Media Bias: How Often Do People Who are Legally Carrying a Concealed Handgun Accidentally Shoot a Bystander? How about the Police?

Incident Date Location Agency Summary Officer Info Bystander Info Suspect Context Bystanders Hit Bystander Outcome Bullet Source Confirmed Legal / Investigative Outcome Sources Sources Sources 2016 Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California, USA Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) During an LAPD operation, an errant bullet struck a British tourist who was bicycling nearby. The shooting occurred during an encounter with a suspect. LAPD officers involved in unspecified operation. British tourist, bicyclist. Officers were pursuing or confronting a suspect. 1 Injured; tourist later received $500,000 settlement. Yes – LAPD bullet. City of Los Angeles settled with victim for $500,000. Archived source: https://archive.is/FG5iq 30-Jun-14 Coffee County, Georgia, USA Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Vickers fired at a family dog while responding to a call. A bullet ricocheted and struck a 10-year-old child lying on the ground nearby. Deputy Michael Vickers. 10-year-old child. Deputies were responding to a felony suspect hiding on the property. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening). Yes – deputy’s firearm. Child’s family filed a civil lawsuit; case widely cited as negligent gunfire. Archived source: https://archive.is/LXVKt 18-Jul-16 North Miami, Florida, USA North Miami Police Department Behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey was lying on the ground with his hands raised while trying to help his autistic patient, Arnaldo Rios Soto, comply with police commands. SWAT Officer Jonathan Aledda fired three rifle rounds from about 150 feet away, saying he was aiming at the patient, whom he mistakenly believed was armed and holding Kinsey hostage. One round struck Kinsey in the leg. Officer Jonathan Aledda, North Miami SWAT. Fired three .223 rifle rounds at the autistic man, striking Kinsey instead. Later arrested and tried for attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence. Charles Kinsey, 47-year-old Black behavioral therapist and father of five, employed at a group home. Unarmed and clearly identifying himself as a caregiver in video of the incident. Officers were responding to reports of a man with a gun threatening to kill himself. The ‘suspect’ was Kinsey’s autistic patient, Arnaldo Rios Soto, who was holding a silver toy truck, not a firearm. 1 Non‑fatal gunshot wound to right leg; required medical treatment but survived. Yes – North Miami Police Department rifle round fired by Officer Aledda. Aledda was charged with attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence. In 2019 a jury convicted him of misdemeanor culpable negligence, and he was sentenced to probation and community service; he was fired from the department. In 2022 a Florida appeals court overturned the conviction. The City of North Miami reached a confidential civil settlement with Kinsey in 2019. “Shooting of Charles Kinsey,” Wikipedia, last modified 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Charles_Kinsey; Jerry Iannelli, “North Miami Cop Not Guilty of Negligence for Shooting at Autistic Man Holding Toy Truck,” Miami New Times, Mar. 16, 2019, https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/jonathan-aledda-cop-who-shot-charles-kinsey-acquitted-of-culpable-negligence-11118569/. 9-Aug-16 Punta Gorda, Florida, USA Punta Gorda Police Department During a citizens police academy ‘shoot/don’t shoot’ role‑playing exercise, Officer Lee Coel used a revolver that was believed to be loaded with blanks but instead contained live ammunition. He fired at participant Mary Knowlton, who was playing the role of an officer in the scenario, killing her in front of other attendees. Officer Lee Coel, Punta Gorda PD. Used his personal .38‑caliber revolver during the demonstration. Chief Tom Lewis approved the exercise and was later charged with culpable negligence (acquitted). Mary Knowlton, 70‑year‑old retired librarian and longtime community volunteer, originally from Minnesota, attending the citizens academy event with her husband. No actual suspect; this was a staged ‘use of lethal force’ demonstration for civic participants, with Coel playing the role of an armed assailant. 