Gun Policy News
Gunshot injury and death by stray bullets
Can 'Stray Bullets' Be Deemed Innocent? Turkey Considers New Gun Laws
23 April 2014
Today's Zaman (Istanbul), Opinion
Earlier this week, Turkey saw two terrifying incidents in which stray bullets caused injury and, in one case, the death of a 24-year-old. Erkan Bektaş, a waiter who was leaving work at a café in İstanbul's Beşiktaş district at 5 a.m., was shot in the head by a stray bullet when he was walking down the street. The individual who shot him was caught up in a bar fight. The dispute, which the young waiter was not involved in, had reportedly erupted among a group of men... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Killed by Celebratory Gunfire in Turkey
18 March 2014
Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
A 30-year-old man has been killed by a stray bullet during Nevruz celebrations in the southeastern province of Şırnak.
Local took to the streets in the city March 17, with many firing celebratory shots into the air using guns, hunting rifles, and Kalashnikovs.
Garip Taşkın was hit by a gun shot while he was going home at around 6.30 p.m. He was immediately taken to the hospital but could not be saved.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between a group of protesters and... (GunPolicy.org)
Three People Shot Each Day in South Africa's Western Cape
13 March 2014
Independent/IOL Daily News (South Africa)
CAPE TOWN - At least 236 people have been fatally shot in the Western Cape so far this year. This means an average of three people are murdered with a firearm each day in the Western Cape.
These figures are based on the number of bodies admitted to mortuaries. An average of 18 people are shot dead a day in the country, according to Gun Free SA's Adele Kirsten.
While police say they are concerned about shootings and murders in the province, mayoral committee member for... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Police Say 60-70% of Gun Licences Based on Fake Documents
3 January 2014
GMA TV News (Manila)
Of the 1.7 million licensed firearms in the country, 60 to 70 percent were issued based on fake documents, the Philippine National Police said Friday.
Citing figures from the PNP Firearms Explosives Office, Police Chief Superintendent Louie Oppus said in a report on "24 Oras" aired Friday evening that he has ordered the investigation into the use of fake names and addresses as well as fake neuro-psychiatric results by applicants.
"I have now caused an investigation... (GunPolicy.org)
Firecracker, Stray Bullet Injuries Continue to Rise in Philippines
27 December 2013
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Five days ahead of the New Year, the number of firecracker injuries recorded by the Department of Health (DOH) has increased to 72, with piccolo as the leading cause of injury.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona said 37 of the 72 cases reported were caused by piccolo, an imported firecracker.
Ona has given parents the task of ensuring that their children will not use any type of firecracker.
"It has always been the responsibility of the police to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Political Party Calls for Tougher Gun Laws
27 December 2013
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — A political party on Thursday called on media companies, organizations and practitioners to join the campaign for stricter gun control laws, saying the growing number of killings of journalists and politicians, as well as stray-bullet incidents, are all symptoms of uncontrolled gun proliferation in Philippine society.
Ang Kapatiran Party said media men, instead of arming themselves, should push for amendments of the gun control law limiting the... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines Mayor Among 4 Killed in Shooting at Manila Airport
20 December 2013
CNN
A gunman opened fire outside a terminal at Manila's international airport on Friday, killing the mayor of a southern Philippines town, two members of his family and a young child, authorities said.
The attack wounded five people and caused panic among travelers caught up in the chaos.
Gun crime and political violence occur with grim frequency in the Philippines. But the shooting Friday at Terminal 3 of Ninoy Aquino International Airport appeared particularly... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica Police Work With Schools to Prevent Gun Crime
21 November 2013
Tico Times (Costa Rica)
Jenifer Lizano lives in one of the five most violent places in Costa Rica, the neighborhood of León XIII in the northern San José canton of Tibás.
"Guns are used here on a daily basis and there are shootings at any time of the day," she said.
In the first 10 months of 2013, 15 people have been murdered in the urban neighborhood.
Some victims are children, including Lizano's 14-year-old nephew, who was killed by a stray bullet two years ago. Since then, Lizano... (GunPolicy.org)
Elderly Woman Killed by Stray Bullet in Turkey
9 October 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A 70-year-old woman was struck fatally by a stray bullet while standing on the balcony of her flat as a man fired rounds at the building on Tuesday in Ankara.
According to reports, an argument had broken out in a local coffee house between İsmail Ç. and Necip Ö. about an issue of paying back borrowed money. As tension escalated between the two men, people in the coffee house intervened to prevent a fight.
Necip Ö., leaving the coffee house, allegedly grabbed his... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Use of Firearms Long Out of Control in Guyana
6 September 2013
Guyana Chronicle, Letter
There is a situation existing in Guyana that has long gone out of control, the consequences of which are dire, I make mention of the dangerous or should I say murderous use, of illegal firearms. Seems the easiest thing to obtain these days is an illegal weapon, go out there and create havoc in society. You can hold up someone and relieve them of their hard-earned possessions among the other myriad of atrocities that go with its use. It is the most fashionable thing to... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Caused 5 Children's Deaths in Turkey Last Month
26 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Stray bullets from celebrations or disputes continue to kill people across the country, with five children having lost their lives in this manner over the last 30 days.
The most recent incident took place in Ağrı on Aug. 24. People were celebrating a henna night by firing guns into the air when stray bullets apparently hit 7-year-old Mehmet Keser and Altın Kalkuç Koç, who were attending a wedding ceremony two blocks away.
The two critically wounded were rushed to... (GunPolicy.org)
Death of Child Puts Focus on Celebratory Gunfire in US
11 August 2013
Washington Post
MIDLOTHIAN, Virginia — When a stray bullet pierced the top of Brendon Mackey's head, the 7-year-old was on his way to a July Fourth fireworks celebration with his dad and other family members. He died the next day in a Richmond hospital, a bullet lodged at the base of his skull, sparking a methodical, door-to-door search for a most elusive killer: celebratory gunfire.
Police believe someone fired a shot into the air within a 5,200-foot radius of Brendon. Witnesses... (GunPolicy.org)
Opinion: Tragic Deaths Demand Stricter Gun Control in China
27 June 2013
Global Times (China), Opinion
Shanghai witnessed an unlucky and uneasy week with a chemical plant explosion injuring six on Monday, the latest H7N9 bird flu death on Wednesday and a stampede at Tongji University when David Beckham paid a visit there last Thursday. But none of these incidents were as shocking as the Saturday night gun shooting spree in suburban Baoshan district, which claimed six lives in total.
Although we hear of shooting rampages in the US from time to time, where gun control is... (GunPolicy.org)
8,800 Guns Seized in NSW in 10 Months as Australia Battles Crime
23 May 2013
Nine MSN (Australia)
Machine guns and military rifles were among 8,800 firearms seized in NSW over the past 10 months.
Police revealed the figure as they pleaded for more help taking illicit guns off the streets.
Senior officers in Sydney, scene of four gun crimes this week, launched the trans-Tasman Operation Unification on Thursday - a two-week initiative encouraging people to report illegal firearms.
They did so alongside David and Cathy Knight, whose truckie dad Bob was killed in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Homicide Rate Rising in Argentina as Drug War Heats Up
26 February 2013
Independent (UK)
ROSARIO - The events of that evening in January are etched into Vilma Jaime's memory. The sun had set, but it was still oppressively hot and neighbours were outside in the street, chatting and drinking traditional mate tea. Then the gunshots began.
Ms Jaime ran into her house, and watched through the keyhole of the front door as the blood started to spill. Three people were shot that night – miraculously, no one was killed. But many others have not been so lucky.
Ms... (GunPolicy.org)
8 Dead in Philippines Shooting, Unlicensed Guns Rife Say Police
4 January 2013
CBC News (Canada) / Associated Press
A man with domestic problems fatally shot eight people, including a pregnant woman and two children, after taking alcohol and drugs in a rampage Friday near the Philippine capital that ended when he was shot dead by police, officials said.
At least eight other people were wounded in Kawit township, about 16 kilometres south of Manila, Cavite provincial Gov. Jonvic Remulla said.
The violence happened days after the death of a 7-year-old girl who was hit in the head by... (GunPolicy.org)
Daytime Shootings On the Rise in Sweden, Police Say People at Risk
10 September 2012
Local (Sweden)
Criminals in Sweden are becoming more prone to firing gunshots in broad daylight, according to a new study, increasingly putting innocent passersby in harm's way.
Gunfire in Sweden is no longer a phenomenon restricted to out of the way alleys in the cover of darkness.
To an ever greater extent, Swedish criminals are opening fire in the middle of the day and in places where there is an increased risk of innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire.
On Sunday... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 300 Struck by Stray Bullets in US Between 2008-09 - Study
9 July 2012
Youth Today (USA)
More than 300 people in the United States were struck by stray bullets between March 2008 and February 2009, often from shootings unconnected to the victims, according to a new study by researchers from the School of Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
Published in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, the study calculated the frequency of stray-bullet shootings during an 11-month period – a phenomenon, according to researchers, that resulted in... (GunPolicy.org)
Stuff You Couldn't Make Up: Controversial US Killer Killed by Stray Bullet
26 June 2012
Miami Herald
Greyston Garcia was killed in his truck three months after a judge granted him immunity under Florida's controversial self-defense law.
After he beat a murder charge under Florida's controversial self-defense law, Miami's Greyston Garcia took an anonymous job as a cashier in a cramped all-night convenience store in Liberty City.
Tuesday night, he asked to go home early.
Sure, his boss said, but first drive to the gas station to get change for some $20 bills. Garcia... (GunPolicy.org)
Escalating Gun War in Sydney, Five Drive-by Shootings Overnight
17 April 2012
Agence France Presse
SYDNEY — An escalating gun war in Sydney saw five overnight drive-by shooting attacks, Australian police said Tuesday, as they struggled to bring the gangland violence under control.
There have been eight shootings across the city in four days and 19 so far this month, mostly in Sydney's west and southwest.
Three homes and two tattoo parlours were sprayed with bullets in the latest attacks. No one was hurt but five young children were lucky to escape injury in one... (GunPolicy.org)
London, Ontario Gun Violence Fear: Toronto's Guns Land Here
19 October 2011
London Free Press (Ontario)
Many come from the U.S. - ripped off, smuggled across the border and often secreted here with the illegal drug trade.
But London also pays for crime in the Big Smoke - Toronto, with many of the illegal guns seized here by police originating in the mega-city as well. As recently as four years ago, four of every 10 guns seized by a special London squad could be traced back to the Toronto area.
But the truth is, illegal weapons scooped off London streets - 441 so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Student Grazed by Bullet During School Shooting in California
25 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
SAN PEDRO, California - Authorities say a student was wounded in the leg when gunfire erupted near a high school in San Pedro.
Los Angeles Unified School District spokeswoman Monica Carazo says two people with guns exchanged fire Wednesday afternoon across the street from San Pedro High School.
A stray bullet struck a wall on campus and grazed the leg of a female student. Carazo says the student was treated at a hospital for a minor injury.
Carazo says police have... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear Spurs Soaring California Gun Sales, But Many Guns Stolen, Misused
17 April 2011
Desert Sun (California)
Across Riverside County, gun sales are booming at a much faster rate than the population is growing.
A surge in recent gun violence and fatal shootings in the Coachella Valley points to the ubiquity of guns in the community, most of them legal and legally owned.
From 2000 to 2010, the county's firearm sales increased more than 154 percent, state figures show. The county's population, meanwhile, grew by 42 percent over the same time.
In all, more than 169,500... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Man Shot in Head on New Year's Eve Sneezes Out Bullet and Lives
11 January 2011
BBC News
An Italian man has astonished doctors by sneezing a bullet out through his nose after being shot in the head.
Darco Sangermano, 28, had been taken to hospital in Naples for emergency treatment after being hit by a stray bullet during New Year's Eve celebrations.
The bullet passed behind his right eye and lodged in his nostril, but miraculously did no serious damage.
He is expected to make a full recovery, doctors say.
Mr Sangermano had spent New Year's Eve with his... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Claims 30 Victims, 5 Philippine Gun Owners Charged
4 January 2011
Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo yesterday cited the limited time in the implementation of the campaign against indiscriminate firing and the establishment of special firecracker zones for the 30 victims of stray bullets during the last holiday season.
Robredo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) would start as early as this month to prepare safety measures for the next Yuletide... (GunPolicy.org)
India's New Gun Obsession 'Makes Charlton Heston Look Like Gandhi'
20 December 2010
Global Post (Boston)
NEW DELHI, India — Three years after two teenage boys allegedly gunned down his 14-year-old son, Abishek, over a playground spat, Gurgaon businessman Rajinder Tyagi is dry-eyed as he describes the boy's senseless murder. A veteran of hundreds of media interviews, he's made himself numb in an endeavor to shield his wife and daughter from the press.
"My son was walking down the stairs," recalls Tyagi, his face set with grim determination. "They shot him from the back.... (GunPolicy.org)
US Outdoor Gun Ranges Under Fire as Noise, Stray Bullets Hit Neighbours
17 December 2010
USA Today
ST. CLOUD, Minnessota — Louise Neeser was doing yard work outside her home here last May when something struck her in the face. Dazed and bleeding, she crawled into the house, where a relative took her to the hospital.
