A bizarre incident in Memphis, Tennessee, has left a man with a gunshot wound after he claims his dog accidentally pulled the trigger of a firearm while he was relaxing in bed with a female companion, according to People. According to a press release from the Memphis Police Department, officers were called to the man’s residence on Whitney Avenue around 4:00 a.m. on Monday, March 10, in response to a reported accidental injury.
The man, who has not been named, told police that he was lying in bed, conversing with a female friend, when his dog jumped onto the bed. In a stroke of unbelievable misfortune, the dog allegedly got its paw entangled in the gun’s trigger guard, resulting in the firearm discharging.
The bullet grazed the man’s upper left thigh, causing a non-critical injury. While the female friend allegedly left the scene with the weapon after the incident, police recovered a spent shell casing from the front room floor.
First responders treated the man’s injury at the scene before transporting him to a local hospital. His condition was described as non-critical, and further updates on his health are currently unavailable. The Memphis Police Department has stated that no additional information is being released at this time.
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security emphasizes the critical importance of responsible gun ownership, particularly the “safe and secure storage” of firearms. They advise gun owners to always treat every firearm as if it were loaded and to thoroughly understand its operation before handling it. They also recommend storing firearms and ammunition separately to prevent access by children or other unauthorized individuals.
“The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security considers the ‘safe and secure storage’ of a firearm one of the most essential responsibilities of gun owners,” according to People. “To aid with safety measures, the government office advises gun owners to ‘treat every firearm as if it were loaded’ and to properly understand how it operates before using it.Gun owners are also advised to store their firearms and ammunition separately ‘so that they are not accessible to children or other unauthorized persons.’”
