A Texas official faces criminal charge after accidentally shooting his grandson at Nebraska wedding

Published October 4, 2023 1:24 PM

By MARGERY A. BECK
Associated Press

A Texas politician who accidentally shot his grandson during a wedding he was officiating in Nebraska could be charged with a felony. Officials say Ecto County Commissioner Michael Gardner intended to shoot a homemade blank round into the air to signal the start of the wedding on Saturday. But the gun fired prematurely, hitting his 12-year-old grandson just below his left shoulder. The boy was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he received stitches and was released. Gardner turned himself in Monday to a sheriff’s office in Nebraska that is seeking a felony child abuse charge. But prosecutors have yet to charge Gardner with a crime.

Article Topic Follows: AP-National

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