Firearm Accidents Articles

8-year-old Boy Dies after Accidentally Shooting Self with Gun Club Uzi

8-year-old Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Connecticut died Sunday after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing a fully automatic Uzi machine gun at a gun fair.

Firearm Accidents

Accidental firearm discharges injure and hill thousands of people in the United States each year. Consult an attorney if you or a loved one was harmed by an accidental gunshot wound.

Court OKs Wrongful Death Suit over Teen Shooting

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the grandmother of a teenager who was fatally shot in the head as part of an alleged suicide pact can proceed.

Police Use Tasers to Control Teen Crowd at High School Talent Show

Police in Pembroke Pines, Florida, used tasers on two teens after a fight involving up to 20 students broke out at a High School talent show.

Teen Charged in Shooting Death of 17-Year-Old Friend

A Minneapolis teen has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 17-year-old friend, who died of a gunshot would to the head.

5-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shoots Self with Stolen Handgun

A 5-year-old Allentown, Pennsylvania, boy accidentally shot himself in the shoulder with a stolen handgun he found in his father’s bedroom. The boy’s father was arrested for numerous charges, including receiving stolen property.

$8 Million Awarded to California Man in Fatal Paintball Accident

In 2004, Mark and Colette Contois treated their son to an afternoon at a paintball park for his 10th birthday where Mrs. Contois was killed after a 14-year-old player accidentally detached a valve on his paintball gun, turning the weapon's CO2 cylinder into a gas-charged rocket that struck Mrs. Contois in the back of the head.

Taser Wrongful Death Suit Filed in Federal Court

A federal court will hear the wrongful death allegations brought by the mother of a man who died after Lafayette, Colorado, police subdued him with a Taser device.

Son's TASER Death Prompts Parents' $2 Million Lawsuit

The parents of an Arizona teen who died 11 hours after being subdued by police with a TASER device have begun legal proceedings against the city of Gilbert, seeking $2 million in damages.

Workers Alleging Injuries from TASER Jolt File Lawsuit

Two Texas mental health workers are suing the city of Fort Worth and TASER International, claiming they suffered injuries when a police officer used a TASER device to subdue a patient.

Family Maintains Officer’s Death Was an Accident

The family of a St. Louis Park Police Officer has filed a lawsuit challenging a medical examiner’s report that declared the officer’s death a suicide.

Taser Incident Prompts Texans' Lineman to Threaten Lawsuit

The Houston Texans' Fred Weary is threatening to sue the city if it does not satisfy requests made by the lineman in response to a November arrest resulting in a Taser shooting.

Teen Arrested for Role in Friend’s Death

An unnamed 16-year-old boy was arrested by Oakland police Monday for suspicion of murder in connection with the death of his 14-year-old friend.

Taser Incident Raises Questions about Police Sensitivity to Disabled

A Seattle police officer’s use of a Taser on a deaf man has been defended by police officials but criticized by friends and guardians of the victim.

NYPD officer's son, 10, dies after accidental shooting

A New York City police officer and his wife agreed to remove their 10-year-old son from a life-support machine 42 hours after he accidentally shot himself with his father's gun.

Father files wrongful death suit over son's shooting

The father of an Arizona State University football player who was shot to death last year by another ASU football player has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Multiple Defendants Named in Taser Death Lawsuit

The mother of a man who died after receiving nine Taser shocks has filed a lawsuit against the county, city, and 12 individual police officers.

Wrongful Death Suit Filed Against City Police

The family of a man who died after being accidentally shot by a Metro police officer has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city.

Shooting Victim's Family Sues City

The family of a man who was killed during a confrontation with police in Washington, D.C. has filed a $50 million civil lawsuit against the city.

Family of Man Shot By Cops Receives Nearly $1 Million

The family of a man who was fatally shot by a sheriff's deputy reached a settlement today in their excessive force lawsuit against the officer and the police department.

Police, Taser Face $60 Million Wrongful Death Suit

The family of a man who died after being repeatedly shocked with a Taser stun gun is suing the gun manufacturer and the police department for his death.

Taser Faces Another Product Liability Suit

The company that makes tasers is being sued for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages after a county deputy suffered a severe injury during a certification training exercise required by the manufacturer.

Family of man killed by police officer file lawsuit

The family of a man shot and killed by a West Valley City police officer has filed suit, claiming the officer was under the influence of steroids and police fabricated evidence to justify the shooting.

Inmate's family drops Taser suit

INDIANAPOLIS -- The family of a man killed after being shocked with a stun gun has dropped its lawsuit against Taser International.