Doctors told her something had torn through the side of her face. She was left with permanent jaw and eye damage and debilitating headaches, and says she lives in fear of letting her three children play outdoors.
"It's changed every bit of our life,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Gang Gun Battle in Sydney KFC Carpark Left Innocent Truck Driver Dead
19 October 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
Three men, charged with the murder of a truck driver who was hit by a stray bullet during an alleged gun battle in a Sydney car park, have been refused bail.
Bob Knight, 66, from Canberra, was shot as he drove past a KFC outlet at Milperra, in Sydney's south-west, on June 25 last year.
The Supreme Court heard today that brothers Moustafa and Mahmoud Mariam were allegedly part of a group that fired on others at the car park.
Adel Elkobaili, 20, an alleged member of... (GunPolicy.org)
Target Practice Stray Bullet Injures 16yr-old Missouri Girl a Kilometre Away
27 July 2010
KTVI-TV Fox News (Missouri)
O'FALLON, Missouri - Bizarre new details are emerging about the stray bullet that hit a 16-year-old lifeguard in the leg at a crowded O'Fallon, Missouri subdivision pool. Investigators say the bullet came from teens using rifles for target practice. Police tell FOX 2 News that the bullet traveled nearly three quarters of a mile before hitting the lifeguard in the leg.
On Tuesday there were lots of people at the Twin Chimneys Clubhouse Pool but several people told us... (GunPolicy.org)
Indiana Gunsmith Gets 60 Days for Killing Neighbour with Stray Bullet
9 February 2010
Associated Press
MARTINSVILLE, Indiana - The gunsmith who fired the stray bullet that killed a man as he slept in his central Indiana home has been sentenced to 60 days in jail.
John Graf of rural Monrovia apologized during a Morgan County court hearing after pleading guilty to a felony criminal recklessness charge in the death last March of 35-year-old Jason Breisch. Graf had trouble looking at Breisch's widow and three children as he spoke.
The judge ordered Graf to also serve a... (GunPolicy.org)
Saskatoon Man Flaunted Rifle, Shot 6yr-old Girl Sleeping in Next Room
14 January 2010
CBC News (Canada)
The man who carelessly fired a rifle inside a Saskatoon home, hitting a sleeping child in the next room, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The girl, Letisha Kishayinew, was six years old when the shooting took place Jan. 16, 2009. The bullet travelled through an interior wall of the home before striking the child.
Spencer Wapass, 21, and another man were arrested within a week of the shooting.
Wapass pleaded guilty in earlier proceedings to... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Killed in Georgia Church by NYE Celebratory AK-47 Bullet
5 January 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
A four-year-old boy has been killed by a falling bullet that was fired into the air during New Year's Eve celebrations in the US.
Marquel Peters was playing a video game inside a church in the state of Georgia when the bullet pierced the roof and hit him in the head, local media reported.
He collapsed on the floor alongside his parents, bleeding, and was taken to hospital where he died.
"I saw his Nintendo game fall on the floor, and I heard a sound and I heard him... (GunPolicy.org)
Innocent Shot Woman Latest of 400 Serious Hunting Accidents in Virginia
19 November 2009
Roanoke Times (Virginia)
There have been nearly 400 serious hunting-related accidents in Virginia since 1998, but Jessica Goode's death Wednesday was unusual.
Victims are rarely nonhunters.
Of 39 firearms-related hunting fatalities in Virginia since 1998, none involved a nonhunter, according to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries spokeswoman Julia Dixon.
But the circumstances of Wednesday's shooting, in which authorities say Jason David Cloutier of Ferrum mistook Goode and... (GunPolicy.org)
92-Year-Old Bronx Woman Killed in Her Living Room by Stray Bullet
21 October 2009
Daily News (New York)
A 92-year-old woman struck by a stray bullet in her Bronx living room used her last moments of strength to crawl to a phone and call her best friend for help.
Sadie Mitchell — a beloved "mother to everyone on her block" who always carried fresh roses to church — was still alert when she dialed her pal minutes before she died.
"She said, 'I've been shot,'" said neighbor Mary Fields. "I couldn't believe it. I said, 'What do you mean you've been shot?'"
Fields and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gang Gunplay Kills Mom Protecting Kid as She Leaves Bronx Laundry
23 September 2009
Daily News (New York)
She was the most innocent of victims — and died protecting her little boy.
A single mom was struck and killed by a stray bullet Tuesday when she walked out of a Bronx laundermat, smack into the crossfire of a gang gunfight, police said.
Aisha Santiago, 25, was hit in the chest as she attempted to take cover with her 9-year-old son on the doorstep of her building on E.146th St. in Mott Haven shortly before 3:30 p.m.
"She died defending her boy," said Santiago's... (GunPolicy.org)
Grandmother Shot Dead in Bed as PNG Police Chase, Shoot Suspects
13 July 2009
Post-Courier (Port Moresby)
Three young people lost their sole parental figure, grandmother Taita Kiroki, to a stray bullet in a gun battle between police and alleged car thieves in a Port Moresby settlement early Saturday.
Bubu Taita, as she was known, heard gunshots, raised her head to see what was happening and was struck by a bullet in the neck. Family members say her head dropped to the pillow.
Her three grandchildren had been reared by "Bubu Taita" since their single mother died seven... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Sydney Gunfight Killed Passing Truck Driver 200m Away
27 June 2009
Sydney Morning Herald
The stray bullet that killed the truck driver Bob Knight as he drove home through Milperra on Thursday night traced an "incredible" trajectory.
From a gunfight in a car park it flew nearly 200 metres over other cars, between billboards and a line of trees, across six lanes of highway before striking Mr Knight as he sat behind the wheel.
That bullet has been recovered by police and now forms a key part of the investigation into a gunfight in the car park of a KFC... (GunPolicy.org)
Target Shooting Neighbour's Stray Pistol Bullet Kills Indiana Man in Bed
11 March 2009
Indianapolis Star (Indiana)
A Morgan County man fatally shot Monday might have been hit by a stray bullet fired through nearby woods.
Sheriff's detectives and forensic investigators today are piecing together the events that killed 35-year-old Jason Breisch in his bed.
Investigators believe a neighbor was shooting a .45-caliber handgun into a wooded area between the homes.
They think the bullet passed through the woods, over a ravine between the neighbors' houses and through the wall of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Suburb Hit by Stray Bullets, Locals Try to Close Gun Club
3 February 2009
Quincy Patriot-Ledger (Massachusetts)
BROCKTON — Three months after a stray bullet crashed through the window of a Heritage Trail home, residents have asked a judge to halt gunfire at the nearby Scituate Rod and Gun Club.
Fifteen plaintiffs, all residents of Heritage Trail and Clapp Road, have requested an injunction that would temporarily stop the club from using its ranges — which they believe are the source of four stray bullets that have entered their neighborhood since 2004.
"Until an injunction... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal-gun Shooting Funeral Brings Fresh Call for Toronto Handgun Ban
26 January 2009
National Post (Toronto)
There were fresh calls for a handgun ban yesterday, as one murdered Toronto bystander was laid to rest and two men accused of killing another appeared in court.
Hou Chang Mao was honoured in a Buddhist ceremony in a small chapel on Spadina Avenue, his children sombre and wearing white.
"As a citizen of this city, we urge the government to control guns so that something like this will not happen anymore," Qing Guan Wang, president of the Fujian Community Association of... (GunPolicy.org)
Innocent Teenager Killed by Stray Police Bullet in New Zealand Shootout
24 January 2009
3 News (New Zealand)
It is a black day for New Zealand's police force. They have admitted this afternoon that the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) killed an innocent teenage father in yesterday's motorway shootout.
Seventeen-year-old Halatau Naitoko, known as Tau, was shot in the chest as police attempted to stop a gun-toting offender who had just led them on a high-speed chase around Auckland.
A post-mortem on his body revealed the police had made a fatal mistake.
"The ballistics expert has... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Vermont Rifle Range Probably Killed College Professor
19 January 2009
WCAX-TV News (Vermont)
BURLINGTON, Vermont — The investigation into the fatal shooting of a St. Michael's College Professor in his Essex home has stalled.
John Reiss, 73, was shot dead in his home by a stray bullet four months ago. But police say they're waiting for ballistic tests before deciding whether to file criminal charges.
Police say four men had been using a nearby rifle range when Reiss was killed. They surrendered their rifles for lab testing. But police also say the test... (GunPolicy.org)
Wrong Man May Have Confessed to Texas .50cal Sniper Rifle Shooting
14 January 2009
WFAA-TV News (Texas)
FORT WORTH — There is new information on the shooting of a woman at Texas Motor Speedway.
The wrong man may have turned himself in.
A stray bullet hit Jill Moss as she cooked inside her RV in November.
The Fort Worth Police Department is reviewing new evidence.
The day a stray bullet hit Moss, finding the shooter was like looking for a needle in a haystack; .50-caliber bullets can travel for miles.
Then, the next day, a man came forward saying he was target... (GunPolicy.org)
Infants, Children Among 14 New Year's Eve Stray Bullet Victims in Manila
4 January 2009
Philippine Star
MANILA — A bullet fired carelessly into the air on New Year's Eve found its mark in the head of a six-year-old girl in Bacoor, Cavite. The bullet lodged in the skull of Melody Medina, who is now fighting for her life at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
Her mother Lea was shocked to learn that despite her warnings to her six children against using firecrackers, Melody found herself in the list of the growing number of people victimized by trigger-happy... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray New Year's Bullet Seriously Wounds 3 Week-old Girl in Philippines
2 January 2009
Philippine Daily Inquirer
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines — A three-week-old baby girl remains in critical condition after a stray bullet hit her in the back during New Year's celebration in Dasmariñas Cavite, police said Friday.
Inspector Raul Bolido of the Dasmariñas police said the mother, Joan Abara, was carrying her infant when a stray bullet from the back of their house in the village of Sto. Nino II hit the child at around 12 a.m. Thursday.
The three-week-old infant was taken... (GunPolicy.org)
Dallas Police Field 1,564 Complaints of Random New Year's Eve Gunfire
2 January 2009
Associated Press
DALLAS — A woman was slightly injured by a stray bullet that fell from the sky in downtown Dallas early New Year's morning and grazed her left shoulder, police said Friday.
It was the only injury reported from the 1,564 calls of random gunfire Dallas police received from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday, Dallas Police Sgt. Gil Cerda said. Last year there were 1,107 calls in Dallas, he said.
Stray bullets damaged the windshield of a Dallas police officer's... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police List 37 Recent Stray Bullet, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
2 January 2009
Philippine Star
Rains did not dampen the traditionally boisterous New Year's Eve celebration, with two people killed and 346 injured during the revelry.
The Department of Health (DOH) said the number of firecracker-related injuries and people hit by stray bullets was "significantly" reduced to 346 cases with no casualties on record.
Police, however, reported two casualties during the New Year revelry in Navotas and Valenzuela City.
Police said Renato Petilona of Road 10, Barangay... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 6yr-old Girl in the Head in Guam Celebratory Gunfire
2 January 2009
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
A 6-year-old girl who was struck in the head by a stray bullet while watching fireworks about 1:30 yesterday morning is in stable condition at Guam Memorial Hospital, said Guam Police Department Sgt. Richard Cress.
Emily Mae Caalim, daughter of Mamerto Caalim and Elmie Caalim, is scheduled for surgery to remove the bullet today. Cress said he suspected the bullet was fired upward as part of a New Year's Eve celebration and police will try to match unique grooves on the... (GunPolicy.org)
San Francisco DA Calls for 'Meaningful National Gun Policy' to Cut Murders
2 January 2009
San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — It's been more than three months and the rainy season has begun, but the memorial to Caprisha Green remains, ringing a tree near her home with photos, cards, candles, flowers and liquor bottles. A neighbor tends to it, tidying a monument to one of San Francisco's messiest problems.
A bubbly 19-year-old with a 1-year-old daughter, Green became the 77th homicide victim in San Francisco in 2008 when she was hit by a stray bullet during a gunfight Sept.... (GunPolicy.org)
US Town Mulls 300-yard Buffer Zone After Hunter's Bullet Hits Daycare
1 January 2009
Baltimore Examiner
Hunters in Howard County could face increased safety restrictions under new proposal by County Executive Ken Ulman who was outspokenly alarmed this month when a hunter's stray bullet shattered the window of a Clarksville day care center.
Howard police said the shot was fired from well beyond the 150-yard buffer zone required by state law.
But Ulman's proposal, which he plans to introduce at the County Council meeting Monday, would double the safety zone to 300 yards... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Killed, 3 Injured by Stray Bullets: Women Vow 'No Sex for Revellers'
1 January 2009
Agence France-Presse
Stray bullets claimed the life of one Italian and wounded three others in separate incidents as revellers fired guns into the air to mark the New Year.
In southern Naples, a 25-year-old was hit in the head by a stray bullet while he and his mother were on a balcony watching celebrations in the streets below.
In three cities near northern Milan, a 10-year-old girl, a 35-year-old woman and a man, 42, were hospitalised after being wounded by stray bullets.
Italian... (GunPolicy.org)
One US Town Gets 119 Gunfire Reports, AK-47 Fired, 7yr-old Girl Shot
1 January 2009
WKRG-TV News (Alabama) / AP
MOBILE, Alabama — Celebratory gunfire from New Year's Eve injured a 7-year-old girl in Mobile.
