Unforeseen Tragedy: Startling Incident at Nebraska Wedding Leaves Grandson Injured
A wedding ceremony in Nebraska took a tragic turn when a grandfather, acting as the officiant, accidentally shot his 12-year-old grandson Authorities have pressed charges against the grandfather for this devastating incident
A 62-year-old grandfather in Nebraska is facing charges after mistakenly shooting his 12-year-old grandson while officiating a wedding ceremony at Hillcrest Events in Denton. The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Saturday when the grandfather, Michael Gardner, tried to get the attention of the wedding guests by firing a Pietta Model 1860 Snub Nose revolver loaded with a blank into the air, according to Chief Deputy Ben Houchin of the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office.
During a press conference on Monday, Houchin revealed that Gardner had deliberately chosen to captivate everyone's attention and commence the wedding in a spectacular manner.
However, as Gardner attempted to cock back the hammer of the revolver, an unfortunate mishap occurred causing it to slip from his grip and accidentally discharge, resulting in his grandson sustaining an injury to his left shoulder.
The 45 COLT ammunition was originally a blank, but Gardener decided to fill the casing with black powder and secure it with glue," the chief deputy explained. "We believe that it was the glue that caused the injury to the child," he stated.
Despite the non-life-threatening nature of the injuries, the boy was initially brought to a local hospital and later transferred to Omaha for additional medical care, according to Houchin.
Gardner surrendered to authorities on Monday and was subsequently arrested on charges of child abuse and assault with a firearm. Houchin emphasized the severity of the injuries and the involvement of the firearm in determining the charges.
CNN was unable to ascertain if Houchin has legal counsel.
Houchin stated that Michael's actions in harming his grandchild were not deliberate, although they were not considered to be wise. The authorities ruling out any involvement of alcohol in the incident, Denton can be found approximately 10 miles southwest of Lincoln.