Congress votes to shield gun industry

WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, congress passed a bill protecting the firearms industry from lawsuits by victims of crime. President Bush said he plans to sign it.

Parents sue in gun accident death of their daughter

VISALIA, Calif. -- The family of a 7-year-old girl who died of an accidental gunshot from a playmate have filed suit against the sheriff's deputy who owned the gun and the county.

Taser lawsuit not filed soon enough

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- According to Taser International, an Arizona court Thursday dismissed a lawsuit against the company on the grounds that it was filed too late.

Man drowns after being stunned by police Taser

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Police jolted a mentally disturbed man after he scuffled with officers taking him into custody. The man then leapt into a lake and drowned, police said.

Deputy's widow sues pawn shop who sold gun to husband's killer

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The widow of a Wake County sheriff's deputy killed last year on Monday filed a suit against the pawn shop that allegedly sold the weapon used in the crime.

Cause of death announced in Nashville Taser death case

NASHVILLE -- Officials announced Friday that the investigation into the Sept. 24 death of Patrick Lee has concluded.

Investigation into Taser death begins

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Investigations by the State Attorney's Office and the Fort Myers Police Department into the death of a man stunned by a police Taser.

Wrongful death suit filed in pellet gun accident

The family of a man shot to death by a Utica police officer is filing a wrongful death suit.

Multi-million dollar suit filed against Taser and Las Vegas Metro Police

LAS VEGAS -- A $20 million wrongful death suit has been filed against Taser International and Metro Police in U.S. Federal Court.

Family of Tasered inmate files lawsuit

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The family of an Escambia County jail inmate has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff's office, saying that guards maliciously used a Taser gun against the man and contributed to his death.

UCF alumna suing over Taser incident

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A former student at the University of Central Florida has filed a lawsuit against two Orlando police officers and the city for excessive force and civil rights violations in an incident in which she was Tasered two years ago.

Court refuses to block suit against gun maker

WASHINGTON -- On Monday the Supreme Court refused to block a lawsuit against allegedly negligent firearms manufacturers in gun violence in Washington D.C.

Nashville police restrict Taser use to police supervisors

NASHVILLE -- Following a Taser-related death, Metro Nashville has taken the devices off of the front lines and restricted their use to supervisors.

Mother sues over Taser death

SAN FRANCISCO -- The mother of a man who died after being Tasered by Vallejo police has filed a $30 million lawsuit against the city of Vallejo.

Civil suit likely despite fed's refusal to prosecute

GWINNETT COUNTY, Georg. -- The family of a Gwinnett inmate plan to file a civil lawsuit, despite federal authorities refusal to press criminal charges in his Taser-related death, attorneys said Wednesday.

Taser says Nashville offers were warned before man's death

Taser International said it sent a warning that might have prevented the death of a Nashville man who died last week after being Tasered by officers several times during a scuffle.

LAPD sued by family of baby killed in shootout

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The family of a toddler shot by police during a shootout with the child's father has filed suit against the city and the police department, according to their attorney.

Man dies after Taser stun in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A Sacramento area man died after being shocked by sheriff's deputies -- the fourth Taser-related death in the area since June.

Taser caused inmate's death, according to autopsy

Lancaster, SC -- The July death of a 29-year-old Lancaster County Detention Center inmate has been attributed to a shock from a Taser stun gun.

Driver killed own gun during traffic accident

PRINEVILLE, Oreg. -- A driver was killed during a minor traffic accident when his loaded rifle fell from a gun rack and discharged.

Atlanta family files suit in Taser death

ATLANTA -- The family of a man who died after repeated Taser shocks at the Gwinnett jail has filed a federal lawsuit against members of the sheriff's department.

Investigation begins into inmate's Taser death

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A Santa Cruz man died Sunday after being tasered by deputies in the Santa Cruz County Jail Saturday night.

Family sues gun maker over pepper-spray pellet death

BOSTON, Mass. -- The family of a college student killed outside Fenway Park when a police officer fired a pepper-spray pellet into her eye sued the gun maker for $10 million.

Parents offer to drop wrongful death suit -- school district refuses

EL CAJON, Calif. -- The school district has refused an offer by the parents of two students killed in the Santana High School shooting in 2001 to drop their lawsuit if it agrees to hold a conference on school violence.

Man sues over Taser gun stun

GRESHAM, Ore. -- A man who was stunned with a Taser by police is suing the gun's manufacturer, the city and police department for $75,000.