Police said the girl was taken to the USA Children's and Women's Hospital after being hit in the leg by a stay bullet around 2:30 a.m. on Fairmont Street.
Police spokeswoman Jacqueline Bridgeforth said Thursday the girl's injuries were minor. The girl's name was not made public.
Mobile police said they received 119 calls about shots being fired Wednesday night and early... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from New Year's Gunfire Seriously Injures Houston Man
1 January 2009
KHOU-TV News (Texas)
HOUSTON — Earlier this month, local law enforcement warned about the dangers of bringing in the New Year with gunfire.
Nonetheless, guns were blazing on Clay Landing and Bridgewater Meadow in West Harris County.
As a result, a Houston man is recovering in the hospital from a gunshot wound.
Police say he was hit by a stray bullet that came through the wall of his home.
It's not clear who fired the shots, but the victim is in serious... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Killers Face Murder Charge, Warn Arizona Police
31 December 2008
Arizona Republic
West Valley police are reminding residents not to fire guns in celebration of New Year's.
Firing weapons into the air is illegal and dangerous, they say, because when the bullets come back down, they are traveling fast enough to kill someone.
Police want community members to remember:
- A bullet fired into the air can climb up to two miles. When it falls back down, it can reach a speed of 300 to 700 feet per second.
- Shooting a gun into the air is a felony. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Miami Campaign Aims to Curb Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire Injuries
31 December 2008
NBC6-TV News (Florida)
MIAMI — Miami officials held a news conference asking residents to put an end to firing weapons.
People have died from stray bullets and officials want to make sure it doesn't begin in 2009, NBC 6's Ian Wood reported. Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson held a rally, called "No More Stray Bullets" on the south side of N.W. 61 Street and N.W. 12 Avenue on Wednesday, urging residents not to shoot guns into the air when celebrating New Year's Eve.
Reverend Jerome Starling... (GunPolicy.org)
Los Angeles Police Will Charge Celebratory Gunfire Killers with Murder
30 December 2008
Los Angeles Police Department, Blog
As New Year's Eve approaches, the Los Angeles Police Department along with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department is launching its Citywide Gunfire Reduction Campaign. This campaign is designed to help reduce incidents of indiscriminate gunfire that have become a deadly New Year's tradition in our city. The Gunfire Reduction Campaign aims to advise the community that ringing in the New Year with gunfire will not be tolerated in the City of Los Angeles. Anyone... (GunPolicy.org)
Manila Prepares for Celebratory Gunfire Season, Stray Bullet Injuries
27 December 2008
GMA News TV (Manila)
MANILA, Philippines — A week to go before the New Year, at least two cases of stray-bullet injuries have been confirmed, health secretary Francisco Duque III said Saturday.
Duque admitted being alarmed over the incident, adding it eclipsed the 58-percent drop in firecracker-related injuries so far this year.
"Ito nakakaaalarma. May naulat na dalawang confirmed cases ng stray bullet injuries. Ibig sabihin, may nagpapaputok sa taas (This is alarming. We already... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Police Seal Their Officers' Guns to Prevent Celebratory Gunfire
27 December 2008
GMA News TV (Manila)
MANILA, Philippines — With two cases of stray bullet victims recorded by the Department of Health one week before the New Year, the Eastern Police District and Bulacan Police have both opted to seal their men's guns.
A report from QTV's Balitanghali said that the sealing of firearms is part of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) annual campaign Oplan Iwas Paputok.
Reporter Rida Reyes said that the PNP leadership was hoping that their personnel would influence... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime, Stray Bullet Survivors Urge Toronto Handgun Ban [Part 2 of 2]
26 December 2008
National Post (Toronto)
[Continued from Part 1 of 2]
Sean: It's accessibility. He wasn't supposed to be carrying a gun. The fact that the attitude seems to be, it just seems so easy for them to have a gun or get a gun. It makes no sense to me how casual the younger people seem to be.
What do you think has caused this shift in attitude?
Susan: I think to some extent with the video games and the violence in movies and the violence on TV, that a lot of kids grow up and they don't really... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime, Stray Bullet Survivors Urge Toronto Handgun Ban [Part 1 of 2]
26 December 2008
National Post (Toronto)
In 2008, the shooting deaths of several innocent Torontonians rocked the city. In June, Dylan Ellis and Oliver Martin, both 25, were killed while waiting for a friend in an SUV parked on Richmond Street West. In January, John O'Keefe, a 42-year-old father, was walking home along Yonge Street when he crossed into the path of gunfire and was shot in the head.
This Fall, we were also made to remember the Boxing Day 2005 shooting death of 15-year-old Jane Creba; the first... (GunPolicy.org)
New Years' Gunfire, Stray Bullets Won't Be Celebrated by California Police
24 December 2008
Press-Telegram (California)
LONG BEACH — If it goes up, it will come down, warns the Long Beach Police Department.
Police on Wednesday were reminding residents that firing gunshots into the air to celebrate New Year's Eve can be dangerous and could result in jail time.
While some residents fire guns into the air as a way to ring in the new year, the police department says a falling bullet can be enough to penetrate the human skull.
In California, discharging a firearm into the air is a... (GunPolicy.org)
74yr-old Florida Motorist Hit in Head by Stray Bullet While Driving Home
17 December 2008
WPTV News (Florida)
RIVIERA BEACH, Florida — He survived his second heart attack two and a half weeks ago, and turned 74 on Sunday.
E.T. Strickland already thought he was lucky to be alive. Now, he knows he is.
Strickland and his wife Pam were driving home from dinner on Broadway in Riviera Beach around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night when a stray bullet pierced the drivers side window of their white Mercedes Benz.
Pam Strickland tells NewsChannel 5, "I knew immediately what it was: you know,... (GunPolicy.org)
NY Hunters' Stray Bullets Kill One Child, Pierce Another Baby's Mattress
9 December 2008
News 10 Now (New York)
MARSHALL, New York — Nine-month-old Josh Knapp is all smiles as he walks across what is now his old mattress. Saturday morning his parents heard what sounded like drawers slamming. What they discovered in his room nothing to smile about.
"We went upstairs and we noticed a hole in our son's mattress, right through his crib. We still didn't know what happened and we kept looking around we see some debris on the floor and we looked in the wall and noticed a hole in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Cellphone Dies, Louisiana Man Survives, Hit by Stray .45 Slug from Woods
20 November 2008
Times-Picayune (Louisiana)
When Ronald "R.J." Richard jumps on his tractor to do yard work, he normally clips his cell phone to the hip pocket of his overalls.
But Saturday he decided to hook it to bib of the garment, just over his heart. It was a decision made without a second thought, but it was one that might have saved Richard's life a short while later.
"Something hit me in the chest really hard," said Richard, who initially thought he had been struck by a rock kicked up by the motor.
But... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills Man at His Computer: Second Similar Killing in Memphis
15 November 2008
Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
Nothing about the stray bullet that killed an innocent man Nov. 7 surprised Tom Givens.
As a matter of fact, carelessness is what the Memphis gun instructor expects from street marksmen who get their weapons training from TV and the movies.
John Baker, 55, died after a stray shot struck him in the head while he was using a computer at his home on 4875 Foyle Way in Southeast Shelby County.
Kwane Morris, 19, and Kenneth Spencer, 18, told investigators they were trying... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Man Fears His .50cal Bullet Might Have Hit Woman 8kms Away
4 November 2008
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
Fort Worth police are investigating reports from a 49-year-old Benbrook man who says he may be responsible for the stray bullet that hit an Arlington woman Sunday morning at Texas Motor Speedway.
Kennith Jaramillo contacted Fort Worth police on Monday after hearing that Jill King Moss, 62, was hit in her arm by a .50-caliber bullet that pierced the roof of her RV, authorities said. Ms. Moss was taken to Harris Methodist Hospital and is expected to recover from her... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Hit by Stray .50 Calibre Sniper Bullet at Texas NASCAR Race
4 November 2008
Associated Press
FORT WORTH, Texas — A NASCAR fan in her recreational vehicle at Texas Motor Speedway was wounded by a stray bullet after someone apparently fired a gun into the air, police said.
A bullet suddenly pierced through the motor home's roof Sunday morning before the Dickies 500 race, hitting a woman in the right arm, relatives said.
"She immediately (screamed), 'I've been shot. I've been shot.' She took off running out the door," her son-in-law Bobby Cook told Dallas-Fort... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Hit by Stray .50 Calibre Sniper Rifle Bullet at Texas Speedway
4 November 2008
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas)
FORT WORTH — Kerry "Jill" King had just finished breakfast Sunday when, she said, what felt like a bolt of lightning ripped through her recreational vehicle at Texas Motor Speedway.
"The explosion was so loud," she said Monday.
Dazed, the 62-year-old Arlington woman's first reaction was to check the stove's butane tank. As she turned, she realized that her right arm was dangling and useless.
"I starting screaming for my husband, 'Help me! I don't know what's... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas 2nd Amendment Guy on Wife's .50cal Shooting: 'There is a Limit'
3 November 2008
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
A stray bullet struck a woman in her camper Sunday morning at Texas Motor Speedway.
The .50-caliber bullet pierced the roof of Jill King Moss's RV, hit her arm and lodged in a wall.
The bullet's trajectory indicated that it came from a long distance away, Fort Worth police told WFAA-TV (Channel 8).
Her husband, Melvin Moss, said Monday that his wife was in good condition at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital.
"She will not lose her arm. Her spirits are up. She has... (GunPolicy.org)
Pretoria ANC Boss Killed 3yr-old in Creche with Stray Bullet, Say Police
29 October 2008
Star (Johannesburg)
The father of a 3-year-old boy who was shot and killed at a creche on Tuesday afternoon has condemned the shooter as irresponsible.
Gwadico Balang junior, 3, was hit by a stray bullet while playing in the Sunbeam Playground creche in Westdene.
Speaking on Talk Radio 702 on Wednesday morning, the Pretoria-based police captain, also named Gwadico Balang, said the shooter was familiar with the area and should have been more careful with the use of a firearm.
The boy was... (GunPolicy.org)
Hunting Group Say 15yr-old Utah Boy Killed by Stray Bullet, Not Dad's Gun
23 October 2008
Ogden Standard-Examiner (Utah)
FARR WEST — As a kid, Nick Joynt loved to play cops and robbers, and every time, he insisted on being the cop. He even told friends he wanted to be a Texas Ranger when he grew up.
The 15-year-old Fremont High School sophomore occasionally wore boots and a cowboy hat and recently joked to friends that one reason he wanted to move to Texas was because all the girls from there on MySpace liked him.
But Joynt's dreams of living like a cowboy came to an end when he was... (GunPolicy.org)
Sleeping at Home, 4 Year-old Girl Killed by Stray Bullet in Philippines
21 October 2008
Daily Star (Visayan)
A 4-year-old girl was killed Sunday reportedly after being hit by a stray bullet in the head, in Brgy. Santa Cruz, Murcia, Negros Occidental.
The victim who was identified as Jenwell Iwayan, 4, was sleeping with her parents inside a "cuartel", when gunshots were heard Saturday night, Senior Inspector Rico Santotome, of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said.
Iwayan, daughter of migrant couple who are farm workers from Negros Oriental, was rushed to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Parking Lot Kills Georgia Mother of 3 in Her Apartment
21 October 2008
Fort Mill Times (South Carolina)
DECATUR, Georgia — A mother of three children is dead after DeKalb County police say a stray bullet went into her apartment.
The woman's three children — ages 11, 9 and 8 — were in the home at the time but were not hurt. Police said they don't know if the children saw the shooting.
DeKalb County Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish says the woman, whose name was not released, was struck in the back around 9 p.m. Monday. She was later pronounced dead at a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Death: Vermont Town Could Even Ban Gunfire in Back Yards
21 October 2008
WPTZ-TV News (Vermont)
ESSEX, Vermont — The Essex Select Board is reviewing the town's firearms ordinance after a man was killed by a stray bullet last month.
John Rice, 73, was killed in his own home after a shot was fired from a rifle used during a target practice session in a neighbor's yard, police said.
The Select Board is looking into changing the rules on where people can fire a gun in Essex. Right now, people can shoot a gun in certain parts of town, but some residents want to ban... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Fired by 14yr-old Boy Kills 16yr-old Girl in San Francisco
20 October 2008
San Francisco Chronicle
Jonisha Tucker caught a 5:45 a.m. bus every school day to make a 1½-hour trip to George Washington High in the Richmond District, taking her far from her housing project in San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.
Family members hoped the school — along with their supervision — would protect her from the drugs, gangs and violence surrounding the Alice Griffith housing development, where the 16-year-old girl grew up with her mother and two older... (GunPolicy.org)
Wedding Ceremony Stray Bullet Kills Pakistani 2yr-old in Mother's Lap
19 October 2008
Daily Times (Lahore)
RAWALPINDI — Despite Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasir Khan Durrani's strict action against inefficient police officers, there is no letup in crime as 12 people including three women were killed in separate incidents during last week.
An increase in fatal road accidents was also observed during last week as six people including two women and a minor were killed in the limits of Taxila, Chontra, RA Bazaar and Civil Lines police stations.
