this post was submitted on 03 Oct 2023
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A Texas grandfather who was about to officiate a wedding in Nebraska errantly shot and wounded his own 12-year-old grandson when he tried to fire a gun in the air to get the attention of guests Saturday, according to authorities.

Odessa, Texas resident Michael Gardner, 62, is facing legal trouble after the Pietta 1860 snub nose revolver went off around 5 p.m. and accidentally struck the young boy in the shoulder at Hillside Events, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Ben Houchin said during a press conference Monday.

The gun fired a blank round that had black powder in the casing that was glued together, the sheriff’s official said.

Before the attention-catching shot, guests were scattered around the Denton, Nebraska venue because the nuptials started late after someone forgot the wedding rings, Houchin explained.

“When he decided to cock back the hammer of this revolver it slipped and it shot his grandson in the left shoulder, causing an injury,” Houchin said, later adding. “What we believe is the glue injured the child.”

The injury was non-life threatening, though the boy still required hospitalization.

“We do not believe Michael intended to hurt his grandchild, but the act was not very smart,” Houchin said.

Gardner was still slapped with a child abuse charge because of the carelessness and the injury to the youngster, the chief deputy said. He surrendered to authorities Monday.

“It’s just kind of neglectful to take a gun out that has blanks and fire it amongst people,” he said.

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[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 95 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Every gun owner thinks they're a responsible gun owner.

[–] thejml@lemm.ee 39 points 2 years ago

Well, to be fair, this guy was responsible… responsible for shooting his own grandson in the shoulder.

[–] Letstakealook@lemm.ee 28 points 2 years ago

Yeah, as a gun owner, I try to avoid other gun owners. I went to have my my rifle scope bore sighted for the hunting season today. The guy at the counter picked up my rifle and flagged everyone in the damn store with it. I asked him to set it back in the case and left. I knew the gun was clear, and an employee cleared it when I came in, but you still don't do that, period. Now that I think about it, the guy didn't even clear it before picking it up and flagging everyone with it.

[–] ZeroCool@feddit.ch 65 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Top three mythological creatures of American folklore:

  1. Bigfoot
  2. Mothman
  3. The Responsible Gun Owner
[–] zzzzzz@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I don't think that's fair. I've taken gun/hunting education classes from some volunteer instructors that seemed to me to be about the most serious, responsible people I've ever met.

[–] ZeroCool@feddit.ch 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (11 children)

Cool beans. Everyone considers themselves to be a "responsible gun owner" right up until the moment they shoot someone or themselves. It's not a matter of if but when it's going to happen.

Edit: Gun nuts and apologists line up here to get blocked.

[–] BluJay320@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I’m not a fan of guns myself, but this is quite a reach.

There are certainly many, MANY more irresponsible gun owners than responsible ones out there. But to say that there are none is just objectively false.

Do accidents happen? Yes, and they can happen to anyone. The difference is that a responsible owner’s accident isn’t going to end up with a person getting shot.

[–] RaoulDook@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago (3 children)

No, there are far more responsible gun owners than irresponsible ones. There are roughly 100 million gun owners in the USA. If "most" of those people were irresponsible then there wouldn't be 100 million of them left. We only hear about the irresponsible ones having accidents or committing crimes, which is a tiny percentage of the overall 100 million.

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[–] theluckyone@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Excellent example of a "No True Scotsman" fallacy. Well done! Bit of a shame you're trying to use it in an actual debate, but you do you.

[–] zzzzzz@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

That's an absolutely absurd claim. The fraction of gun owners that ever shoot a human being is very close to zero.

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[–] figjam@midwest.social 3 points 2 years ago

This is like the claim that humans are addicted to oxygen.

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[–] MindSkipperBro12@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I just want to live long enough to enter a situation where I can legally kill someone with my 1911😔

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[–] ktr41n@lemmy.world 49 points 2 years ago (2 children)

after the Pietta 1860 snub nose revolver went off around 5 p.m. and accidentally struck the young boy in the shoulder

“When he decided to cock back the hammer of this revolver it slipped and it shot his grandson in the left shoulder, causing an injury,”

I really hate when people go all passive voice about having shot someone. Did it just magically 'go off' or was dumbass fucking around with it while it was pointed at his grandson?