1 Killed by gunshot wounds during the training scenario. Yes – live rounds fired from Officer Coel’s revolver, which should have been using blanks or a non‑lethal training weapon. Coel was charged with manslaughter and in 2019 pleaded no contest to second‑degree manslaughter. He received 10 years of probation, was barred from law enforcement work, and ordered to perform community service and pay restitution. The city’s police chief, Tom Lewis, was charged with culpable negligence but acquitted. Knowlton’s family later received a $2 million settlement from the city’s insurer. “Former Minnesota librarian killed by officer in Florida citizen’s academy,” MPR News, Aug. 10, 2016, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/10/former-minnesota-librarian-shot-in-florida; “Punta Gorda Police Shooting of Mary Knowlton: What Went Wrong?,” WGCU, Aug. 17, 2016, https://news.wgcu.org/show/gulf-coast-life/2016-08-17/punta-gorda-police-shooting-of-mary-knowlton-what-went-wrong; Alberto Luperon, “Ex‑Cop Gets 10 Years of Probation for Shooting Retired Librarian During Training Exercise,” Law & Crime, Oct. 17, 2019, https://lawandcrime.com/crazy/ex-cop-gets-10-years-of-probation-for-shooting-retired-librarian-during-training-exercise/. 21-Sep-16 Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA Miami-Dade Police Department An officer accidentally discharged his firearm while cleaning it at home. The bullet traveled through a door and struck a neighboring resident. Unidentified Miami-Dade officer; firearm discharged during cleaning. Neighbor struck by unintended discharge. No suspect involved; accidental discharge in residence. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening). Yes – officer’s personal firearm. Internal investigation conducted. No criminal intent reported. News & Observer, https://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article103584707.html Jan-17 North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA North Las Vegas Police Department SWAT During a SWAT operation, an officer accidentally discharged a firearm, striking a nearby bystander. Unidentified SWAT officer; accidental discharge during operation. Unidentified bystander. SWAT was serving a warrant; not directly engaging suspect at the moment. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening). Yes – SWAT officer’s firearm. Incident investigated internally; no criminal charges reported. Associated Press, https://apnews.com/article/5d90228450394ddbb35debc0a5850bf2 6-Jul-17 Bronx, New York, USA New York Police Department (NYPD) After NYPD Officer Miosotis Familia was assassinated, responding officers opened fire on the fleeing gunman. A stray bullet hit a bystander in the arm. NYPD responding officers. Unidentified man struck in arm. Suspect Alexander Bonds had just assassinated Officer Familia. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening). Likely police bullet. Handled within larger homicide investigation. New York Post, https://nypost.com/2017/07/06/bystander-caught-in-nypd-assassination-crossfire-can-barely-sleep/ 3-Jun-18 Los Angeles, California, USA Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officers shot and killed Guillermo Perez, who was holding a knife in a homeless shelter. Gunfire also struck bystander Elizabeth Tollison in the head and shoulder. LAPD officers involved in shooting. Elizabeth Tollison. Perez was armed with a knife and holding a metal chair as a shield. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening). Yes – LAPD rounds. Perez killing deemed justified; Tollison injury part of civil claim. ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/US/lapd-body-cam-footage-shows-accidental-shooting-killed/story?id=56956324 21-Jul-18 Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California, USA Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) During a pursuit of suspect Gene Evin Atkins, LAPD officers exchanged gunfire with him outside a Trader Joe’s store. Two officers fired eight shots toward Atkins as he ran into the store; one round missed and struck assistant manager Melyda “Mely” Corado near the entrance, killing her. Atkins then barricaded himself and hostages inside before eventually surrendering. Officers Sinlen Tse and Sarah Winans, LAPD. According to the district attorney’s memorandum, Tse fired five rounds and Winans three rounds at Atkins outside the Trader Joe’s; one of those rounds fatally struck Corado. Melyda “Mely” Corado, 27‑year‑old assistant manager at Trader Joe’s, unarmed and standing near the doorway of the store when she was hit by police gunfire. Suspect Gene Evin Atkins had allegedly shot his grandmother and girlfriend before fleeing in a car, exchanged fire with police during a vehicle pursuit, then crashed near the Trader Joe’s and ran inside the store, where he took hostages. 