the front door.”
Smallwood stated the Mendenhall had a moonshine still in an out-building.
Mendenhall reportedly consented to a search, at which time deputies allegedly located a copper still commonly used to manufacture moonshine.
Although no moonshine was found at the residence, Harrell said the still was active.
Mendenhall had the mash warming and ready to begin cooking, Harrell noted.
Deputies destroyed the still.
Mendenhall was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a handgun by an intoxicated person, and possession of a still.
