A routine shopping trip at a Valdosta Walmart turned injurious for a 34-year-old mother when a firearm loose in another shopper’s pocket accidentally discharged. The incident occurred on June 9, when 21-year-old John Eady was inside the store. According to the Valdosta Police Department, Eady was carrying a semi-automatic rifle without a holster in the front pocket of his “basketball-style” shorts. His cellphone was inside the same pocket.
When Eady reached down to grab his phone, he accidentally hit the trigger. Police reported that the semi-automatic rifle “inadvertently discharged into the ground.” The bullet struck the store’s floor, causing shrapnel from both the bullet and the shattered floor tiles to fly outward, striking a nearby shopper in both ankles.
The victim was at the store with her young children at the time of the gunfire. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. In a press release, department officials noted that “preliminary information indicates that one shopper sustained a gunshot wound to her lower leg.”
Investigation and Charges
Investigators concluded that carrying a loose semi-automatic rifle alongside a phone in loose shorts violated basic safety standards. “Officers determined that Eady was carrying the firearm in a manner that was a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would have exercised in a similar situation,” the Valdosta Police Department stated.
Authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Eady the following day, June 10. Eady turned himself in to law enforcement and was charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless conduct. He was booked into the Lowndes County Jail.
Valdosta Police Chief Leslie Manahan released a statement on Facebook addressing the close call for the family involved. “We are very thankful that no one received more severe injuries, as the victim was shopping with her small children,” Manahan said. “This serves as a reminder that carrying a semi-automatic rifle is a significant responsibility. Semi-automatic rifles should be carried in a secure holster or in another secure manner to prevent unintentional contact with the trigger, reducing the risk of an unintended discharge.”
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