1 Killed by gunshot wound from police fire. Yes – Los Angeles County District Attorney and LAPD investigations concluded Corado was killed by an LAPD bullet fired during the exchange with Atkins. Atkins was charged with murder and numerous other counts; prosecutors attributed the murder charge to Corado’s death under the felony‑murder doctrine. In 2020 the district attorney’s office concluded the officers’ use of deadly force was legally justified, and they were not criminally charged. In 2024 the City of Los Angeles agreed to pay approximately $9.5 million to Corado’s family to settle a wrongful‑death lawsuit. “2018 Los Angeles hostage incident,” Wikipedia, last modified 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Los_Angeles_hostage_incident; “Melyda Corado, 27,” The Homicide Report, Los Angeles Times, July 25, 2018, https://homicide.latimes.com/post/melyda-corado/; “Trader Joe’s shooting: Family of Mely Corado to get $9.5 million over deadly LAPD shooting,” ABC7 Los Angeles, Aug. 30, 2024, https://abc7.com/post/trader-joes-shooting-family-mely-corado-get-95-million-deadly-lapd-shooting/15250638/. 8-Sep-19 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Milwaukee Police Department After a driver fled a traffic stop and led police on a vehicle and foot pursuit to a home near 26th Street and Auer Avenue, an officer chased the suspect into a backyard. Believing the suspect was reaching for a weapon, the officer fired one shot. The round missed the suspect and instead struck homeowner Tari Davis, who had stepped to his back door to see what was happening. Officer Nikolas Zens, Milwaukee PD. Fired a single shot at the fleeing suspect, hitting Davis instead. Zens was later fired by the department after internal review but was not criminally charged. Tari Davis, 41‑year‑old Black homeowner who lived at the residence where the suspect ran. He was unarmed, inside or at the threshold of his home when struck. His teenage daughter and other family members were present. Police were pursuing Kevin Brown, 22, who allegedly fled a traffic stop and ran to the rear of Davis’s home. Officers reported believing Brown was reaching for a gun when Zens fired. 1 Non‑fatal gunshot wound; Davis required emergency surgery and reported ongoing pain and limitations. Yes – body‑camera video and internal review confirmed the shot came from Officer Zens. Brown was charged for offenses related to the pursuit. Zens received a 20‑day suspension and was later fired by the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission. Davis filed a federal civil‑rights lawsuit; as of the latest coverage he continued to seek accountability. No criminal charges were filed against Zens. “Milwaukee officer Nikolas Zens fired for accidentally shooting innocent homeowner: Police video,” Inside Edition, Sept. 14, 2021, https://www.insideedition.com/milwaukee-officer-nikolas-zens-fired-for-accidentally-shooting-innocent-homeowner-police-video; “Charges filed in connection with pursuit before officer‑involved shooting; bystander hit wants officer fired,” FOX6 Milwaukee, Sept. 12, 2019, https://www.fox6now.com/news/charges-filed-in-connection-with-pursuit-before-officer-involved-shooting-bystander-hit-wants-officer-fired; Derrick Rose, “Milwaukee police fired him for shooting the wrong man. Now he’s back working in law enforcement,” WISN 12 News, Feb. 9, 2024, https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-police-fired-him-for-shooting-the-wrong-man-now-hes-back-working-in-law-enforcement/45786434. 