GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – After initially reporting a drive-by shooting, the Gainesville Police Department officers say two teenagers were wounded in an accidental shooting.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Two 19-year-olds are hospitalized with gunshot wounds following what Gainesville police say was an accidental shooting Tuesday evening on Northeast 8th Avenue.
Officers responded to reports of shots fired around 6:30 p.m. The teens initially told officers the shooting was a drive-by. Investigators later determined the two were handling a gun when it discharged. The bullet struck one of the teens; the other was grazed.
Police said one of the teens accidentally discharged the gun, wounding both. Officers are still working to determine exactly where the shooting occurred. They confirmed the shots were not fired at the Clarence R. Kelly Community Center and Park.
Possible charges in the case are still undetermined, according to Gainesville police.
Bill Quirk, range master and lead firearms instructor at Shoot GTR, said proper training is critical to preventing incidents like this one.
“We don’t know everything and the way we’re going to figure this out is to go to someone credible, someone reputable, and find out what you don’t know,” Quirk said.
Quirk said handling a firearm is similar to driving a car — proper training is required before use. He also said many incidents commonly called accidental shootings are what firearms instructors classify as negligent discharges.
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Source: wcjb
