A Texas county commissioner will spend one year on probation for accidentally shooting his grandson during a Nebraska wedding he was officiating.

Michael Gardner, 63, of Odessa, Texas, was sentenced Monday for misdemeanor child abuse in the September 2023 shooting. His grandson, then 12, survived the shoulder wound.

“It’s something I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life,” said Gardner, who was recently reelected as a county commissioner in Ector County in Texas.

The shooting happened when Gardner pulled out a revolver, intending to fire a blank round into the air to signal the start of the outdoor ceremony near the small town of Denton in southeastern Nebraska. But as he was cocking the gun’s hammer, it fired, hitting the now 13-year-old boy.

  • @[email protected]
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    982 months ago

    “It’s something I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life,” said Gardner

    “I shot someone, so I’m the real victim here!” (In Nebraska, victim shoot you?)

    • @[email protected]
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      332 months ago

      Now I’m reminded of Dick Cheney shooting that guy and the guy having to apologize to Cheney for it.

  • @inb4_FoundTheVegan
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    572 months ago

    The shooting happened when Gardner pulled out a revolver, intending to fire a blank round into the air to signal the start of the outdoor ceremony

    No fucking reason to shoot a live gun into the air. This alone should be charged as reckless endangerment.

    • @meco03211
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      182 months ago

      On the one hand, firing a blank in the air is harmless. On the other hand, how fucking close was he that the kid was as injured as he was from the blank?

      • @Cenzorrll
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        262 months ago

        It was a homemade blank, using hot glue to “hold it all together”. I’m guessing the poor kid got a plug of hot glue in his shoulder.

    • @[email protected]
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      122 months ago

      Also no fucking reason to even have a weapon at a wedding ceremony.

      Especially not for participants.

      (Maybe a security guard might need to be armed, but even then what kind of a place are you holding the wedding at that it would be needed??)

    • @VelvetStorm
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      42 months ago

      Idk if a blank would be considered a live gun but I do agree with you.

      • Gumby
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        82 months ago

        Well based on the fact that he shot his grandson, it doesn’t seem to have been a blank after all.

        • @VelvetStorm
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          12 months ago

          Yes, that is also true, and imo he should have gotten a far more harsh punishment. Not only did he almost kill someone he undoubtedly gave at the bare minimum the child life long ptsd.

  • @AbidanYre
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    442 months ago

    And they’re taking away his guns because he’s clearly not responsible, right? Right?

  • @AA5B
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    402 months ago

    Meanwhile on the same page, I see a thread about some kid charged with a felony for pointing a finger gun

  • @[email protected]
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    262 months ago

    If I can’t Accidentally Shoot my 12 YEAR OLD GRANDSON then you’re INFRINGING ON MY SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS!

  • @AnUnusualRelic
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    172 months ago

    Isn’t there a saying? A Texas wedding where nobody gets shot is a boring affair?

    Maybe I’m confusing it with something else.

  • @[email protected]
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    62 months ago

    That last paragraph was a wild ride. I was like “Oh, Denton? Okay yeah, sure, I can see that.” and bam, then it’s suddenly Nebraska.

    • @half_built_pyramids
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      22 months ago

      The best ever death metal band out of Denton

      Will in time both outpace and outlive you

      Hail AKs

      Hail ARs, tonight

      Hail gun death

      Hail hail

  • @Cosmonauticus
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    52 months ago

    I can definitely see Cotton Hill or Dale Gribbel (RIP) doing this

    • @[email protected]
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      22 months ago

      It doesn’t. It really really doesn’t.

      It might have happened, once, in maybe Congo, in the 70’s, or whatever.

      Stop worshipping guns. Simple.

      • @SkyezOpen
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        02 months ago

        I mean if we wanna talk specifically about shooting people at weddings, the middle east would like a word.