19-Nov-19 Old Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA Des Plaines Police Department (officer operating in Chicago during pursuit) After a bank robbery in Des Plaines, officers pursued suspect Christopher Willis into Chicago. Willis crashed a stolen car near UpBeat Music & Arts, a music school, and ran inside. Des Plaines Officer James Armstrong followed and fired multiple rifle rounds at Willis inside the school. 15‑year‑old music intern Rylan Wilder, walking in a hallway, was struck by police gunfire. Officer James Armstrong, Des Plaines Police Department. Armed with a semi‑automatic rifle and fired a dozen rounds inside the music school while pursuing the robbery suspect. Rylan Wilder, 15‑year‑old high‑school student and musician interning at UpBeat Music & Arts, unarmed and not involved in the robbery or pursuit. Christopher Willis, armed bank‑robbery suspect, fled police in a stolen vehicle, shot at officers during the pursuit, then ran into the music school where Armstrong confronted him. Willis was shot and killed by police. 1 Non‑fatal but severe injuries; Wilder was shot in the arm and abdomen, underwent more than a dozen surgeries, and suffered lasting nerve damage that affected his ability to play guitar. Yes – investigations determined Wilder was struck by rounds fired by Officer Armstrong. Wilder and his family filed civil lawsuits against Armstrong, the City of Des Plaines, and an accomplice to the robbery. In 2023, Des Plaines agreed to a $1.9 million settlement with the family; a separate settlement reportedly required Armstrong’s insurer to pay $20 million. No criminal charges against Armstrong have been reported in public sources. “Shooting of Rylan Wilder,” Wikipedia, last modified 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Rylan_Wilder; Jessica D’Onofrio and Mark Rivera, “Teen mistakenly shot by cop in Des Plaines police chase gets $1.9M settlement,” ABC7 Chicago, Oct. 19, 2023, https://abc7chicago.com/post/des-plaines-police-rylan-wilder-irving-park-road-chicago-shooting/13938852/; CBS Chicago, “Teen shot by Des Plaines police officer gets $1.9 million settlement,” Oct. 19, 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/rylan-wilder-1-point-9-million-dollar-settlement/. 21-Aug-21 Guadalupe, California Guadalupe Police Department Officer fired three rounds while attempting to arrest a man wanted on a felony warrant. All shots missed the suspect; one round traveled down the street and struck Juan Luis Olvera‑Preciado as he sat in his SUV outside his home. Officer Miguel Jaimes Juan Luis Olvera‑Preciado, 59 Male subject with outstanding no‑bail felony warrant; officers were attempting a street arrest/pursuit. 1 Killed Yes – California DOJ and litigation documents state Olvera‑Preciado was killed by a Guadalupe officer’s bullet. California DOJ AB 1506 review found insufficient evidence for criminal charges against the officer; civil lawsuits against the city reportedly resulted in a settlement. https://www.jdfinformation.com/jdf-incidents/juan-l-olvera-preciado https://www.independent.com/2023/01/05/guadalupe-bystander-shot-by-police-tragic-but-not-criminal-state-says/ https://www.edhat.com/news/state-wont-charge-police-officer-in-fatal-shooting-of-guadalupe-man/ 23-Dec-21 Los Angeles, California Los Angeles Police Department Officers responded to reports of an assault with a deadly weapon at a Burlington clothing store. An officer fired a rifle at suspect Daniel Elena‑Lopez inside the store. One round skipped off the floor, passed through a wall and struck 14‑year‑old Valentina Orellana Peralta as she hid in a dressing room. Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. Valentina Orellana Peralta, 14 Adult male attacking shoppers with a bike lock; officers believed he posed an imminent deadly threat inside a crowded store. 