Ector Co. Commissioner arrested after accidentally firing blank shot at child
LINCOLN, Nebraska (KOSA) - A 12-year-old Texas boy is in the hospital in Omaha recovering from injuries sustained from a blank shot from a revolver.
The Lancaster County Sheriff Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said 62-year-old Michael Gardner, Ector County Commissioner, and the child were at a wedding near Denton on Saturday when Gardner, the officiant, fired a blank shot from a revolver at 5 p.m. Houchin said Gardner wanted to fire the shot into the air to get the attention of the wedding guests but the gun slipped and went off, hitting the 12-year-old in the shoulder.
Houchin said the boy was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. They said the blank was created with glue and black powder and the glue is likely what injured the child.
Deputies said they seized the weapon, ammo, and spent shell casing from Gardner.
Gardner turned himself in Monday morning.
Houchin said he’s facing a charge of child abuse for negligently firing a firearm and causing an injury.
Ector County Judge, Dustin Fawcett released the following statement about the incident:
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