The New Year Brings New Accidental Shootings

A few days after the tragic shooting of a mother in Wal-Mart by her two-year-old son in Idaho, we have two additional negligent shooting in California and Georgia. These cases present differences how such shooting cases are handled. In California, a man was arrested after his girlfriend was hit by a celebratory New Year’s shot while in Georgia a wife was hit by a round fired by a local police chief. [Update: Sheriff McCollum now says that he was moving the gun while in bed when it discharged twice].

Stephen Lucas, 24, was arrested after he fired a gun at midnight to celebrate the New Year and the round somehow hit his girlfriend. He now faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter, among other felony charges. She died 20 hours into 2015. They have a toddler together who is now without a mother or a father.

In Georgia, the Peachtree City Police Chief William McCollom called 911 to report that he had shot his wife. She is in critical condition.

The obvious difference between the two cases is that Lucas was engaged in a clearly illegal act when he negligently fired the weapon. He appears to be one of the many morons who fire weapons to celebrate despite the obvious risk to others. That makes this more than simple negligence for Lucas.

Source: CBS and Fox