Man shoots blank at wedding, injuring child

DENTON, Neb. (KOLN/Gray News) - A 12-year-old boy is in a Nebraska hospital recovering from injuries sustained from a blank shot from a revolver.

Chief Deputy Ben Houchin with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said 62-year-old Michael Gardner and the child were at a wedding near Denton on Saturday when Gardner, the officiant, fired a blank shot from a revolver.

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.

Copyright 2023 KOLN via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.