[–] Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

"It was the gun that shot my grandson! The gun, I say!"

"Will you get rid of the gun that shot your grandson?"

"When you pry it from my cold dead fingers, commie!"

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Guns don't shoot people, people shoot people. Do I have that catchphrase right?

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 years ago

You forgot to add "with guns" at the end.

[–] Vodik_VDK@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

It sounds like he cocked it before raising it, his thumb slipped off the hammer at the end of the action, and then —with his finger in the guard— he reflexively tightened his grip and discharged it.

Same thing can happen with semi-automatic pistols when you hit the slide release and all the weight slams forward: you accidentally pull the trigger to keep your grip, and then it discharges.

[–] Krzd@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

Which is exactly why you KEEP YOUR FUCKING FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER until you're absolutely sure you want to fire.

[–] tegs_terry@feddit.uk 46 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Which is he, one of the 'good guys with a gun', or one of the 'bad guys with a gun'?

[–] GrimSheeper@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago

Maybe his grandson was a 'bad guy with a gun,' in which case the grandfather is actually a hero.

[–] Goo_bubbs@lemmings.world 15 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I believe he falls in the category of one of the morons with a gun.

[–] tegs_terry@feddit.uk 8 points 2 years ago

I'd like to see that venn diagram.

[–] Pratai@lemmy.ca 33 points 2 years ago (10 children)

Everyone is a Responsible Gun Owner™ until they aren’t.

[–] PoliticalAgitator@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago

The pro-gun community works hard to ensure the "responsible" part remains 100% voluntary.

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[–] Bassman1805@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Odessa, Texas

Yup. Checks out.

[–] BluJay320@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 years ago

Well, when there’s nothing else to do…

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago

“It’s just kind of neglectful to take a gun out that has blanks and fire it amongst people,” he said.

The casual structure of this sentence is kind of funny at this point in history. I'm guessing he wasn't intending to downplay the severity of the situation with that remark but it is quite the understatement.

[–] ivanafterall@kbin.social 17 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This guy shot at the air and somehow managed to miss. He should be barred from ever owning a firearm for being such a spectacularly bad shot.

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[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago

And? Did it get their attention?

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 15 points 2 years ago

but the act was not very smart,” Houchin said

Between the act, and forgetting the wedding rings at a wedding, I'm beginning to think this isn't a very bright family.

[–] TwinTusks@outpost.zeuslink.net 14 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Who carries a gun to a wedding?

Texas

Nevermind

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[–] Diplomjodler@feddit.de 14 points 2 years ago

Obviously the solution would have been to require every guest to have their own gun. Duh.

[–] ieightpi@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

I'm so glad this community migrated to lemmy. This one truly is Onion material

[–] CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world 8 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Buttwipe should have his gun rights revoked. Even I, a non-gun-user, know that you treat every firearm as loaded, lethal and ready to fire at any moment, and never point it at any person ever unless you intend them dead.

Accidents with guns only happen because of criminal negligence.

And for fuck's sake you don't cock a gun or pull the trigger when it's pointed at a fucking child. you. stupid. pile. of. shit.

[–] FartsWithAnAccent@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

iT jUsT wEnT oFf!

[–] kevincox@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago

In his defense, it does seem that he got everyone's attention.

/s

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

But did he get their attention?

That's in the constitution as a permissible use of guns. It's right after the part where we added Manitoba.

[–] ettyblatant@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I came here to officiate and shoot children AND I'M ALL OUT OF SHOOTIN'CHILDREN

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 years ago

Apparently not

[–] citrixworkkbin@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

Can't celebrate life without an implement of death

[–] Num10ck@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

this sounds like the origin story of the anti-goth teenager

[–] Afghaniscran@feddit.uk 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Anti goth? Like... happy hardcore?

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[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Glitter goth exists

[–] beefcat@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

I thought firing a gun to get people's attention was only something terrorists and mentally deranged psychopaths did

[–] worldwidewave@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Surprised he didn’t try to clink the glasses with his gun

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