Husband and wife accidentally shot during church gun safety talk
A man accidentally shot himself and his wife during a discussion on gun safety at a Tennessee church, police say.
The 81-year-old took out his pistol to show another parishioner amid a talk about recent shootings at places of worship.
Forgetting the weapon was loaded, he fired a single round, striking himself in the hand and his 80-year-old wife, who was sitting in her wheelchair.
"The discussion of guns in churches came up," she said. "Should we have guns in churches, if people carry guns should they bring them to church?"
She said one of the parishioners mentioned that he carries his pistol with him everywhere.
The man produced the handgun from his pocket, removed the magazine, and handed it to other churchgoers to inspect.
He then took his weapon back, restored the magazine, holstered the weapon and put it back in his pocket, Mistin said.
Another parishioner later asked to see the weapon.
The man produced the gun and accidentally pulled the trigger.
"They heard a big explosion," said Mistin. "Wasn't sure what it was, and Miss Nicole looked at Miss Catherine, and Miss Catherine looked at her and she said, 'I've been shot.'"
The bullet hit the gun-owner in the right hand before piercing his wife's abdomen and exiting through her right forearm, ricocheting off the wall and landing by her wheelchair, according to police.
Mistin said the man may have lost his thumb.
A man accidentally shot himself and his wife during a discussion on gun safety at a Tennessee church, police say.
The 81-year-old took out his pistol to show another parishioner amid a talk about recent shootings at places of worship.
Forgetting the weapon was loaded, he fired a single round, striking himself in the hand and his 80-year-old wife, who was sitting in her wheelchair.
"The discussion of guns in churches came up," she said. "Should we have guns in churches, if people carry guns should they bring them to church?"
She said one of the parishioners mentioned that he carries his pistol with him everywhere.
The man produced the handgun from his pocket, removed the magazine, and handed it to other churchgoers to inspect.
He then took his weapon back, restored the magazine, holstered the weapon and put it back in his pocket, Mistin said.
Another parishioner later asked to see the weapon.
The man produced the gun and accidentally pulled the trigger.
"They heard a big explosion," said Mistin. "Wasn't sure what it was, and Miss Nicole looked at Miss Catherine, and Miss Catherine looked at her and she said, 'I've been shot.'"
The bullet hit the gun-owner in the right hand before piercing his wife's abdomen and exiting through her right forearm, ricocheting off the wall and landing by her wheelchair, according to police.
Mistin said the man may have lost his thumb.
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