Indiana Man Charged in Accidental Shooting Death of a Child

Jason L. Forshee

Local news reports

Felony charges have been filed against a local man in the accidental shooting that killed a Greensburg teen. 

Jason L. Forshee, 34, was arrested and charged Friday with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a Class A felony, and dangerous control of a child, a Class C felony. 

Craig A. Roberts, 13, was accidentally shot at his home on North Carver Street on the afternoon of March 11 when a sibling picked up an M4 assault rifle that authorities allege Forshee had left unattended. 

The sibling pointed the rifle at Craig in the living room of the home. The weapon discharged, and a bullet struck the teen in the chest. Craig died at Decatur County Memorial Hospital that evening. 

Court documents state that Forshee told police he was cleaning the weapon and had removed the magazine. He was unaware a bullet was in the chamber. 

Forshee told police he could not explain how the bullet was in the chamber. He was out of the room approximately 10 to 15 seconds, he said. 

A short time before the shooting, Forshee had shown the rifle to a plumber at the home. The 6-year-old asked to see the weapon, and Forshee handed him the gun, according to court documents. 

A child visiting the home shared by Amy Roberts, Jason Forshee, Craig and his two siblings March 11 told police that the 6-year-old had pointed the same rifle at her and another child through a laundry room window that day. 

Interviews with a child and Craig's mother indicated Forshee had previously let the 6-year-old hold the weapon. Allowing the child to hold the firearm and failing “to make reasonable efforts to prevent the use of that firearm” constitutes the charge of dangerous control of a child, authorities said. 

New Jersey Men Charged in Accidental Shooting Death of Their Friend

Nicholas Questel, Byron Sankar and Aaron McMorris appear in court last week to answer charges related to the accidental shooting death of Alex Bridge in New Milford on Aug. 3.

Local news reports

Three men were indicted Friday on charges stemming from an apparently accidental shooting that claimed the life of a young New Milford man last summer.

A Bergen County grand jury returned a 12-count indictment that leveled the most serious charge — aggravated manslaughter — against the alleged owner of the gun, Byron Sankar, 21, of East Orange.

The victim, Alex Bridge, 22, was shot once in the abdomen about 1 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2013, in the parking lot of the Milford Estates apartments. He was later pronounced dead at Holy Name Medical Center. Bridge had been drinking beer and perhaps smoking marijuana behind the complex with Sankar, his wife, who was not charged, and Aaron McMorris, 23, of Hackensack, authorities said.

As the group was talking, Sankar produced a 9mm handgun, which discharged when he allegedly handled it in a “reckless manner,” authorities said.

In addition to aggravated manslaughter, Sankar was charged with endangering an injured victim by fleeing the scene when he knew Bridge was unable to care for himself, unlawful possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, hindering prosecution by disposing of the gun, giving false information to a law enforcement officer and attempting to falsely implicate McMorris in the crime. He was also charged with unlawful possession of a handgun in East Orange in the months leading up to the fatal incident.

He remains in the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $450,000 bond.

McMorris, who has prior arrests for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor and marijuana possession and distribution, is free on $75,000 bond. He was charged in two counts of the indictment with hindering apprehension and falsely implicating another person. The third defendant, Nicholas Questel, 22, of Orange, a construction worker, who was not present during the shooting, was charged in the indictment with possession of the 9mm handgun without a permit between May and June of last year.

Authorities allege he illegally sold the gun to Sankar for $350 earlier that summer. He was also charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon stemming from a conviction on federal charges for importing narcotics.

Minnesota Man Injured Himself in Negligent Gun Incident - No Charges

Local news reports

A 33-year-old Brainerd man was treated at a hospital Thursday for injuries he suffered after he accidentally shot himself with his pistol.

At about 4:52 p.m. Thursday, Brainerd police officers responded to a report that an adult male had accidentally shot himself in the hand at the Tony Powers Designs Tattoo & Piercing business in the 200 block of South 10th Street in Brainerd.

Officers arrived and learned that 33-year-old William Anderson of Brainerd was suffering from a gunshot wound to his left hand. Anderson and witnesses reported they were talking about firearms and Anderson removed the gun from a holster he was wearing so he could show another person the gun. Anderson stated he thought he had rendered the gun safe. Anderson told authorities that he was having difficulties reinserting the magazine back in it and was trying to push the slide from the barrel end when the gun discharged into his left hand. The firearm involved was a .40 caliber Glock pistol. No one else was injured.