Worker shot by Broward Sheriff sues for $15 million

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. -- A Mexican worker who was shot in the head by a deputy in November 2004 has filed a $15 million federal lawsuit.

Doctors point directly to Taser in death of teen

A 14 year old shocked by a Chicago Police stun gun has become the first Taser-linked cardiac arrest to be documented in a medical journal.

Man dies in police custody after being Tasered

DARBY BOROUGH, Penn. -- The cause of death of a man who died in police custody Sunday is being investigated.

Cause of death still undetermined in Taser death

CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio -- A deputy's use of a Taser stun gun in the death of a 40-year-old Laurelville man Friday is currently under investigation.

SCLC to march against Taser gun use

LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia -- The Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Friday said it would lead a march to protests law enforcement's use of Taser stun guns.

Autopsy scheduled in Taser death

STUART, Flor. -- An autopsy today could determine whether a Port Salerno man's death this weekend is linked to the use of a Taser stun gun.

More delays in Monterey Taser case

MONTEREY, Calif. -- The latest findings concerning the cause of death of a 40-year-old Salinas man who was tasered by police earlier this year have been delayed another week, officials said.

Police officers in five states sue Taser over training injuries

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Police officers have filed lawsuits against Arizona-based stun gun manufacturer Taser International Inc., claiming they suffered injuries after being shocked during training exercises.

Coroner rules Waco Taser death a suicide

WACO, Tex -- The death of a disabled Vietnam veteran shot multiple times with a Taser by Waco police has been ruled a homicide, according to Waco Police officials.

Wrongful death suit claims Taser misrepresented safety of stun gun

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A suit against Taser filed in Maricopa County Tuesday claims the company misrepresented the safety of its product.

City investigates Taser-related death

GLENDALE, Calif. -- City officials have launched a probe into the city's first Taser-related death.

Calls for Taser control in wake of recent deaths

The Taser-related deaths of three California men this past week alone has prompted calls for restrictions on the device.

Man in critical condition after Taser shock

FREMONT, Calif. -- An East Bay man was in critical condition Tuesday after Fremont police shot him with a Taser stun gun while he attempted to evade officers.

Officials ask for second, third opinion in Taser death case

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. -- Monterey County officials have now asked for a third opinion on the cause of death in the death of Robert Heston after the initial autopsy implicated Taser stun guns.

Man dies after San Jose police use Taser, batons

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Five San Jose police officers face administrative leave after the death of a 30-year-old man who was stunned with a Taser, sprayed with pepper spray and hit with a baton early Monday.

Unanswered questions remain in Taser death

SANTA ROSA, Calif -- The death of a man who was zapped six times with a Taser stun gun by police leaves unanswered questions about both the safety of the devices and the actions of police in the case.

Indiana police department dumping Tasers amid safety concerns

MERILLVILLE, Ind. -- Amid mounting criticism and a class action lawsuit, Merillville, Indiana's Police Department has decided to dump its Taser stun guns.

Senate republicans move to force vote on gun lawsuit bill

Senate Republicans Wednesday moved to force a vote on a bill that would ban lawsuits against gun manufacturers when their products are used in crimes.

Drug suspect dies from police Taser

NEW YORK -- A violent drug suspect died after being shot once with a police Taser yesterday inside a Queens station house.

Mother files wrongful death suit after son's Taser death

A woman filed a wrongful death suit against the Springfield Township Police Department, an officer, and Taser following the death of her 18-year-old son who died after police shocked him with the device.

Senate bans lawsuits against gun manufacturers

WASHINGTON -- The senate passed a bill that protects gunmakers, dealers, and importers from lawsuits brought by victims of gun crimes

Unanswered questions remain in Taser death

SANTA ROSA, Calif -- The death of a man who was zapped six times with a Taser stun gun by police leaves unanswered questions about both the safety of the devices and the actions of police in the case.

Police Suspect Teen Shooting Death Was Accidental

Police say their initial investigation of the shooting death of a boy by a friend seems to indicate the incident was an accident.

Wrongful Death Suit against Taser Dismissed

A federal court in California dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit against Taser International Inc. over its stun guns, the company said.

Accidental Death Prompts Police to Push for Safer Gun Storage

A Rankin Inlet man was charged in connection with the accidental death of a seven-year-old boy last month.

Freight Trains Collide, Killing Four

Four crewmen were killed yesterday when two Canadian National Railroad freight trains collided in Yazoo County northeast of Bentonia.