This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42032637
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Man and wife accidentally shot during church gun safety talk | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man accidentally shot himself and his wife during a discussion on gun safety at a Tennessee church, police say. | A man accidentally shot himself and his wife during a discussion on gun safety at a Tennessee church, police say. |
| The 81-year-old took out his pistol to show another parishioner amid a talk about recent shootings at places of worship. | The 81-year-old took out his pistol to show another parishioner amid a talk about recent shootings at places of worship. |
| Forgetting the weapon was loaded, he fired a single round, striking himself in the hand and his 80-year-old wife, who was sitting in her wheelchair. | Forgetting the weapon was loaded, he fired a single round, striking himself in the hand and his 80-year-old wife, who was sitting in her wheelchair. |
| Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. | Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. |
| The incident happened on Thursday afternoon as a Bible-study group met for a pre-Thanksgiving lunch at the First United Methodist Church in the town of Tellico Plains. | The incident happened on Thursday afternoon as a Bible-study group met for a pre-Thanksgiving lunch at the First United Methodist Church in the town of Tellico Plains. |
| A parishioner who only wished to give her first name, Mistin, told the BBC that the congregants had been talking about a Texas church massacre earlier this month. | A parishioner who only wished to give her first name, Mistin, told the BBC that the congregants had been talking about a Texas church massacre earlier this month. |
| "The discussion of guns in churches came up," she said. "Should we have guns in churches, if people carry guns should they bring them to church?" | "The discussion of guns in churches came up," she said. "Should we have guns in churches, if people carry guns should they bring them to church?" |
| She said one of the parishioners mentioned that he carries his pistol with him everywhere. | She said one of the parishioners mentioned that he carries his pistol with him everywhere. |
| The man produced the handgun from his pocket, removed the magazine, and handed it to other churchgoers to inspect. | The man produced the handgun from his pocket, removed the magazine, and handed it to other churchgoers to inspect. |
| He then took his weapon back, restored the magazine, holstered the weapon and put it back in his pocket, Mistin said. | He then took his weapon back, restored the magazine, holstered the weapon and put it back in his pocket, Mistin said. |
| Another parishioner later asked to see the weapon. | Another parishioner later asked to see the weapon. |
| The man produced the gun and accidentally pulled the trigger. | The man produced the gun and accidentally pulled the trigger. |
| "They heard a big explosion," said Mistin. "Wasn't sure what it was, and Miss Nicole looked at Miss Catherine, and Miss Catherine looked at her and she said, 'I've been shot.'" | "They heard a big explosion," said Mistin. "Wasn't sure what it was, and Miss Nicole looked at Miss Catherine, and Miss Catherine looked at her and she said, 'I've been shot.'" |
| The bullet hit the gun-owner in the right hand before piercing his wife's abdomen and exiting through her right forearm, ricocheting off the wall and landing by her wheelchair, according to police. | The bullet hit the gun-owner in the right hand before piercing his wife's abdomen and exiting through her right forearm, ricocheting off the wall and landing by her wheelchair, according to police. |
| Mistin said the man may have lost his thumb. | Mistin said the man may have lost his thumb. |
| His wife is in surgery, but is expected to survive. | His wife is in surgery, but is expected to survive. |
| Tellico Plains Police Department Chief Russ Parks said no one else was injured and no charges will be filed. | Tellico Plains Police Department Chief Russ Parks said no one else was injured and no charges will be filed. |
| "This was an accident. It was not intentional," Chief Parks told ABC News. | "This was an accident. It was not intentional," Chief Parks told ABC News. |
| "It just slipped his mind that he recharged the weapon." | "It just slipped his mind that he recharged the weapon." |
| Mistin said the injured man is a lifelong gun-owner who practises every week. | Mistin said the injured man is a lifelong gun-owner who practises every week. |
| But she said he's been so traumatised by the incident that he plans to get rid of his weapons. | But she said he's been so traumatised by the incident that he plans to get rid of his weapons. |
| "They're just true servants of the Lord, they're such a delight," she said of the couple. | "They're just true servants of the Lord, they're such a delight," she said of the couple. |
| "We thank God. I don't know how God's using this but we put it in His hands." | "We thank God. I don't know how God's using this but we put it in His hands." |