(6/1) Gunskilltoo Thanksgiving; 7 new shooting accidents, 4 are wounded teens.

Latest: 
16 year old arrested after accidentally shooting woman found at Waffle House on College Drive

Update, 8:50 a.m. Wednesday

Baton Rouge, La.  (11-24-15)  A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with negligent injuring and juvenile in possession of a firearm.

Baton Rouge police said the shooting actually occurred in the 5000 block of Florida Street as the boy, who was sitting in the rear seat of the car, accidentally fired the handgun while holding it.

The victim's condition has improved from critical to stable.

Original story

A 19-year-old woman who was shot and critically wounded was found Tuesday night by Baton Rouge police at Waffle House on College Drive.

Cpl. Don Coppola, a Baton Rouge police spokesman, said officers learned about the shooting from a caller around 5:30 p.m., and when they arrived at the restaurant, they found the wounded woman outside.   Investigators do not believe the shooting took place at the restaurant, Coppola said.  “It is believed the shooting occurred in a vehicle,” Coppola said, possibly at another location.

Coppola said the woman’s injuries appeared to be life-threatening, and she was taken to a hospital. As of late Tuesday evening, the victim was in stable condition, he said.

Detectives focused their investigation on a blue Toyota Camry parked in the middle of the restaurant’s parking lot. On the ground next to the opened door at the front passenger seat was a small pile of clothes.   Investigators later recovered a revolver from behind a dumpster near the restaurant.

A young man at the scene spoke briefly with police. Also, a boy and an infant were both held in separate police vehicles while detectives investigated the scene.

Michael Brigalia, who was eating at Waffle House on Tuesday afternoon, said he saw the blue car race into the parking lot and come to a screeching halt next to the restaurant.

Though the Bankers Avenue side of the parking lot was roped off, patrons continued to visit the restaurant.

The investigation is ongoing, Coppola said Tuesday evening.

http://theadvocate.com/news/14091137-175/latest-16-year-old-arrested




Investigators have little evidence in overnight shooting


OCALA, Fla. (11-25-15) -- An overnight shooting at the Green Gables apartment complex has investigators searching for evidence.

According to Ocala Police, officers responded to a gun shot at the complex before 2am Wednesday in the 2600 block of Sw 10th Street.

They found a man lying in front of his apartment with a gun shot to the back of his head.

"It's out of the ordinary," one resident said, "we don't usually have shooting in a nice neighborhood like this."

The apartment was feet away from where the neighborhood children play.

"I could of been outside...I normally stay out late."

The victim was trauma alerted to a hospital, the bullet did not penetrate his skull.

Investigators say they found no evidence at the scene: no witnesses or shell casings.

A scary incident that one resident says will make her think twice when leaving her home.

"I'm going to be a whole lot more observant when walking around..."

Police are asking for the public's help. Call Marion County Crime Stoppers at 352-368-STOP (7867).

http://www.wcjb.com/local-news/2015/11/investigators-have-little-evidence-overnight-shooting





LaFayette man charged with killing wife tried to clean up scene, sheriff says

Josh O'Bryant, reporter
LaFayette Ga. (11-25-15) - A LaFayette man who says he accidentally shot and killed his wife tried to clean up the scene before revealing the deed to a neighbor at least a day later, Walker County sheriff Steve Wilson said.
Steven Marcus Denson, 41, of 1967 Kemp Road, was taken into custody Sunday afternoon, Nov. 22, after 3 p.m. He was charged with homicide for the death of his 38-year-old wife, Christina Michelle Denson.
But police say he had fatally shot his wife more than a day earlier.
According to preliminary reports, Denson moved his wife’s body from the living room to the bed. But, Wilson said, evidence shows he shot her in the bedroom and didn’t move the body.
The couple were arguing before the shooting. But there’s no evidence, at this time, that a physical altercation occurred — and not enough will be known until after the autopsy is complete, Wilson said.
“He obviously had a day or two days to clean up,” Wilson said. “So as far as there being signs of a struggle or anything in the room, there was not any.”

