In a somewhat unusual and unfortunate turn of events, a man from the Lone Star State ended up unintentionally shooting his own grandson during a wedding ceremony he was officiating in Nebraska over the weekend. The incident occurred when Michael Gardner, a 62-year-old, attempted to grab everyone's attention and start the ceremony with some flair, but it took an unexpected and painful twist.
According to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Gardner now faces a child abuse charge for accidentally discharging his Pietta 1860 snub nose revolver. As the Chief Deputy of the Sheriff’s Office, Ben Houchin, explained during a press conference, Gardner's original plan was to fire a blank round into the air as a way to gather the wedding crowd.
However, things took a wrong turn when he tried to cock the revolver's hammer. The weapon slipped, and instead of a blank, it fired a shot that hit his 12-year-old grandson in the left shoulder. This resulted in the boy being rushed to two hospitals for treatment of his gunshot wound, though fortunately, the injury is not life-threatening.
It's important to note that Gardner had indeed fired a blank round, not live ammunition. Houchin clarified that he had loaded a .45 Colt ammunition casing with black powder and glued it, and it was the glue that caused the injury when it discharged.
Despite the accidental nature of the incident and no involvement of alcohol, authorities pressed a child abuse charge due to the severity of the injuries, the use of a firearm, and the perceived neglectfulness of Gardner's actions. The wedding ceremony had been delayed by approximately 45 minutes, leading to crowds of attendees dispersing and milling around, prompting Gardner's attempt to regain their attention.
While Gardner was briefly booked in a local jail, he is no longer listed as an inmate in the Lancaster County Department of Corrections.
In Houston, Texas, police are on the lookout for a 29-year-old man who is accused of fatally stabbing his brother in the neck with a foot-long curved sword that's been described as a "pirate sword" by Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson. See detailed story here
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