1 Killed Yes – California DOJ report and LAPD critical‑incident release state Valentina was killed by an LAPD officer’s stray rifle round. California DOJ (Apr. 18, 2024) declined criminal charges; incident found not to warrant prosecution under state law, though described as tragic. Civil proceedings and policy debate continue. https://abc7.com/post/north-hollywood-burlington-shooting-no-charges-lapd-officer/14683012/ https://www.edhat.com/news/state-wont-charge-police-officer-in-fatal-shooting-of-guadalupe-man/ 17-Jul-22 Denver, Colorado Denver Police Department Around bar‑closing time, officers confronted Jordan Waddy, who was armed with a handgun, near 20th and Larimer. Three officers opened fire. Shots from Officer Brandon Ramos, fired from the side of Waddy, missed the suspect and struck multiple people standing in a crowded nightlife area. Officer Brandon Francisco Ramos (plus two other officers who fired at the suspect but whose rounds did not hit bystanders) Six adult bystanders (e.g., Bailey Alexander, Willis Small IV, Yekalo Wedewihet and others) Armed man involved in a street fight; officers said he pulled a gun as they tried to detain him. 6 All injured (gunshot and graze wounds to arms, back, legs, foot); no bystander fatalities reported. Yes – Denver DA and later civil trial findings specify the injuries were caused by rounds fired by Officer Ramos. Grand jury indicted Ramos on multiple assault and reckless endangerment counts; he later pled guilty to misdemeanor third‑degree assault, received probation, and is barred from Colorado law enforcement. In 2025 a civil jury awarded about $19.75M to six bystanders injured by his gunfire. https://coloradosun.com/2024/01/23/denver-police-officer-brandon-ramos-pleads-guilty-lodo-shooting/ https://denverite.com/2025/10/17/denver-police-lodo-crowd-shooting-lawsuit/ https://rmlawyers.com/in-the-news/man-who-prompted-lodo-police-shooting-that-wounded-6-bystanders-sentenced-to-prison/ 28-Aug-23 Austin, Texas, USA Austin Police Department (APD) Officers confronted armed burglary suspect Raymond Lee Howard inside ThunderCloud Subs. Bystander Fernando Martinez tackled Howard. During the struggle, officers fired and accidentally struck Martinez. Three APD officers fired. Fernando Martinez. Howard drew a handgun during sting operation. 1 Injured (non-life-threatening); hospitalized. Yes – APD gunfire. Incident remains under investigation; APD paid Martinez’s medical bills. FOX7 Austin, https://www.fox7austin.com/news/officer-involved-shooting-south-austin-apd-provides-update 4-Oct-23 Garvin County, Oklahoma Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sean Steadman attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Kameron Jenkins. After a pursuit and tactical vehicle maneuver, Jenkins opened fire, striking the deputy in the chin. Steadman returned fire; one round struck dump‑truck passenger Gwaun (Gwuan) Frierson, an uninvolved motorist driving past the scene. Deputy Sean Steadman Gwaun (Gwuan) Frierson, 49 Driver Kameron Jenkins fleeing a traffic stop; later subject of a multi‑day manhunt and found dead after the incident. 1 Killed Yes – later investigative reporting (KOCO, KOKH) and body‑camera review stated the fatal round that hit Frierson was fired by the deputy, not the suspect. Oklahoma authorities declined to charge the deputy; body‑camera footage and DA statements emphasized Jenkins’s decision to fire first. Civil litigation status is unclear from available reporting. https://www.police1.com/officer-shootings/bwc-released-no-charges-for-okla-deputy-over-bystander-killed-in-ois 16-Dec-23 Austin, Texas Austin Police Department Officers patrolling Sixth Street were told a man was trying to enter a bar with a gun (Soho Lounge/Gnar Bar). They confronted Trei Hernandez, 29. Video shows Hernandez drawing a gun and firing toward officers and bystanders. Three officers returned fire, killing Hernandez. Three bystanders were shot, including a woman waiting in line outside the bar who was hit in the right eye and left permanently blind in that eye. Three unnamed APD officers Woman in line outside Soho Lounge plus two other bystanders. Hernandez was reportedly armed with a handgun, refused a search, and fired toward officers and the crowd when approached. 3 All injured; one suffered permanent blindness in one eye. Partially – Reporting makes clear the bystanders were hit during APD gunfire at Hernandez; lawsuits allege they were struck by officers’ rounds, but detailed ballistic breakdown is not publicly specified. APD investigation concluded officers acted within policy; no discipline or criminal charges reported. A civil lawsuit filed in 2025 alleges excessive force and failure to protect bystanders. https://www.fox7austin.com/news/sixth-street-officer-involved-shooting-lawsuit 10-Feb-24 Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh Police Department Officer responded on foot to an active shooting; Ranses Vacramontes Vargas had already shot and wounded another person. Officer M.L. Berg ran toward the gunfire, confronted Vargas and fired 18 shots, killing him. One round struck an uninvolved bystander sitting in a pickup truck nearby. Officer M.L. Berg A bystander sitting in a truck Vargas had shot another man and was still armed when Berg arrived; DA describes Berg as responding to an ongoing shooting and an immediate deadly threat. 