Denson confided to neighbor

Wilson said Denson, after the shooting and attempting to clean up the scene, went to a neighbor’s house on Sunday, Nov. 22, and invited him over to see if he wanted to buy his vehicle and if he could repair his chainsaw.
At Denson’s house in the living room, Denson revealed to the neighbor he shot his wife and showed the man her body in the bedroom, Wilson said.
Wilson believes Denson confided to his friend because his conscience was bothering him and he needed to talk to someone about it.
The neighbor left and told another friend, who tipped off police.
Deputies went to the couple’s residence about noon. When they knocked on the door, no one was home. Detectives obtained a warrant about 3 p.m. to enter the house.
“His reasoning (for the shooting) was that it was accidental,” Wilson said. “That’s what his statement is, that it was an accidental shooting. But we don’t believe that evidence will support that. We believe otherwise and that it was not accidental.”
His wife appeared to have been shot once, in the jaw and neck area, with a .22-caliber handgun. Autopsy findings are pending.
Deputies caught up to Denson at his neighbor’s house and discovered he was under the influence of alcohol. They don’t know if he was intoxicated at the time of the shooting, Wilson said.
He was taken into custody, questioned and later charged with murder. He gave a statement to detectives “acknowledging responsibility” for his wife’s death, but claimed it was an accident.

Authorities don’t know what specifically led Denson to shoot his wife, the sheriff said.
In the past week she had asked for a leave of absence from her job at United Synthetics in LaFayette. Investigators don’t know why she asked for the leave, nor if it is connected to the shooting, Wilson said.
The couple had been together for a year, living in the residence during that time. Family members of the victim say the couple had been married for a year, Wilson said.
In 2005 Denson was convicted for manufacturing methamphetamine and in 2007 he was arrested for misdemeanor battery, Wilson said.
As a convicted felon, he was not allowed to legally possess a firearm, he said. Besides murder, Denson is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Wilson said deputies had never been called to the residence prior to the shooting. “We had never responded to any calls there previously, no,” Wilson said.
Josh O'Bryant is a reporter for the Walker County Messenger in LaFayette, Ga.

http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/catwalkchatt/news/lafayette-man-charged-with-killing-wife-tried-to-clean-up/article_7255eb42-9371-11e5-bc4d-6b406c841c4e.html





Teen Shot in Sequatchie County

Sequatchie County, Tenn.  (11-24-15) The Sequatchie County Sheriffs Office is investigating a weekend shooting that seriously injured a teen on Smith Mountain Saturday.
The 17-year-old was sitting in a Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in the woods near Blue Sewanee and Smith Mountain Road when he was shot in the back. The spot is said to be a popular hang-out spot for teens.
Sequatchie County Sheriff Ronnie Hitchcock says the teen is in intensive care at Erlanger.
Investigators are trying to find out where the bullet came from, but one possible answer is it could be a stray bullet that may be hunting-related or even an accidental shooting.
The shooting happened around noon in broad daylight. Now deputies want to know who pulled the trigger and why.
Sequatchie County Deputies have few leads.

http://www.960wbmc.com/news/news.php?page=2



Four people in home when man was shot in the head

LAUREL, Iowa — (11-25-15)  A 25-year-old Marshalltown man was flown to a Des Moines hospital early Wednesday after being shot in the head.    Authorities have not yet released the man's name or condition.

The shooting was reported about 3:30 a.m. at 203 Market Street in the town of Laurel.

The man was taken to Central Iowa Healthcare and then flown to a Des Moines hospital.

Authorities said three other adults were inside the home when they arrived and all cooperated with authorities in the investigation.

Authorities said the shooting was reported as accidental and the circumstances remain under investigation by the Marshall County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office said there is no reason to believe that the public is in danger.    Laurel is located about 11 miles south of Marshalltown.

http://www.kcci.com/news/four-people-in-home-when-man-was-shot-in-the-head/36653090




Police: Child recovering after shooting

MARION, Oh. - (11-25-15) Within 20 minutes of Amanda Swartz's call that a family member had been robbed and shot, officers took her into custody as the alleged shooter.

The Monday shooting is considered accidental, according to the Marion Police Department.

"We were able to determine that she was in possession of a firearm, was trying to clear the firearm or make it safe, he was standing next to her ... the gun fired (and) shot him," Lt. Chris Adkins said.

The victim, a 13-year-old boy, was wounded below the waist but is expected to fully recover and was alert at the scene, Adkins said.