In a road accident in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Police Gun Range Kills Passing Farmer in Bangalore
13 October 2008
Times of India / TNN
BANGALORE — A civilian was killed by a stray bullet which was fired during shooting practice at the Aralur KSRP range near Hoskote on Sunday.
Subbanna (52), a farmer from Solur village, was walking towards a temple near the KSRP range in the afternoon when the tragedy occurred. He is survived by wife, two sons and two daughters.
According to police, a state-level meeting was on and the police personnel who had gathered at the range were practising for the shooting... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 16-year-old Standing at 2nd Floor Window in Philippines
2 October 2008
GMA News TV (Manila)
MANILA, Philippines — Police in Quezon City are now looking for a man who fired his gun, after a stray bullet from the weapon hit and killed a 16-year-old boy.
Radio dzBB reported early Thursday that the victim, initially identified as Ralph Ronald Mamos, died before doctors at the General Malvar Hospital could treat his injuries.
The boy died from a gunshot wound to the side of the body. The bullet exited through his lungs.
Initial investigation showed the victim... (GunPolicy.org)
71-year-Old New York Woman Latest Hit in Rash of Stray Bullet Injuries
1 October 2008
WCBS2-TV News (New York)
BROOKLYN — Another innocent person was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A 71-year-old Brooklyn woman has become the latest victim of a stray bullet.
East Flatbush has been swarming with extra police since Tuesday night, focusing in on even minor things that would usually get just a warning. There! Look! Outside that store! A quick frisk of his boots and socks and a man was taken away in a van, not so much for what he may have done, but to see if he has... (GunPolicy.org)
Hunter's Stray Bullet Kills Retired Vermont Teacher at His Dinner Table
25 September 2008
Boston Globe / AP
ESSEX, Vermont — Police aren't saying whether the gunman in the fatal shooting of a retired professor will be charged, or who he is.
John Reiss, a 73-year-old father of seven who taught English at St. Michael's College in Colchester, was hit by a stray bullet by someone firing a rifle during a target practice nearby Tuesday. A single bullet passed through a window and hit him in the torso as he was eating dinner in his Old Stage Road home, killing him.
Essex Police... (GunPolicy.org)
Innocent Student Bystander Blinded Amid Flurry of Calgary Gun Violence
18 September 2008
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
A summer of gun violence came to a crescendo Wednesday with a bystander left permanently blinded and Calgary's mayor calling the shooting "a very dark day in Calgary's history."
Police have warned for months that escalating gun violence in Calgary would crash headlong into the life of an innocent victim. On Tuesday night, that became reality when a 24-year-old Brazilian student was shot in the head near Chinatown.
"One of our worst fears as a police service came... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits, Blinds Brazilian Student, 'Innocent Passerby' in Calgary
17 September 2008
CBC News (Canada)
A man who was shot in the face and blinded while walking in downtown Calgary was an innocent bystander, police said Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Brazilian student was walking with his girlfriend in the 500 block of Centre Street South near the James Short parking garage at 10 p.m. Tuesday when he was hit in the face by a single bullet, Chief Rick Hanson said.
The shot came from a park down the street where the shooting suspect and two other people were in an... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Indian Army Rifle Range Kills Young Man in Gujarat
13 September 2008
Sindh Today / Indo Asian News Service
JAMNAGAR, Gujarat — In a freak accident, a man who was standing outside his house in Jamnagar district was killed by a stray bullet that came from a nearby army firing range, the police said Saturday.
Kunwarsinh Jovansinh Damor, 20, was standing outside his house at 9.30 a.m. Saturday in Dared village, 7 km from here, when a stray bullet from the firing range where the army and navy personnel were practising hit him in the chest killing him on the spot, the police... (GunPolicy.org)
Memphis Woman Killed by Stray Bullet While Watching TV, 4 Charged
8 September 2008
ABC24-TV News (Tennessee)
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Police say four men have been charged in the case of a woman who died after she was shot in the head by a stray bullet, while she was watching TV.
According to Memphis Police Homicide investigators, the shooting happened at the Hillview Apartments in South Memphis, around 10:15 p.m., Wednesday, September 3, 2008. Detectives say when officers arrived at the apartment they found 56 year-old Mary McKinney on the bedroom floor with a gunshot wound to... (GunPolicy.org)
Cop's 'Stray' Handgun Bullet Kills 12yr-old Girl in Philippine Traffic Stop
7 September 2008
ABS-CBN News (Manila)
A 12-year-old girl died when a stray bullet from a police officer's gun struck her in Pasig City late Saturday night.
The victim, Rodalyn Ferrer, was playing in front of her home in Barangay Pinagbuhatan when the stray bullet from the pistol of Police Officer 3 Gerardo Javier of the Eastern Police District hit her.
Moments earlier, a resident named Jun Cayabyab said he was on his motorycle with his child when Javier accosted them.
Cayabyab said Javier ordered him to... (GunPolicy.org)
US Man 'Fiddles' with His Assault Rifle, Kills 15yr-old Asleep Next Door
14 August 2008
Associated Press
NEWARK, New Jersey — A 15-year-old boy asleep in his bed was fatally shot Thursday by a bullet fired from an apartment below.
Bukhari Washington was found by his mother, who ran into his room after she heard the shot about 9 a.m., police said.
Police said a single round from a military-style semiautomatic rifle pierced the floor of the teen's room and struck him in the head. He was pronounced dead at nearby University Hospital.
A short time later, detectives... (GunPolicy.org)
Innocent Bystander Killed by Stray Bullet in London Street Shooting
4 August 2008
BBC News
A man killed in a shooting at an east London pub was an innocent bystander, police have said.
Carl Gbedmah, 47, was hit in the head by a stray bullet as he stood outside the Live and Let Live pub in Romford Road, Forest Gate, on 1 August.
Police said the shooting happened when two groups of males clashed in nearby Sprowston Road.
Mr Gbedmah was found by officers called to reports of a disturbance and the sound of gunfire at about 0345 BST.
He was taken to... (GunPolicy.org)
North Dakota Pistol Range Closed After Stray Bullet Hits Nearby Home
1 August 2008
Associated Press
JAMESTOWN, North Dakota — Stutsman County authorities say an officers pistol range has been closed after a stray bullet landed in a couple's yard.
Sheriff David Orr said Si and Martha Liechty were in their yard last week when the bullet hit their house and bounced to the ground. Martha Liechty said the bullet landed near the couple's feet.
Orr said the bullet was fired by a Highway Patrolman at the shooting range. He said it was the first time a bullet has gone... (GunPolicy.org)
Grandmother Killed, Teen Girl Injured by Stray Bullets in California Street
29 July 2008
KTVU-TV News (California)
RICHMOND, California — A 50-year-old grandmother watching her grandchildren was killed and a teenage girl injured by stray bullets after a gunman opened fire outside a Richmond apartment building Monday night.
Authorities identified the dead woman as Lisa Washington, who family members say was just watching the children and talking with neighbors when the bullet cut her down.
"I'm upset about it," Washington's daughter, Melissa Thomas, 14, told the San Francisco... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets, Celebratory Shootings, Political Gun Killing in Pakistan
27 July 2008
Daily Times (Lahore)
KARACHI — An elderly man was shot dead over his political affiliations on Saturday, while two others were killed in separate incidents.
According to details, 60-year-old Ashfaq, a resident of Bhittai Colony, Korangi Crossing, was shot six times at Juna Market, within the jurisdiction of Risala Police Station. According to Enquiry officer Nawaz, two men on a motorcycle shot Ashfaq using 30-Boor pistols. The deceased used to run a hotel near his residence and was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunshots, Stray Bullets Often Cause Injury, Death in Jordan
17 July 2008
National (Abu Dhabi)
AMMAN — Bayan Tayeb turns two this month, but unlike most toddlers her age, she cannot walk, talk or see thanks to a stray bullet that struck her right eye and damaged her brain last year. She was the victim of a celebration, not a war.
Bayan was sitting on her mother's lap in the front garden of their home in a suburb of the capital of Amman, when revellers at a wedding fired a gun in celebration.
"I thought she was hit by a stone at first, and I was shocked when... (GunPolicy.org)
Wedding Party Celebratory Shooting Kills Another Passerby in Karachi
13 July 2008
News (Karachi)
KARACHI — Two people were killed by stray bullets in separate incidents reported on Saturday in the Gizri and Baghdadi police limits.
On Friday night, 35-year-old Mohammed Ashraf was passing through a lane near his house. A wedding ceremony was underway in the lane in the Gizri police limits. A stray bullet shot in the air hit Ashraf, and proved fatal. The police said that the deceased had been working as a cook for the past 15 years in Babar House (situated at... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Pierces Bedroom Wall, Kills Cleveland Man Inside His House
13 July 2008
Cleveland Plain Dealer (Ohio)
Carlos Rodriguez was just about to slip into bed when a bullet meant for someone else tore through his bedroom wall and struck him in the chest.
Another gunbattle on Cleveland streets.
Another Clevelander killed.
Most homicide victims are targets of the crimes.
But the past three weeks have been particularly deadly for Clevelanders minding their own business. On June 27, 75-year-old Daniel Lewis was sitting in a wheelchair outside his East Side home when a man... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills Housewife Working in Kitchen in Philippines
12 July 2008
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — A 58-year-old woman was killed by a stray bullet while working in the kitchen of her house in Quezon City.
Haydie Padilla of Evangelista Street, Barangay (village) Payatas A, succumbed to a bullet wound in the back while undergoing treatment at East Avenue Medical Center.
Police Officer 3 Randy Bantillo of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) said Padilla was hit at around 4:30 p.m. on... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Texas Girls, 15 & 17, Killed by Stray Bullets in Separate Shootings
7 July 2008
NBC-5 TV News (Texas)
DALLAS — A teenage girl was killed late Saturday by a stray bullet, the second stray-bullet death in as many days, police said.
The victim, identified by the Dallas medical examiner as Juanita Payne, 15, of Dallas, was killed Saturday night while attending a birthday party in the 1100 block of East Redbird Lane, police said.
Witnesses said that at about 11:15 p.m. a fight took place inside a teen club where a birthday party was being celebrated. The fight spilled... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 17-year-old Texan Woman in City Street
4 July 2008
Dallas Morning News (Texas)
A 17-year-old woman was killed by what police believe was a stray bullet Friday evening in southeast Oak Cliff.
Police said a man opened fire about 5 p.m. during a disturbance outside an apartment in the 5700 block of Highland Hills Drive, and one shot struck C'andrea Donnelle inside the apartment. She died at a local hospital.
Police did not release any more information about the... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 15yr-old New York Boy, Walking With Friend in Harlem
30 June 2008
New York Times
A 15-year-old boy was killed early Sunday by what appeared to be a stray bullet while walking with a friend in Harlem, the police said.
Nathan Allsbrook may not have been the intended target, the authorities said.
The boy, Nathan Allsbrook, was shot about 2:30 a.m. at the corner of 127th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, near a deserted site where an apartment building was under construction, the police said.
The victim's family described him as a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Fired 'Several Hundred Feet Away' Killed Connecticut Woman
30 June 2008
Hartford Courant (Connecticut) / AP
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut — New Haven officials say a woman has died after she was apparently hit by a stray bullet from nearby gunfire.
Police say the fatal shooting Sunday apparently happened during an exchange of gunfire in the area of Winthrop and Derby Avenues. One of the shots hit the woman in the chest outside a home.
A city hall spokeswoman says police believe the fatal bullet was fired from "several hundred feet away" and that the victim may have been an... (GunPolicy.org)
Stroke Victim Relaxing Outside Cleveland Home is Killed by Stray Bullet
29 June 2008
Associated Press
CLEVELAND — A stroke victim who had gone outside in his wheelchair to get some fresh air at the urging of relatives was struck and killed by a drug dealer's stray bullet, police said.
Two men were arrested Saturday after one of them turned himself in and provided information about the shooting the night before. The men, 26 and 27, have not been formally charged in the death of Daniel Lewis.
"It's a tragedy, a man minding his own business," said Mayor Frank Jackson.... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting, Stray Bullet Injury Require Urgent Action - Turkish MP
27 June 2008
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
ANKARA — A member of Parliament's Human Rights Commission has recommended that a parliamentary commission should be set up to address the problem of deaths and injuries caused by stray bullets fired into the air in celebration, a common problem in much of Turkey.
Speaking to Today's Zaman, Democratic Society Party (DTP) Diyarbakir deputy Akin Birdal stressed that a cultural and social transformation was needed to prevent deaths from stray bullets. "Our commission... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from Police Rifle Kills Boy, Shatters TV in Nigerian Sitting Room
18 June 2008
Daily Trust (Abuja)
MINNA — A 14 year old boy, Abubakar Onifade was killed in Minna on Monday night by a stray bullet from a police officer while watching television in his father's sitting room.
Our correspondent gathered that the stray bullet which went through the door of the sitting room hit the boy, an SS2 student of Hill Top Secondary School Minna on the chest and shattered the television screen.
It was also gathered that the tragedy occurred as the police officer on patrol of a... (GunPolicy.org)
15yr-old New York Youth Killed 10yr-old Girl with 'Neighbourhood Gun'
17 June 2008
ABC News (USA)
A teenager is expected to plead not guilty today to charges that he shot and killed a 10-year-old girl with a "community gun" that he allegedly claims was shared by "everyone in the neighborhood."
