According to Nebraska authorities, a grandfather presiding at a wedding was jailed after accidentally shooting his 12-year-old grandson.
Michael Gardner, 62, tried to gain the attention of the wedding attendees at Hillcrest Events in Denton around 5 p.m. on Saturday by shooting a Pietta Model 1860 Snub Nose revolver with a blank into the air, according to Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ben Houchin.
Gardner “decided to grab everyone’s attention and get the wedding started with a bang,” Houchin said during a news conference on Monday.
“When he decided to cock back the hammer of this revolver, it slipped and it shot his grandson into the left shoulder, causing an injury,” Houchin said.
The chief deputy stated that Gardener “put black powder into the casing and then glued it,” referring to the fact that the 45 COLT ammunition was initially a blank. We believe the glue caused the child’s injury, he added.
According to Houchin, the child was sent to a local hospital for treatment before being transferred to an Omaha facility since his injuries were not life-threatening.
Gardner handed himself in to police on Monday to face the charge, according to Houchin, because of his use of a firearm and the severity of the injuries he inflicted.
CNN could not confirm if Houchin is represented by attorneys.
“We don’t believe Michael intended to hurt his grandchild, but the act was not very smart,” Houchin said, adding that deputies don’t believe alcohol had a factor in the incident.
Denton is located around 10 miles southwest of Lincoln.
