Unintentional firearm injuries have become the most common type of gun injury requiring hospitalization in the United States since 2019. A recent incident in Nashville, Tennessee, adds to this concerning trend. Jerald Kirkwood, accompanied by his playful one-year-old pit bull Oreo, experienced a startling accident when the dog inadvertently discharged a firearm. The mishap occurred as Kirkwood lay in bed with a woman and his dog, Oreo, who accidentally got his paw stuck in the trigger guard of a gun, causing it to fire.
The bullet grazed Kirkwood's left thigh, resulting in a non-critical injury. Kirkwood was promptly brought to a hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the woman accompanying Kirkwood left the home with the firearm. She described Oreo as a playful dog who likes to jump around and emphasized they would ensure the safeties of any guns in their home are engaged moving forward.
"Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock."
- The woman (unnamed)
This unfortunate event draws parallels to a similar case involving Matt Branch, a former Louisiana State University football player. In 2019, Branch's black labrador retriever stepped on a hunting shotgun, resulting in a bullet grazing Branch's left thigh. Despite losing his leg, Branch expressed gratitude for surviving the incident rather than harboring anger.
A combination of these incidents is being cited as examples of accidental shootings in the US. The police classified Kirkwood's shooting as an accidental injury and announced no action would be taken against Oreo or his owner. This incident serves as a reminder of other similar cases, such as Richard Remme from Fort Dodge, Iowa, who was shot in the leg with a gun tucked into his waistband while roughhousing with his pit bull-labrador mix, Balew.
In 2018, a study estimated that civilian-owned guns in the US outnumber people, with the population exceeding 340 million. This statistic highlights the potential for unintended firearm discharges to occur across the nation. The prevalence of such accidents underscores the importance of strict firearm safety measures in households.