Kathina Thomas was killed late last month after a stray bullet, allegedly fired by 15-year-old Jermayne Timmons, struck her in the back. The crime has shocked the city of Albany and prompted law enforcement to ramp up a crackdown on so-called community guns — weapons that... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Must Not Tolerate 'Absurdly Easy Access to Guns' Among Youth
12 June 2008
Albany Times-Union (New York), Editorial
The community that still mourns the death of Kathina Thomas in Albany's West Hill has a new battle to wage. It must act upon the unsettling possibility that not only was a 10-year-old girl murdered by a stray bullet, but one from a stray gun.
The battle to prevent another death like this begins in earnest only when the community makes it clear that it won't tolerate the availability of illegal guns, particularly among young people. That especially includes guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Pregnant US Woman Hit by Stray Bullet Dies; Boyfriend, Opponent Charged
3 June 2008
Associated Press
A pregnant Philadelphia woman who was struck in the head by a stray bullet has died, and two men — including her live-in boyfriend — have been charged.
Police say 26-year-old Bobbi Booker was shot in her left temple as her boyfriend exchanged gunfire through a window with another man outside the couple's apartment in the city's Germantown section.
The boyfriend, 26-year-old Michael Thomas, and 22-year-old Lamar Johnson were each charged with two counts of... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 10yr-old Girl in Albany, New York Street: No Suspects
30 May 2008
Albany Times-Union (New York)
ALBANY — A 10-year-old girl was shot to death about 8:20 p.m. Thursday — apparently by a stray bullet — as she played outside in a West Hill neighborhood, city police said.
The girl, identified by police as Katina Thomas, was on her bicycle in front of a home in the 400 block of First Street with a young sibling. When the family came outside they found her bleeding on the ground, Police Chief James Tuffey said.
She was rushed to Albany Medical Center Hospital,... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets from Gun Shop's Firing Range Keep Hitting Connecticut Homes
27 May 2008
Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
DURHAM — Another bullet struck a house on Tri-Mountain Road over the Memorial Day weekend — the latest in a cluster of recent strikes that has renewed concerns over a long-standing problem and has refocused attention on a nearby Wallingford firing range.
The 200-yard firing lane at the Blue Trail Range & Gun Store has been closed since late last week because bullets were periodically whipping through Tri-Mountain State Park, but the adjacent 100-yard range was... (GunPolicy.org)
5yr-old Kansas Girl, Hit in Head by Stray Bullet, Makes 'Amazing' Progress
24 May 2008
Kansas City Star (Missouri)
Katherine Cook walks through the doors of The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City and is greeted with, "Good morning, princess. How are you?"
The 5-year-old responds to the man at the front desk as if she doesn't have a care in the world. "I'm fine!" she says in a high-pitched voice.
This is the irrepressibly social Katherine that her parents, JoAnne and LaMont Cook, have always known — easygoing and eager to please.
This is also the Katherine whose life hung... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills Man Sitting Beside His RV in a Texas Campground
9 May 2008
Courier of Montgomery County (Texas)
A 58-year-old man was killed by a stray bullet that struck him in the abdominal region as he sat with his wife outside his RV around 8:20 p.m. on Thursday at the KOA Campground on Texas 105 near Montgomery.
Det. Dan Zientek with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, who was on scene with other investigators, said the bullet was believed to be a stray that was shot from a wooded area nearby.
Montgomery County EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to... (GunPolicy.org)
Paralysed by Stray Bullet, 7yr-old US Girl Accepts Gunman's Apology
30 April 2008
Boston Herald
Five years after a stray bullet severed her spine as she played on her front porch, 7-year-old Kai Leigh Harriott thanked her shooter today for apologizing from behind bars and urging youngsters to learn from his mistakes.
"I would tell him thank you for making an apology because you can inspire so many people by telling them, 'Don't do bad things,' " Kai Leigh said after watching Anthony Warren's videotaped apology at a Dorchester press conference today declaring May... (GunPolicy.org)
Wife, Police Wonder If Australian Hiker Was Shot, Hidden by Deer Hunter
20 April 2008
Age (Melbourne)
The wife of missing hiker Warren Meyer fears he may have been accidentally shot by a deer hunter in the Yarra Ranges National Park and his death covered up.
Zee Meyer said local residents had told her deer hunters were active in the remote bushland where her husband disappeared a month ago and there was evidence shots had been fired in the national park on the Easter weekend when her husband vanished.
Alexandra CIU Detective Senior Constable Stuart Walls said the deer... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills Innocent Californian Man as Gang Drive-by Sprays Street
15 April 2008
Modesto Bee (California)
A father of four visiting Modesto from Long Beach for the Cambodian new year died after being hit by a stray bullet fired Sunday evening during what police believe was a gang-related fight.
Chanthol Ouk was an innocent bystander, Modesto police spokesman Sgt. Craig Gundlach said.
Ouk, pronounced "oak," used to live in Modesto but moved to Long Beach 11 years ago, said his friend, Dottie Vath, 37, of Modesto. Ouk often visited Modesto to see friends and do business... (GunPolicy.org)
Hit by Stray Bullet While Sleeping at Home, 21yr-old California Woman Dies
10 April 2008
Bay Area News Group
OAKLAND — Shock and sadness hovered over the family of Shaneice Davis, a 21-year-old woman who was struck by a bullet while she slept in her bed Monday night when she was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon.
"I'm just so sad. It hurts so much," said her father, John Davis, who described his daughter as a sensitive, sweet child who never bothered anyone — which makes her death seem even more random and unfair.
Davis, the mother of a 1-year-old daughter Kamari... (GunPolicy.org)
Sleeping California Woman Takes Bullet to the Head in Memorial Shooting
9 April 2008
San Francisco Chronicle
OAKLAND — An Oakland woman was clinging to life Tuesday after a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting tore through her bedroom wall and pierced her head while she slept.
Shanice Davis, 22, is in grave condition at a local hospital after the midnight shooting, which happened during a street memorial for an Oakland murder victim killed three years ago, police and neighbors said.
Three men at the memorial were also struck by gunfire. All three were in stable condition... (GunPolicy.org)
California Man Killed by Stray Bullet, Playing with Young Sons in Front Yard
7 April 2008
Associated Press
SANTA ANA, California — A 39-year-old man is dead after being hit by a stray bullet while his young sons played in their home's yard.
Santa Ana police Cpl. Jose Gonzalez says Mario Jimenez was in front of his house late Sunday morning when a pedestrian down West Pine Street started arguing with people inside a car.
The man pulled out a handgun and shot at them, continuing to fire as the car took off in Jimenez's direction.
A bullet struck Jimenez in the head as... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Often Kill Passersby, Children in Lebanese Celebratory Gunfire
4 April 2008
Agence France Presse
The frequent celebratory gunfire in this heavily armed city is killing Beirut, literally, as one man's burst of joy turns into another's mourning.
The parents of 14-year-old Ahmed Ali al-Sahili know this all too well — they lost their son when a bullet pierced his skull as he played outside their home in the capital's suburbs.
And Sonia Saade, 49, thought her ulcer was acting up when a pain so sudden and sharp knocked her off her feet as she walked to a pharmacy.... (GunPolicy.org)
Ohio Man Took Assault Rifle to Work, Fired Out Window, Shot 14yr-old Girl
4 April 2008
Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio)
A Morrow man who accidentally shot a 14 year-old girl Thursday will answer to a Hamilton County judge at 9 a.m. this morning.
Cameron Barrett, 23, is held at the Hamilton County jail this morning on charges of assault, records show.
He took an AR-15 assault rifle to work and fired one round into the street, Sharonville police said. The bullet hit a black Dodge Durango through the passenger side door while the vehicle was stopped for traffic in the 3700 block of Hauck... (GunPolicy.org)
Mother of 3 Killed by Stray Bullet as Locals Mourn Death of New York Rapper
31 March 2008
Post Chronicle (New York) / UPI
A stray bullet fired by a mourner killed a mother of three as she walked by a memorial for a popular local rapper in New York.
Police say Nancy Williams, 27, of Brooklyn, was struck once in the chest as she passed an area Sunday night where fans of hip-hop performer Leval Lyde had gathered to mourn his death, The New York Post reported.
They were all out back having an Irish wake and someone decides to fire an automatic weapon, a policeman at the scene told the... (GunPolicy.org)
Neighbour Killed 7yr-old on Trampoline: Backyard Gunfire Still Legal in Texas
26 March 2008
KVUE-TV News (Texas)
AUSTIN, Texas — Shooting guns in some Hays County neighborhoods will remain legal, despite the recent death of a little boy.
"It's pretty difficult still … and depressing, too," said 16 year old Julianna Galicia whose brother was killed by a stray bullet last year.
Daniel Galicia, 7, was killed outside their home east of Kyle in April. He was jumping on the trampoline when a neighbor's stray bullet hit him.
It was after that shooting that Hays County Commissioner... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Fired from Street Kills 70yr-old Woman in Her Chicago Home
24 March 2008
Chicago Tribune
A 70-year-old woman was killed Monday morning by a bullet that came through a window of her Far South Side house, Chicago police said.
The circumstances of the shooting were under investigation, but police initially said it appeared that a stray bullet fired from outside struck Maggie Browder inside her home in the 12200 block of South Morgan Street around 6:20 a.m.
But police don't know whether it was a stray bullet, whether the home was targeted or whether the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Church Security Guard Fires at Purse Snatcher, Hits 11yr-old Boy
16 March 2008
WDIV-TV News (Michigan)
DETROIT — An 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the arm by a security guard on Detroit's west side Sunday afternoon after a bullet aimed at a purse-snatcher missed its mark.
According to police, a security guard at the Hope Evangelical Ministries Church on Livernois witnessed a man attempting to steal a woman's purse. The guard noticed that the man had a gun and fired a shot at him.
The shot missed the man and instead grazed the arm of the boy, who was sitting... (GunPolicy.org)
Tennessee Man Took Stray Bullet to the Brain Watching TV in Memphis
13 March 2008
CW30-TV News (Tennessee)
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Police say they may never find the gunman who nearly left a Raleigh man brain dead. Back in January we told you about Dan Hall. Hall was shot by a stray bullet while sitting on his couch, watching television. Since then, he has not been able to work, his bills are piling up and police have made no arrests.
It's been 54 days since Dan Hall was shot in the head. But instead of counting the days, he tries his best to make the days count. "I don't... (GunPolicy.org)
California Woman Dies After Being Struck by Stray Bullet in Street
28 February 2008
KTVU-TV News (California)
SAN PABLO — The Contra Costa coroner's office Thursday identified Lisa Thayer, 47, as the woman who was fatally shot in San Pablo.
At about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the area of San Pablo Avenue and Road 20 where they located Thayer suffering from a gunshot wound, police said.
The San Pablo resident was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to the coroner's office.
A preliminary investigation indicates that... (GunPolicy.org)
5yr-old Girl Playing, Hit by Stray Bullet: 'Not a Crime' Say Kansas Police
26 February 2008
KCTV-TV News (Missouri)
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Doctors are trying to remove a 5-year-old girl who was shot in the head by a stray bullet from life support and start feeding her through a tube, her family said on Tuesday.
Katherine Cook was playing in the yard of her rural Leavenworth County, Kansas, home during the weekend with her brothers when the bullet hit her about an inch above her left eye.
She was flown to Children's Mercy Hospital, where she's been on life support... (GunPolicy.org)
School Teacher, Buffalo Killed by Stray Bullets from Indian Street Mob
15 February 2008
Times of India / TNN
KANADAR (VIJAYNAGAR TALUKA): It was a routine day for 28-year-old Shailesh Rathod, a primary school teacher at Ajaypur Government School, who left his home in Antarsubha village around 9.15 am on Wednesday.
Rathod had stopped by a local photocopying centre opposite the forest range office at Antarsubha ashram crossroads to get an income-tax form 16 and saw the commotion and firing outside the forest office.
Afraid, he began cycling when he was hit by a stray bullet... (GunPolicy.org)
4 Canadians Shot in Recent Weeks in Thailand: One Hit by Hunter's Bullet
14 February 2008
CBC News (Canada)
A police official in Thailand says a Canadian tourist shot in a northern Thai city may have been hit by a hunter's stray bullet, a news report said on Thursday.
Police Lt.-Col Thwatchai Punpigu said Erik Griffioen may have been hit by the bullet of a bird hunter, Reuters news agency reported.
Griffioen, a physicist from Dundas, Ont., was shot in the back while riding in an open-sided taxi with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Ling, Wednesday in the popular tourist city of... (GunPolicy.org)
13-year-old Girl Killed by Stray Bullet During Shootout in Johannesburg
12 February 2008
Times (UK) / SAPA
A teenage schoolgirl has been killed by a stray bullet fired during a shoot-out between robbers and security guards at a house in Fairlands, Johannesburg, this morning, police said.
The three robbers had since been arrested, said Captain Siphiwe Ndlovu.
He said the child's mother arrived at the house to pick up a schoolmate at 6.30am.
"When she blew the hooter, instead of the child coming out, a suspect came out. She asked who he was. He didn't answer. He went back... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Turns Wedding Into a Funeral in United Arab Emirates
10 February 2008
Gulf News (Dubai)
RAS AL KHAIMAH — A wedding celebration here turned to tragedy when one revellers was killed by a stray bullet.