Swartz, a convicted felon with an additional out-of-state warrant, was arrested on five charges: weapons under disability and being a fugitive from justice, both felonies, and misdemeanor charges of negligent assault, tampering with evidence and falsification.

Swartz is 29 and lives at 378 Nunin Court, according to police records, which state the incident was reported in that block. She initially told investigators that the victim was robbed in an alley on Windsor Street, behind her residence. Swartz said the victim was her nephew, but Adkins said he may be a cousin.

Court records show Swartz was charged in Marion Municipal Court with weapons under disability and being a fugitive from justice, but the case has not been transferred to the Common Pleas Court yet. A call to her attorney, Todd Workman, was not returned.

Marion County court records did not show prior felony cases locally, and past city court convictions were traffic- or animal-related.

Spenser Hickey, Reporter  shickey@marionstar.com

http://www.marionstar.com/story/news/local/2015/11/25/police-child-recovering-after-shooting/76382482/





Teen shot in foot while riding ATV in Colchester

COLCHESTER (11-25-15)   Police say a 14-year-old boy was shot in the foot while riding a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle in Colchester.

Wednesday afternoon’s incident was described as a “hunting-related shooting” in a wooded area off Middletown Road, the Bulletin of Norwich reported.

The newspaper said the unnamed teen’s injury was minor. He was taken to an emergency clinic in Marlborough for treatment.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was investigating the incident. No further details were provided, such as whether the shooting was accidental.

http://www.nhregister.com/general-news/20151125/teen-shot-in-foot-while-riding-atv-in-colchester




Birmingham police: 12-year-old accidentally shot on playground


Birmingham (11-25-15)  Birmingham police are investigating after a 12-year-old was shot while playing on a playground, ABC 33/40's Edward Burch reports.

According to police, the child was shot on the Hayes K-8 playground. Authorities are still searching for a possible suspect, who is believed to be a juvenile.

We are working to gather more details and will provide updates as more information is made available.

http://abc3340.com/news/local/birmingham-police-12-year-old-accidentally-shot-on-playground

(update)

PBA chief accidentally shot gun in TPD headquarters

Tallahassee Fl. - (11-25-15)  The president of the Big Bend police union accidentally fired his weapon while he was cleaning it inside Tallahassee Police Department headquarters.

No one was struck by the bullet, according to internal-affairs documents released Wednesday by TPD.

The report says that on Sept. 24, Lt. Steve Slade was cleaning his Glock .40-caliber backup handgun in his second-floor office and attempted to clear a round from the chamber to unload it when it went off.

The bullet went through the gun’s loaded magazine Slade was holding, bounced off his desk and through a fanny pack before heading through a wall.It crossed TPD Capt. Elizabeth Dillon’s office before becoming lodged in the wall.

The internal investigation found the cause of the accidental shooting was operator error. It also found Slade had not complied with general orders involving weapons. Slade was cleaning the gun after he'd returned from his bi-annual firearm qualifications.

“Failing to utilize a clearing barrel or other safe background and touching the trigger while unloading a handgun are not in compliance with TPD training,” the IA report says.

The investigation found Slade was in compliance with a general order involving firearms qualifications. The report also acknowledged there is no specific requirement in TPD policies that firearms be handled in a safe manner at all times.

Slade, president of the Big Bend chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, filed a lawsuit last week against TPD Chief Michael DeLeo, alleging he moved to discipline Slade without notifying him in detail of the reasons why or the proposed punishment, as required under state law.

The law-enforcement officers' bill of rights, included in statutes, says officers must be notified of the disciplinary action sought against them and the reasoning behind it before it's carried out. The provision applies to discipline involving suspension, loss of pay, demotion or dismissal. Officers must be offered a chance to refute the investigation’s findings.

DeLeo, through a spokesman, said he could not comment on the pending lawsuit.

A Nov. 5 memo from DeLeo to Slade notified the lieutenant that an internal investigation was complete and that he was found not in compliance with general orders involving weapons. He was found in compliance with a general order involving firearms qualifications.

The lawsuit says that because of the Nov. 5 notification, "one must conclude that his discipline consists of sanctions consisting of 'suspension with loss of pay, demotion or dismissal.' "

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.

http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2015/11/25/pba-chief-accidentally-shot-gun-tpd-headquarters/76364260/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=