1 Injured; survived. Yes – DA acknowledges the bystander was hit by one of Berg’s rounds. Wake County DA Lorrin Freeman ruled the shooting justified; no criminal charges; Berg’s actions deemed reasonable under the circumstances. https://abc11.com/post/rpd-officer-who-fired-multiple-rounds-at-armed-suspect-shot-bystander/14809430/ 15-Sep-24 Brooklyn, New York New York City Police Department Two officers confronted fare‑evasion suspect Derell (Derell/Derell) Mickles at the Sutter Avenue L subway station. After Mickles allegedly brandished a knife and tasers were ineffective, officers fired multiple rounds. One bullet struck bystander Gregory Delpeche in the head while he was riding or exiting a train; another bystander and one officer were also wounded. Two NYPD officers Gregory Delpeche, 49 (plus an unnamed 26‑year‑old woman grazed by gunfire) Fare‑evasion stop escalated when suspect allegedly pulled a knife and advanced; officers reported fearing for their lives in a crowded subway environment. 2 Delpeche critically injured (head wound, partial skull removal, long‑term brain injury); second bystander sustained a graze wound. Yes – NYPD statements and multiple news outlets describe Delpeche and the other bystander as shot by police gunfire, not by the suspect. As of late 2024, no criminal charges announced against the officers. Delpeche’s family filed a notice of claim and is seeking about $80M in damages; public debate continues over officers’ tactics and ‘friendly‑fire’ risk in confined spaces. https://people.com/bystander-shot-by-nypd-brooklyn-subway-station-8715014 8-Jan-25 Glendale, Arizona, USA Glendale Police Department Officers responding to a domestic‑violence report involving a man allegedly armed with a gun located the suspect’s white pickup truck near Horizon Park. Unable to see into the truck because of dark tint, officers instead approached and confronted 46‑year‑old Dillon Siebeck, who was walking in the park. Mistaking him for the suspect and claiming he did not comply with commands, one officer fired, killing him. Siebeck was not the domestic‑violence suspect, who was later found in the truck with a self‑inflicted gunshot wound. Unidentified Glendale police officer, member of West Valley Incident Response Team. Fired the fatal shots at Siebeck during the attempted domestic‑violence arrest. Dillon Siebeck, 46‑year‑old man visiting Horizon Park. According to family and investigators, he had no connection to the domestic‑violence suspect the officers were seeking. Officers were searching for 23‑year‑old Angelo Diaz, accused of threatening his ex‑girlfriend with a gun in a domestic‑violence incident. Diaz’s truck was parked near the park; he was later found inside with a self‑inflicted gunshot wound and died at the hospital. 1 Killed by police gunfire while sitting or walking in the park. Yes – Glendale police acknowledge Siebeck was mistakenly shot by an officer. The Peoria Police Department conducted an outside investigation. In April 2025 the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges, stating there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction. The officer remained on administrative assignment pending an internal investigation and could face departmental discipline, but no criminal accountability was imposed. “MCAO declines charges against Glendale police officer who shot and killed wrong man,” ABC15 Arizona, Apr. 29, 2025, https://www.abc15.com/news/region-west-valley/glendale/mcao-declines-charges-against-glendale-police-officer-who-shot-and-killed-wrong-man; “Glendale Officer Who Fatally Shot Wrong Man at Park Won’t Face Charges,” All About Arizona News, Dec. 9, 2025, https://www.allaboutarizonanews.com/glendale-officer-who-fatally-shot-wrong-man-at-park-wont-face-charges/.