Mohammad Ahmad Samt, a 45-year-old Emirati, was fatally hit on Saturday while revellers were firing shots in the air at a wedding in the Shamal area.
His friends said Samt cupped his chest during celebrations, fell to the ground and died.
Lieutenant Colonel Salem Saeed Al Alkim, head of Al Ma'amourah Police Station, said the victim was also firing in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Mystery of Florida Woman, Killed by Stray Bullet While Sleeping at Home
2 February 2008
First Coast News (Florida)
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Police say Donna Mills was asleep in her apartment when a stray bullet tore through her window, ending her life.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Officers came to the Preserve at Cedar River Apartments on the Westside around 3 a.m. Saturday, December 15 to check out reports of gunshots.
An officer spotted bullet holes in a wall and a window. Inside that apartment, 29-year-old Donna Mills lay dead. Police say she'd been asleep when it happened.
Now... (GunPolicy.org)
Hotel Guest Injured by Stray Bullet in Lobby of New Orleans Holiday Inn
31 January 2008
Times-Picayune (Louisiana) / AP
An innocent bystander was shot inside the lobby of a Central Business District hotel by a stray bullet from a fight going on outside Wednesday at about 9:30 p.m., said Sgt. Joe Narcisse, a New Orleans Police Department spokesman.
A fight broke out outside the hotel in the 200 block of Carondelet Street and gunshots rang out, Narcisse said. After the gunfire stopped, it was discovered that a bullet shattered the window of the Holiday Inn Express lobby and struck a... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Shooting Kills Bride's Cousin, 19, at Indian Wedding Party
28 January 2008
Indian Express
GURGAON — A 19-year-old boy lost his life when a stray bullet fired in the air at a marriage party hit him. The incident took place in Gurgaon on Saturday night.
Gaurav Sharma, the deceased, was the bride's cousin and lived in Ashok Vihar, New Delhi.
According to the police, the shot was fired by a youth, Rishi Yadav, who was accompanying the groom.
Rishi, a resident of Gurgaon, is said to be at large.
Gaurav's father, Ashok Sharma, has registered a case at... (GunPolicy.org)
Single Celebratory Bullet Fired at Police Funeral Kills 2, Injures 2 in Ghana
28 January 2008
Samuel Duodu's Stories (Ghana), Blog
The funeral and burial service for a police officer at Asueyi, a farming community near Techiman in the Brong-Ahafo Region, on Saturday turned fatal when one of the shots fired by some of his colleagues to show solidarity killed two mourners.
The bullet, allegedly fired by Constable Andrew Yankey of the Police Dragon Unit, who police sources say was not part of the official police delegation to the funeral, hit Opanin Kwaku Addai in the abdomen, killing the 70-... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Enters Tennessee Home, Lodges in 62yr-old Homeowner's Brain
22 January 2008
WREG-TV News (Tennessee)
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — A Frayser family is both scared and relieved tonight after a stray bullet pierces the window of their home and then pierces the homeowner's skull.
It happened at the 2700 block of Scotland. Police told the family, it was a stray bullet from a random shooting.
Fortunately, 62-year-old Don Hall is at home recovering. Doctors told him the bullet barely missed hitting a major artery to his brain. He and his son, Michael Hall, were about to watch... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto Needs Better Gun Control, Says Son of Innocent Shooting Victim
21 January 2008
Toronto Star (Ontario)
They stood on the stairs inside their family home today in shock and in tears.
Zuo Xi, 23, and Yun Yam, 19, spoke quietly to the media about their father — what kind of man he was and how they're trying to cope with his senseless death.
Their father, Hou Chang Mao, 47, was killed Thursday by a stray bullet while he was stacking oranges outside Fu Yao Supermarket on a strip of Gerrard St. E., near Broadview, known as Chinatown East.
Mao, who worked at the store,... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto Recoils as Another Bystander is Killed by a Stray Handgun Bullet
20 January 2008
National Post / CanWest News Service
TORONTO — Police here on Friday appealed in English and in Cantonese to potential witnesses, in the city's East Chinatown, to help locate the gunmen responsible for killing an innocent father of two on Thursday.
Investigators have identified the city's third homicide victim of the year as Hou Chang Mao, 47.
On Thursday, in the midst of a bustling crowd of after-work shoppers and as he stacked oranges, Mao was shot and killed by a bullet meant for someone else in... (GunPolicy.org)
Third Innocent Bystander Shot to Death in Canada's Toronto This Year
19 January 2008
Xinhua
OTTAWA — A 47-year-old man was stacking oranges at a grocery store in the east end of Canada's Toronto when he was killed by a stray bullet, becoming the third innocent victim of the city's rising gun violence in the new year.
Hou Chang Mao, 47, was working at Fu Yao Supermarket at 643 Gerrard St. East when he was hit in the chest by a stray bullet shortly after 6 p.m. local time Thursday. He was taken to hospital but proclaimed dead there, Toronto police said at a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Ended Toronto Father's Dreams of Building a New Family Life
19 January 2008
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
In a neighbourhood nicknamed "airport" for all the Chinese newcomers it attracts, Mao Hou Chang had fast become a fixture on the sidewalks of Gerrard Street East, building his new life one orange at a time.
He could be found there most days, pointing customers to the best fruit in his bins in front of the Fu Yao Supermarket, a teeming hub for shoppers in Toronto's East Chinatown.
Thursday evening was no different, until just after dark. In the place where he made his... (GunPolicy.org)
Outpouring of Support for 10yr-old California Boy Paralysed by Stray Bullet
17 January 2008
San Francisco Chronicle
The parents of an Oakland boy paralyzed by a stray bullet during a piano lesson said Wednesday they were overwhelmed by the community's support and bear no anger toward the shooter.
"I don't want to have hatred in my heart," said Richard Rodriguez, whose 10-year-old son, Christopher, has been in intensive care at Children's Hospital Oakland since last Thursday's incident. "Although, I don't want to see (the shooter's) face, either."
Christopher Rodriguez was... (GunPolicy.org)
Ban Handguns: Gun Hobbies Less Important Than Protecting Canadian Lives
15 January 2008
Toronto Star (Ontario), Editorial
Handguns keep taking Canadian lives; yet this dangerous class of weapon remains too readily available across the country.
In light of the grievous harm they do, it would make sense to ban handguns, thereby making them harder for criminals to obtain and impossible for law-abiding people to misuse.
Toronto's latest handgun victim is 42-year-old John O'Keefe, shot in the head on the weekend while walking on Yonge St., the apparent victim of a stray bullet meant for a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 10yr-old California Boy Taking Piano Lesson, Paralysing Him
15 January 2008
CNN
OAKLAND, California — Fifth-grader Christopher Rodriguez sat down Thursday at his piano for his weekly lesson, arched his fingers over the keys and began to play.
Across the street from Harmony Road Music School in north Oakland, California, Jared Adams, 24, allegedly raised his gun at a Chevron gas station attendant during a holdup and fired.
A bullet ripped through the walls of Christopher's classroom striking him in his side, piercing his kidney and spleen and... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto Gun Club Member Murdered Innocent Man with Legal Pistol - Police
13 January 2008
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
It was a stray bullet fired from a pistol legally registered to an accused gunman that instantly killed an innocent father of a young son in a weekend tragedy, police said.
And while John O'Keefe, who was not involved in the Yonge St. dispute died at 1:16 a.m. Saturday, two young men who have never been in trouble with the law now face a lifetime in jail.
The 42-year-old victim, a manager of a retail store and the father of a 9-year-old boy from a previous... (GunPolicy.org)
California Boy Taking Piano Lesson Struck in Abdomen by Stray Bullet
10 January 2008
San Jose Mercury News (California)
OAKLAND — A 10-year-old boy taking piano lessons at a music school in North Oakland was shot in the abdomen by an stray bullet fired during a robbery across the street late Thursday afternoon.
The boy was taken to Children's Hospital Oakland for surgery. He is in critical condition but is expected to survive.
Katharine Wells, office manager at the Piedmont Piano Company at Pleasant Valley and Piedmont avenues, said she heard gunshots, which were fired during an... (GunPolicy.org)
Passenger Jet Hit, Damaged by Celebratory Gunfire Over Montenegro
9 January 2008
Associated Press
PODGORICA, Montenegro — A stray bullet struck a passenger jet while it was landing in Montenegro, slightly damaging the aircraft, the state airline said Wednesday.
No one was hurt as the bullet, apparently fired into the air during a traditional Orthodox Christmas Eve celebration, hit the tail stabilizer on the Montenegro Airlines Fokker 100, company spokesman Nenad Markovic said. Police were investigating who fired the shot.
The jet carrying 32 passengers and five... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 5yr-old Tucson Boy in New Year's Celebratory Gunfire
3 January 2008
Associated Press
With blood streaming down his face, the parents of a little Tucson boy didn't know what hit him early New Year's day.
The mother and father of Rafael Moreno-Razo, 5, later learned the boy was struck by a stray bullet that ripped through their apartment.
Rafael's father Humberto Moreno, 42, called 911 and Rafael went to the hospital, where he was treated and released that morning.
The little boy escaped with a grazed scalp, but the incident may leave his family... (GunPolicy.org)
'Reckless, Illegal' New Year's Stray Bullet Pierces Antigua Woman's House
3 January 2008
Antigua Sun (St John's)
A householder in the Horsford Hill area had an unpleasant New Year's Day surprise when a shot was fired through a window in her home.
According to information reaching the Antigua Sun, the woman was at home shortly after midnight on New Year's Day, when she heard the sound of breaking glass.
When she got up to investigate, she stepped on the bullet that had broken her window.
The incident occurred during the fireworks display at English Harbour, and the noise of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman, Child Killed by Colorado Man Celebrating New Year with Handgun
3 January 2008
KWGN-TV News (Denver)
DENVER, Colorado — The Fort Collins woman and her 11-year-old cousin who were shot and killed while celebrating New Year's Day early Tuesday were both victims of the same stray bullet, fired by another holiday reveler, police said Wednesday.
Rebecca "Becky" Yanez, 48, of Fort Collins was gathered with family and friends inside a house in the 4700 block of West Eleventh Avenue, when the bullet pierced the home's exterior just after midnight. Yanez was hit in the head... (GunPolicy.org)
Italians Killed, Injured as Celebratory Gunfire, Stray Bullets Rattle New Year
3 January 2008
United Press International
Wild West-style gun play during New Year's celebrations is symptomatic of a growing gun culture in Italy, authorities said.
Gunshots rang in the new year in several cities, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Wednesday.
A 30-year-old father in Naples was killed when a stray bullet went through a window and struck him in the chest as he played cards with his family. A 10-year-old Naples boy clung to life after a bullet ricocheted and lodged in his brain, while a... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Crashes Into Hospital Ward for Manila's Newborn Babies
3 January 2008
Star (Philippines)
A stray bullet narrowly missed a nurse, a nursing aide, and a newborn child inside the nursery of the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC) in Sta. Cruz, Manila in the afternoon of the first day of 2008.
Stray bullets also caused serious injuries to two persons in Cotabato City, and a marine trooper is facing possible court-martial for alleged indiscriminate firing during the New Year revelry that wounded two minors in Pasay City.
Dr. Arthur Platon,... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Woman Lifts Champagne to Ring in New Year, Catches Stray Bullet
2 January 2008
WOFL-TV News (Florida)
ORLANDO, Florida — Titusville resident Regina Lifton was very excited to ring in 2008.
This is the year she and her family have been waiting for to relocate to Florida's west coast.
Just like millions of people around the country, on the night of December 31, Lifton and her family gathered together, with champagne glasses in hand watching the ball drop in New York's Time Square to toast to the New Year.
"I was sitting on the floor," Lifton said. "We were watching... (GunPolicy.org)
St. Petersburg, Florida Police Report 16 Stray Bullet Incidents in NYE Gunfire
2 January 2008
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — In a single half hour during New Year's Eve festivities, bullets presumably fired into the air in celebration returned to earth, hitting two people and narrowly missing two others, police say.
At 12:08 a.m. Tuesday, David Tyson Mink, 23, of Clearwater, was walking with some friends in the 700 block of Third Ave. S. when he felt "something hard" hit him on the left shoulder, St. Petersburg Police Department spokesman George Kajtsa said. It... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman in Alabama Church Hit in Face by Stray Bullet During NYE Gunfire
2 January 2008
Mobile Press Register (Alabama)
A woman inside a Prichard church was shot in the side of her face shortly after midnight on Tuesday, police said, apparently as a result of New Year's gunfire.
The woman, whom police did not name, was hit by a bullet that entered through the sanctuary roof at the Showers of Blessings Church of God in Christ, according to Prichard police Maj. Marvin Whitfield.
She was taken to the University of South Alabama Medical Center, said Whitfield, who added that surgery may be... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Hits 12yr-old Trinidad Boy in Celebratory New Year's Gunfire
2 January 2008
Newsday (Port of Spain)
A 12-year-old boy had his New Year's eve celebration cut short, almost permanently, after he was hit by a stray bullet which still remains lodged in the right side of his chest.