North Carolina Man Arrested Immediately for Accidental Shooting

Christopher Blake Fagan, 23, was charged after accidentally shooting James Bogus. Courtesy photo

Local news reports

James Matthew Bogus, 22, suffered a non-life-threatening injury in the incident, said Linda Rawley, Wilmington Police Department spokeswoman. Rawley said Bogus was "accidentally shot with a shotgun by his friend."

Christopher Blake Fagan, 23, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, resist/delay/obstruct public officers, discharging a firearm in the city limits, parole violation and possession of drug paraphernalia, Rawley said.

An officer was on patrol in the 1200 block of Chestnut Street when a man flagged him down at 10:53 p.m. saying someone had been shot in the head, Rawley said. When officers reached Bogus, he was conscious and alert with a towel on his head, she said.

N.C. Department of Correction records show that in addition to a misdemeanor drug charge, Fagan has felony convictions in 2012 for receiving a stolen vehicle and in 2013 for principal to breaking and entering and larceny after breaking and entering.

Well, this guy had almost everything going for him to ensure getting arrested after an accidental shooting.  No lengthy investigation necessary when you've got drugs around the house, a criminal record, and wild dred locks. Cops don't like that.

North Carolina Man Dead - He Was Target Shooting

Local news reports

A 23-year-old North Iredell man died Wednesday night after what is being investigated as an accidental shooting. Robert Nathan Tatum was transported from his home on Tatum Road in Olin on Wednesday night and died at a local hospital, said Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Darren Campbell. 

Campbell said Tatum was target shooting in an area behind his home Wednesday night. His wife, after not hearing from him for about an hour, went outside to check and found him unconscious and not breathing. She called authorities, and Iredell EMS and first responders came to the home. They reported that Tatum had a single gunshot wound to the chest. 

Campbell said an autopsy is being conducted Thursday afternoon, but it's possible that the shot that hit Tatum ricocheted off one of the steel targets. Campbell said he hopes the autopsy will shed light on what happened, but there are no signs of foul play and the gun Tatum was target shooting with was found near his body.

Gun-mounted Flashlights Spark Concerns in Wake of Accidental Denver Police Shootings

Denver Chief of Police Robert White (Craig F. Walker, Denver Post file photo)

The Denver Post

Denver's police chief said Thursday he has ordered extra training and a review of department policies after the second accidental shooting by an officer this month and the fifth in a little over a year.

Police are still investigating the latest shooting Sunday night, but at least two of the accidental shootings have been blamed on gun-mounted tactical flashlights. Such lights have also been cited in other accidental police shootings across the country, including one that killed a man in Texas.

Police Chief Robert White said he is reviewing the use of all such flashlights and will likely require officers who use them to undergo added training. He has already banned officers from using a specific design of such flashlights.

"It's gotten to the point where I'm concerned about it," White said Thursday. "We're mandating additional training."

The latest incident happened Sunday night near the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and West Alameda Avenue. An officer chasing several car-theft suspects unintentionally fired his gun before taking one adult and three juveniles into custody. No one was hit.

That incident came less than a week after another in which an officer's gun accidentally went off while he was chasing a man suspected of a probation violation. A bystander was wounded in that incident, though it remains unclear whether she was grazed by the bullet or debris from its impact.

The department had three accidental shootings last year.

White said he is thankful no one has been seriously injured in the shootings. But he said the incidents are particularly troubling because accidental shootings are "more often than not a sign of negligence on the part of the officer."

While the two shootings this year are still under investigation and the officers involved remain on duty, White said the three officers involved in last year's unintentional shootings were all disciplined. Punishments ranged from a four-day suspension to a written reprimand.

Chicago 14-Year-old Accidentally Shot by Another 14-Year-old - No Adult Charged

Chicago Tribune

Police say a 14-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the legs by a 14-year-old boy in Englewood  Wednesday night.

The bullet went through one of the girl's legs and lodged in her other leg, police said. She was taken to Comer Children's Hospital where her condition was stabilized.

The boy was charged as a juvenile with unlawful use of a weapon, police said.