Police in Nebraska responded to reports of gunfire at a convenience store, only to discover that a dog had accidentally triggered a loaded shotgun, injuring a woman in a nearby vehicle.
Incident Details
Officers from the Scottsbluff Police Department were dispatched to Short Stop, a gas station and convenience store, shortly after noon on Saturday following reports that someone had been shot with a BB gun, according to KNOP News 2. However, en route, officers were informed that the weapon involved was actually a shotgun.
Upon arrival, police found a truck with damage consistent with a shotgun blast to the passenger side door. The driver had pulled into the parking lot to shop, but a dog in the back seat moved from one side of the vehicle to the other, causing the loaded shotgun to discharge.
Injuries and Legal Implications
The shotgun fired into the passenger side panel of the truck. A pellet also struck a woman who was stopped at a nearby traffic light, with her right arm resting out of the open window. The pellet hit her in the upper arm, but her injury was not considered life-threatening. She was taken to a local hospital by a family member.
Under Nebraska law, it is illegal to travel with a loaded shotgun in a vehicle. The Scottsbluff Police Department is investigating the incident.