Aaron Ford was ringing in the New Year by lighting fire crackers a short distance from his Faustin Trace, Maraval home on Old Year's Night, when the incident occurred. With firecrackers going off noisily all around him, Ford could not say where the shot came from. Alma
Samuel-Ford, the boy's... (GunPolicy.org)
Celebratory Gunfire Kills Brazilians, Stray Bullets Fly in Rio's New Year Bash
1 January 2008
International Herald Tribune / AP
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — One man was killed and five people were wounded by gunfire at a New Year's bash that drew some 2 million people to Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach, the government's official news agency said Tuesday.
A 29-year-old man died of a gunshot wound in the stomach, and a 63-year-old woman shot in the back and a 24-year-old man shot in the head were hospitalized in critical condition, the official Agencia Brasil news service reported.
Three other... (GunPolicy.org)
Fresno, California Logs 500 Reports of New Years' Eve Gunfire, Stray Bullets
1 January 2008
KSEE-TV News (California)
FRESNO, California — It seems when the clock strikes midnight, a lot of people forget about the laws of gravity: what goes up must come down. They celebrate the New Year with gunfire, careless of what happens to those bullets.
One of those bullets ended up in Jerry Lopez's kitchen in West Central Fresno.
"That's the hole where the bullet came through. You can see how big that hole is, all the insulation is on the floor and in the hallway," Lopez said, pointing to... (GunPolicy.org)
New Year's Eve Stray Bullet Kills 30yr-old Woman in New Jersey
31 December 2007
New York Times
A woman in Irvington, N.J., was killed instantly on Saturday night when a stray bullet pierced the wall of her bedroom and struck her in the head, the authorities and relatives said.
The woman, Rosetta Peacock, 30, was hit by a bullet fired from a passing car, said Paul M. Loriquet, a spokesman for the Essex County prosecutor's office.
Mr. Loriquet said he did not know who had been the intended target, but four shots were fired near Ms. Peacock's house on 19th Avenue... (GunPolicy.org)
Baby Killed, More Injured by Stray Bullets, Celebratory Gunfire in Philippines
28 December 2007
Pacific News Center (Guam)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) disclosed that one infant died and 87 people were hospitalized due to injuries caused by firecrackers and stray bullets.
Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque III disclosed that the indiscriminate firing of guns has already claimed the life of an infant who was hit by a stray bullet.
As of December 27, the DOH also said it has monitored 87 cases of firecracker-related injuries that required intensive... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills Innocent Single Mother on the Phone in Her Brooklyn Home
17 December 2007
NY1 News (New York)
Police in Brooklyn are looking for clues in the shooting death of a 35-year-old single mother who was killed in the crossfire on a Crown Heights sidewalk Saturday night.
Carol Simon Hayes, the mother of a nine-year-old son, was shot dead in front of her home on Eastern Parkway.
NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly says Simon Hayes was the victim of a stray bullet, after men fighting down the street began shooting.
"The victim here, Ms. Hayes, is an innocent bystander who... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 29yr-old Florida Woman Asleep in Her Apartment
17 December 2007
NBC-12 TV News (Florida)
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Police say Donna Mills was asleep in her apartment when a stray bullet tore through her window, ending her life.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Officers came to the Preserve at Cedar River Apartments on the Westside around 3 a.m. Saturday to check out reports of gunshots.
"Some people said they heard, like, four. Some people said they heard, like, eight," said neighbor Amanda Bailey.
Officers found nothing at the time.
Police were back at 11 a.m.,... (GunPolicy.org)
We Need Gun Control, Says Mother of Philadelphia's 379th Homicide Victim
16 December 2007
Philadelphia Inquirer
Across the street from the North Philadelphia grocery store where Craig Young was working when he was cut down by a stray bullet, relatives and friends remembered him this afternoon as a hard worker, who was well-liked and widely known in the neighborhood.
"I'm 72 years old and I thought I would go before my children," said a tearful Florence Young, his mother, as she and relatives prepared to make funeral arrangements.
Young, 41, was working as a clerk inside the... (GunPolicy.org)
Philadelphia Shopowner Killed by Stray Bullet in Latest Street Gun Battle
15 December 2007
Philadelphia Daily News
Regulars who stopped by the Yasmin Food Market at 23rd and Jefferson streets in North Philadelphia could always be sure of one thing: Craig Young would be there, making tasty sandwiches at mealtimes, stocking shelves or offering smiles to the good kids and stern words to the mischief-makers.
But the regulars who wandered past the shuttered corner store yesterday morning had only tears and teddy bears to add to a growing memorial outside Yasmin's after Young became the... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Blamed for Roadside Death of 14yr-old Los Angeles Schoolgirl
12 December 2007
Los Angeles Times
Diana Tomas was found clinging to life with a gunshot wound in her head on a pathway alongside the 101 Freeway not far from downtown Los Angeles, the possible victim of a stray bullet.
But for four agonizing days, her mother tried to locate the 14-year-old girl, reaching her hospital bedside only a short time before she died.
The teenager was on a narrow pathway that runs along the freeway sound wall near the Benton Way exit, out of view of the street, on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Injures 5yr-old Boy Sound Asleep in Canadian Family Bedroom
9 December 2007
Calgary Sun (Alberta)
A five-year-old boy is lucky to be alive after getting hit in the face by an errant bullet while he slept in an upstairs bedroom of his family's home in Martindale yesterday morning.
Inpreet Hundal was sleeping on a mattress next to his parent's bed — where his father, Balraj, was also sleeping — when a bullet ripped through the wall, bounced off the ceiling and struck the boy just above the lip at 8:30 a.m.
"There was a lot of blood," said Balraj, 46, through a... (GunPolicy.org)
Pregnant Baltimore Woman, Baby Killed by Stray Bullet; Killers Remain Free
23 November 2007
Examiner (Baltimore)
BALTIMORE — Ashley Harris wasn't doing anything wrong. The pregnant woman was standing in a crowd when she was gunned down by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting — killing her and her unborn son. The bullet, her grandparents say, struck Harris directly in the heart.
Now her grandparents, Enoch, 62, and Janie Carver, 66, say they can't enjoy the holiday season — or any day.
"People say, 'You get over it,' but you never get over it," Janie Carver said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Alabama 15yr-old Charged with Stray Bullet Murder of 16yr-old Girl
21 November 2007
WAFF-TV News ( Alabama)
A Valley teenager will stand trial for the death of another teen.
15-year-old Michael Steger Junior is charged in the murder of 16-year-old Jamie Collier.
She was hit by a stray bullet in June after a fight broke out between 2 groups of teenagers.
It happened at the corner of Yale Circle and Mount Vernon Road in Huntsville.
A grand jury says Steger will stand trial for... (GunPolicy.org)
St Louis 5yr-old Hit by Stray Bullet, Badly Injured While Sleeping in His Bed
19 November 2007
St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
EAST ST. LOUIS — A 5-year-old boy went to sleep in his bed Saturday night but awoke screaming in pain from a bullet in his chest, police said.
The boy was sleeping when a stray bullet punctured the exterior wall of his mother's two-story apartment building and struck him in his left side.
"The child began to scream out, and the mother went up and found the child had been injured," said East St. Louis Police Chief Michael Baxton.
Police received a 911 call for shots... (GunPolicy.org)
Cop Shoots at Cop, Kills Bystander, Wounds Another at Party in Philippines
16 November 2007
Cebu Daily News (Philippines)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The 27-year-old victim who got hit by a stray bullet coming from two policemen engaged in a shootout on Sunday dawn died in the hospital yesterday .
Rowel Abari, 27, one of those hit by a stray bullet from PO1 Luther Lapinig's gun, died after suffering from a gunshot wound in the forehead.
The other victim, Dario Encarnacion, 43, who was hit in the nose, is still confined in the hospital.
As a result, the Cebu City Police Office will... (GunPolicy.org)
California 11yr-old Killed by Stray Bullet Ignites Local Anti-violence Campaign
14 November 2007
San Bernadino Sun (California)
SAN BERNARDINO, California — She was just one little girl, but her life — and tragic shooting death — touched a city and shifted its focus to crime and poverty like none before her.
About 350 people observed the anniversary of the night two years ago when a group of gun-toting men unleashed death, piercing the walls of the apartment 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw shared with her family.
She was hit and killed while having dinner.
But the solemn gathering on... (GunPolicy.org)
4 Motorists Shot Before Indian Army Thinks to Build Walls at Rifle Range
13 November 2007
Times of India (Bangalore)
BANGALORE — Breathe easy! Your chances of being injured by a stray bullet while riding on the Intermediate Ring Road between Koramangala and Airport Road will reduce drastically.
The Army has sanctioned a 'baffle range' to be built in the Iblur Army Camp to strengthen the rings of security, and thus prevent injuries caused by stray bullets. In the past four years, four persons have been injured on this stretch.
The construction of the new range is expected to... (GunPolicy.org)
Struggling California Teen Rebuilding Her Life After Stray Bullet to the Head
12 November 2007
Daily News (Los Angeles)
SYLMAR — Robbie Marie Jones walked proudly across the stage at North Valley Charter Academy on the last day of school this past June.
At one time barely passing her classes, Robbie had turned her life around after being diagnosed with a learning disability. Eventually excelling at the Granada Hills school, Robbie eagerly talked about going to college to become a nurse.
It was a dream the girl once sent to a boot camp for troubled youths never thought possible.... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Victim of Unpunished Gangsters' Stray Bullet Launches Civil Suit
10 November 2007
Vancouver Sun
In her two-year battle to recover from a bullet to the head, Laurie Tinga has already shown the fighting spirit her friends and family admire.
Now she has begun a different kind of battle with the filing of a civil suit against six gangsters who police believe were behind the shootout that left her an unintended victim.
Police and academics say her lawsuit might be a first of its kind in Canada, where criminals are rarely held to account in civil courts, especially in... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Teen Jailed for Killing 13yr-old Girl With Stray Bullet from Assault Rifle
9 November 2007
WJXT-TV News (Florida)
JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Late Friday afternoon, a Duval County jury found Willie Tucker III guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Shenice Holmes, who was shot as she read inside her Northside apartment 18 months ago.
Because Tucker did not target Holmes, he is only charged with second-degree murder.
The jury also found Tucker guilty of three counts of attempted murder for firing at others in the parking lot of the apartment complex.
Tucker could... (GunPolicy.org)
Paralysed Canadian Stray Bullet Victim Sues Six Men Accused of Shooting
29 October 2007
CKNW News (Vancouver)
PORT MOODY — Two years ago she was shot in the head with a stray bullet … Now a Port Moody woman is suing a group of men believed to be suspects in the case.
Laurie Tinga has been confined to a wheelchair after being shot in the head while watching TV.
No one has ever been charged in the case, but now she's suing six men: Anil Atwal, Parminder Gill, Hardeep Sull, Bobby Gill, Andrew Singh and Andrew Stewart.
In a statement of claim filed in BC Supreme Court, Tinga... (GunPolicy.org)
Young Pakistani Girl Killed by Stray Bullet in Area Known for Street Shootouts
26 October 2007
News (Karachi)
A young girl fell victim to a stray bullet on Thursday in the locality of Lyari, which is infested with armed clashes among notorious criminal gangs.
According to Kalakot Police till 10pm no heirs of the deceased 15-year-old Shumaila d/o Muhammad Saleem had turned up at the police station to register the case against the yet unidentified criminal elements that resorted aerial or indiscriminate firing in their area of residence.
The incident of a stray bullet(s)... (GunPolicy.org)
US Sisters, 12 & 19, Both Shot in the Head by Stray Bullets, 4 Months Apart
24 October 2007
WTMJ-TV News (Milwaukee)
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — When 19-year-old Victoria Jackson was killed by a stray bullet this weekend, she became the second person in her family caught in the crossfire in a matter of months.
In June, her 12-year-old half-sister Rahjeen Mitchell was shot in the head as she stood outside her home.
Victoria prayed and hoped as Rahjeen made a miraculous recovery.
Now, the family is mourning Victoria.
"Two sisters, shot, three months apart. It don't make no sense.... (GunPolicy.org)
Milwaukee Girl Killed by Stray Bullet: Her Little Sister Was Shot 4mths Ago
24 October 2007
WISN-TV News (Wisconsin)
MILWAUKEE — For the second time in four months, a Milwaukee family takes the brunt of bullets flying with unintended consequences.
Victoria Jackson, 19, was shot and killed over the weekend as she drove away from a bar. Her sister, 12-year-old Rahjeen Mitchell, was shot while jumping rope outside her house at 28th Street and Fairmount Avenue on June 13.
Police said Jackson was driving her mom's van home from a northside bar early Saturday morning when she crossed... (GunPolicy.org)
Massachusetts Governor 'Totally Frustrated' at Lack of Gun Control Progress
20 October 2007
Boston Herald
Gov. Deval Patrick is stepping up pressure on lawmakers to pass gun control legislation that has languished in committee for six months while gang violence in Boston and across the state has continued to escalate.
Patrick's proposal to put 250 more police on the streets was drastically reduced by lawmakers, who instead put the money in a community policing program that pays for a variety of different public safety initiatives.
"I'm totally frustrated," the governor... (GunPolicy.org)
Americans Notice a Wave of Children, Babies Killed, Injured by Stray Bullets
18 October 2007
Age (Melbourne)
A week after 16-year-old Tavin Alves was killed by a stray bullet as he stood at the front window of his home, its front stoop is a makeshift memorial, locals are donating to pay for his funeral and the city fears for its children.
