By Damilola Adeleke

In a bizarre incident in Tennessee, USA, a man was accidentally shot by his own dog while lying in bed.

According to police reports, Jerald Kirkwood and a woman were resting with a firearm nearby when their one-year-old pit bull, Oreo, jumped onto the bed. The dog’s paw got caught in the trigger guard, causing the gun to discharge. The bullet grazed Kirkwood’s left thigh.

The woman present at the time of the incident immediately left the scene, taking the firearm with her, while Kirkwood was transported to the hospital in a non-critical condition.

Speaking to local media, the woman described Oreo as a playful dog and insisted the shooting was an accident. She emphasized the importance of engaging gun safety features to prevent similar mishaps in the future.

Authorities have classified the incident as an unintentional injury, with no charges filed against Kirkwood or his pet.

This unusual case adds to the growing list of firearm-related accidents involving pets. Similar incidents have been reported in the past, including a 2018 case in Iowa where a dog inadvertently pulled the trigger of a gun tucked in its owner’s waistband, and a 2019 hunting accident in Mississippi where a dog stepped on a shotgun, leading to a serious injury that resulted in leg amputation.

With unintentional gun injuries on the rise in the U.S., safety advocates continue to stress the need for responsible firearm handling and secure storage to prevent such occurrences.