A Pennsylvania man is recovering after being accidentally shot in the back when his dog stepped on a loaded shotgun he had placed on his bed.
A Pennsylvania man is recovering in the hospital after becoming the latest victim in a long history of people accidentally shot by dogs, according to VICE.
Officers said they responded late Tuesday night to a call involving a 53-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the back. On arrival, they found him conscious on the floor and able to recount the incident. The man said he had been cleaning his shotgun and placed it on the bed before sitting down. One of his dogs then jumped onto the bed, landing directly on the firearm and triggering a blast that struck him in the lower back. His son was at home but not in the room, and the other two dogs were not involved.
Paramedics rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. As of Thursday, police confirmed he has completed one surgery and will require another, though the full extent of his injuries remains unclear. Authorities believe the shooting was accidental, but the investigation is ongoing.
The incident adds to nearly a century of similar accidental shootings involving dogs, with documented cases dating back to 1928 and recurring through the 20th century and into the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. Authorities urge gun owners to exercise extreme caution, particularly around pets.