"He was not a street kid. He was a good, quiet kid," Tavin's grandmother, Navet Valentine, said yesterday.
At 90 kilograms and about 180 centimetres, he was big for a boy in year 9 at school, but so easygoing, recalled his sister Mekela... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet from 'AK-47' Pierces Toddler's Playpen in New Jersey Home
17 October 2007
WPVI-TV News (Philadelphia)
CAMDEN, New Jersey — A stray bullet fired from an AK-47 early Wednesday morning, landed in a toddler's playpen in a Camden, New Jersey, apartment.
Fortunately, the toddler was in her parents' bed at the time. The shooting left a bullet hole in the two year-old's room, and a bullet in the playpen.
Jasmaina Watkins, the girl's mother, told Action News that it was a "good thing she wasn't in there, or any one of us in there. We would have been … It's crazy."
"That... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 6 Year Old Girl as She Sleeps in Tucson, Arizona Home
16 October 2007
KVOA-TV News (Tucson)
A Tucson girl is dead, shot in the head as she slept early Tuesday morning.
The Pima County Sheriff's Office says a bullet entered the girl's south side home near West Dakota St. and San Joaquin Ave. around 5:00 a.m.
The girl's mother, 27 year old Lizelda Monares, woke up when she heard gunfire. Monares and her boyfriend, 21 year old Johnathan Rodriguez, came to the living room where the girl was sleeping on a couch near the front door.
Six year old Analissa... (GunPolicy.org)
Brooklyn Man Arrested in Gun Death of 16yr-old Boy Killed by Stray Bullet
14 October 2007
NY1 News (New York)
Police have arrested a Brooklyn man in connection with the death of a teenager who was shot in the face by a stray bullet last week.
Sean Gordon, 29, was arrested Saturday night and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Tavin Alves.
Alves was shot in the face Tuesday as he was resting by a window in his Bushwick home. He died the next day.
Gordon's uncle says Gordon is sorry for the family's loss.
"It was a very tragic accident," Ondre... (GunPolicy.org)
Death of 16yr-old Brooklyn Boy Hit by Stray Bullet While Looking Out Window
12 October 2007
Daily News (New York)
A 16-year-old Brooklyn boy hit by a stray bullet as he looked out his apartment window has died, police said today.
Tavin Alves Clarke, a ninth-grader at Franklin K. Lane High School, was taken off life support earlier this week, police said.
Investigators believe the teen heard gunfire outside his family's home on Cooper St. in Bushwick around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and poked his head out of a window to see what was going on. He was struck in the face by a stray bullet,... (GunPolicy.org)
NY Teen Heard Street Fight, Looked Out Window, Caught Stray Bullet in Face
11 October 2007
NY1 News (New York)
A Brooklyn teen remains in critical condition this morning after being shot in the face by a stray bullet, as police continue the search for the person who pulled the trigger.
Police say Tavin Alves was hit by a bullet while leaning out a second floor window at his home on Cooper Street in Bushwick early yesterday.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says there was a dispute on the street below, and that Alves may have leaned out his window when he heard gunfire.
Alves... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya,Africa,United Nations,United Kingdom
Baby's Gun Death Sparks Family's Campaign to Curb Global Gun Violence
11 October 2007
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
Four years ago, on a warm summer evening in July 2003, a young Turkish woman was relaxing in a café in the fishing resort of Foca in south-west Turkey, her young son asleep in his pram beside her.
Ozlem Grimason had been enjoying a family holiday in her native country with her Scottish husband, David, and their two-year-old son, Alistair. David had just gone back to the couple's home in East Kilbride — a couple of days early, owing to work commitments — and Ozlem... (GunPolicy.org)
Looked Out Window, Caught a Stray Bullet: 16yr-old Brooklyn Boy Critical
10 October 2007
Daily News (New York)
A Brooklyn teen whose family was about to move from its bullet-riddled block was shot in the head at his home Tuesday, the victim of a stray round, police and witnesses said.
Tavin Clarke, 16, looked out the window after hearing gunfire outside his apartment on Cooper St. in Bushwick about 2:30 a.m. and was hit in the face with the errant shot, police sources and relatives said.
He wasn't found by his family for 2½ hours.
"When you get up to see your son laying... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas .22 Target Shooter Killed 7yr-old Boy on Trampoline 200 Yards Away
5 October 2007
Houston Chronicle (Texas) / AP
SAN MARCOS, Texas — A neighbor of a 7-year-old boy killed by a stray bullet has been indicted on a charge of manslaughter.
Daniel Galicia died at an Austin hospital in April after he was hit in the neck while jumping on a trampoline with other youngsters. The boy was a first-grader who lived in Kyle.
Jose Barrera Espitia, 38, a neighbor, was arrested that day and charged. He told county officials he had been shooting at a target with a .22-caliber rifle and did not... (GunPolicy.org)
Nursing Home Worker Killed by Stray Bullet in London Gang Shooting
4 October 2007
Independent (UK)
A care assistant found dying from gunshot wounds was on her way home from work when she got caught in crossfire between two gunmen, detectives revealed yesterday.
Magda Pniewska, 26, was hit in the head by a stray bullet after she walked from the Manley Court Nursing Centre across the road to the flat she shared with her boyfriend in an area of south London notorious for its drug dealers and gang crime.
Armed police found the Polish migrant lying in a stairwell after... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Passerby Killed in Crossfire of South London Gun Battle
3 October 2007
Guardian (UK)
A young care worker has been killed after apparently being caught in the crossfire of a gun battle between two gangs.
Magda Pniewska, 26, is believed to have been hit by a stray bullet after gangs opened fire in a residential street in south London.
Police are investigating whether the shoot-out was linked to a dispute between drug dealers in the New Cross area.
Police found the victim, who was wounded in the head, lying outside flats at Stunell House at about... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Man Fiddles With Gun, Kills Passing Truck Driver, No Charges Laid
18 September 2007
Arizona Republic
A man who police said was manipulating his rifle in his home Monday accidentally fired the gun, killing a nearby motorist with the stray bullet.
Cecil Pugh, 59, was killed around 12:10 p.m. after being struck by the bullet, which had gone through the gun owner's home and hit the windshield of a tow truck he was driving eastbound on Robin Lane near 29th Avenue in Phoenix, police said.
The gun owner, Frank Skinner, 51, was handling the rifle in his mobile home in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Newborn Baby Killed by Stray Bullet in MacArthur Park, Los Angeles Gunfight
17 September 2007
Los Angeles Times
A 23-day-old baby in a stroller was killed when his mother walked unsuspectingly into gunfire in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles.
The infant was hit by a stray bullet about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, when three Latino men fired at an outdoor vendor near the corner of 6th and Burlington streets, police said.
The vendor, who police did not identify, was hit in the chest by a bullet. He was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
The infant, Luis... (GunPolicy.org)
20 Bullets Hit Philadelphia Bus, 2 Shot as Stray Bullets Fly in City 'War Zone'
14 September 2007
Philadelphia Inquirer
SEPTA bus driver Malcolm McLaughlin was minding his business in Olney early yesterday when gunfire broke out and a bullet struck him in the back.
"It's getting out of control," said McLaughlin, 44, recovering yesterday at his home in Northeast Philadelphia. "Now, I got hit. Who's next?"
McLaughlin, whom police hailed as a hero for driving his bus away from the shooting while wounded, was not the only bystander to take a bullet during yet another violent night in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Cleveland Mayor Proposes Blanket Ban on Gun Possession Under Age 21
10 September 2007
Associated Press
CLEVELAND — Cleveland's mayor called on the state Monday to create a law that would prohibit anyone younger than 21 from possessing a firearm.
Mayor Frank Jackson's proposal followed the shooting death last week of a 12-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet. He noted that police statistics from 2004 to 2006 show 70 percent of those arrested for crimes involving firearms were younger than 28.
"We can't wait. People are dying, and we have to do something,"... (GunPolicy.org)
No Gun Licence for Careless or Foolish People, Say Jamaican Police
12 August 2007
Jamaica Observer
National Security Minister Dr Peter Phillips yesterday pledged to use a new firearms agency being set up by government to ensure that only responsible individuals are granted licensed firearms in the future.
The minister was speaking at the funeral service for 22-year-old Charraine Brown, who was killed by a stray bullet along Chisholm Avenue last month, after an enraged motorist allegedly tried to shoot at a man of unsound mind.
Yesterday, Phillips told those who had... (GunPolicy.org)
Oklahoma Family Says Goodbye to 5yr-old Boy Killed by Stray Police Bullet
9 August 2007
Oklahoman
NOBLE, Oklahoma — There was a list of about 30 things Austin Haley wanted to do this summer.
They were simple things, like going fishing with his grandfather, taking his baby brother, Dalton, to a family fun center, shopping with his cousins and spending time with his best friends, said Renee Haley, Austin's mother.
"His list was so simple and loving toward the people he cherished," she said.
Austin, 5, was shot and killed by a stray bullet Friday when Noble... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Man Critically Injured by Stray Bullet at Bronx Park Family Picnic
6 August 2007
New York Post
NEW YORK — A man picnicking with his family in a Bronx park last night was fighting for his life after he was hit by a stray bullet.
The 34-year-old man, whose name was withheld, was attending a party in Pelham Bay Park when two men began fighting nearby at about 9 p.m., a witness said.
One of them squeezed off several shots, which missed his intended target. But one bullet struck the picnicker in the chest. He was in critical condition at Jacobi Hospital.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullet Kills 4yr-old Alabama Boy: Man Charged with Drive-by Murder
6 August 2007
Montgomery Advertiser (Alabama) / AP
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — A man was arrested early Monday and charged with capital murder in the shooting death of boy who apparently was hit by a stray bullet when gunfire erupted in a residential area, police said.
The boy, who was just days short of his 4th birthday, was shot in the back while outside about 7:40 p.m. Sunday in a neighborhood off the Troy Highway. The boy's parents, Maria Glover and Ronnie Jackson, told The Montgomery Advertiser that the boy's name was... (GunPolicy.org)
Oklahoma Cop Shoots Snake in Rafters, Kills 5yr-old Boy Fishing Out Back
4 August 2007
Norman Transcript (Oklahoma)
A 5-year-old boy died Friday evening after he was apparently hit with a stray bullet from a Noble police officer who was attempting to shoot at a snake, said Noble City Manager Bob Wade.
"I think we need to have a full investigation and gather all the facts," Wade said. "It makes you wonder why an officer would shoot into the air like that."
Noble police were responding to a call of a live snake that was stuck in the rafters of a house about 6:30 p.m. Friday in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Toronto U Gun Club Shuts Amid 'Sinister Use' Fears, Shooters Slam Politics
30 July 2007
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
Concerns about the "sinister uses" of guns in society have prompted University of Toronto officials to rid the campus of its 88-year-old sport shooting range, despite its continued popularity and spotless safety record.
"In today's world, even the perception of tolerance of guns and gun violence is seen as a negative," said Catherine Riggall, the university's vice-president of business affairs, who approved the decision recently. "This is the last university in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Nine Year-old Atlanta Girl Killed by Stray Bullet, Sitting at Bedroom Computer
27 July 2007
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia)
Atlanta police are questioning a man Friday in the shooting death of a 9-year-old girl who was hit by a stray bullet while sitting at a computer in her bedroom room.
U.S. Marshals Service spokesman James Ergas said federal agents and Atlanta police were executing a warrant for the arrest of Jason Ardis, 27, wanted on an aggravated battery charge in New Orleans, when they noticed a car parked at the house; the car fit the description of the one seen driving away seconds... (GunPolicy.org)
Neighbour's Random Bullet Wounds Missouri Teen at Backyard Campout
21 July 2007
WDAF-TV News (Kansas City)
KANSAS CITY, Missouri — Police said they hope to file charges this weekend for a shooting that injured a 13-year-old girl in her backyard.
The girl was camping out behind her family's home when a stray bullet hit her in the leg.
"I heard the first two shots, and I looked out the window and I didn't see nobody," Bea Clodfelter, neighbor, said.
Then Clodfelter said she heard three more shots from across the way. After those shots, chaos erupted in the Kansas City... (GunPolicy.org)
Californian Couple Fight Over Handgun, 5yr-old in Next Room Shot in Head
18 July 2007
KGET-TV News (California)
BAKERSFIELD, California — A 5-year-old boy was hospitalized Wednesday after he was hit by a stray bullet during an argument between a man and his girlfriend.
Sheriff's deputies said Buddy Sutton, 50, told them he and his girlfriend, 47-year-old Evelyn Davis, got into an argument inside his home on Baker Street.
Sutton said Davis grabbed a gun and as the two struggled over it, a shot was fired.
Eric Rector, 5, was shot in the top of his head. He was taken to... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Rain Down on Rio de Janeiro: 87 Innocents Hit in 3 Months
20 June 2007
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The toll from stray bullets that rain down on Rio from the city's steep hillside slums as police and drug gangs battle with automatic weapons has grown sharply, with one innocent bystander killed or wounded every day.
Businesses and schools in the line of fire have been shuttered. Thousands of children are staying home. Even air travel is affected — domestic jet routes were diverted from Rio's downtown airport when shooting flared up in a... (GunPolicy.org)