Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Man shoots self on first date CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Police in North Carolina said a couple's first date was interrupted when a man accidentally shot himself in a parking garage. Advertisement Charlotte police said the couple returned to the man's car after eating Tuesday at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on Fairview Road and the man's gun, which was in the car, somehow went off and shot the man, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday. His date was not injured and he was treated at Carolinas Medical Center for a non-life-threatening leg wound. WCNC-TV, Charlotte, said police have ruled the shooting accidental and are trying to determine how the gun went off. Snake found eating snake in home TUCSON, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Firefighters called to remove a snake from an Arizona home said what appeared to be a shedding snake was actually a large reptile eating a smaller one. Advertisement The Station 32 firefighters of the Northwest Fire District in Tucson said they handle snake calls up to five times a day during this time of year, but the call at Mary Jane Overall's home turned out to be unique, KVOA-TV, Tucson, reported Wednesday. The firefighters said what appeared to be a snake shedding its skin turned out to be a non-venomous king snake eating a smaller, venomous snake. "You wouldn't think a snake would come upstairs. You just wouldn't imagine that … let alone two!" Overall said. She said the king snake may have saved her life by eating its deadlier cousin. Mass. town's new turkey may be old turkey SOMERVILLE, Mass., Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Residents of a Massachusetts town said Fred, a local wild turkey named via an Internet poll, may also be Beaky, a local turkey missing since July. Rachel Leah Blumenthal, 26, of Somerville, said she first spotted Fred the turkey in the Linden Avenue/Summer Street/Porter Street in late July, around the same time residents said Beaky the Beacon Street turkey was last spotted in her usual place near the Durrell community garden, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday. "It does make sense that it would be Beaky," Blumenthal said. "Then again, I don't know if I could really tell the difference between turkeys." Advertisement Blumenthal said she and her band, Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, have written a song about Fred as part of a campaign to convince Mayor Joe Curtatone to pardon Fred for Thanksgiving. Chechen leader bans own birthday GROZNY CITY, Russia, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said he will not allow any celebrations of his birthday and any officials who give him gifts will be fired. Kadyrov, who will turn 35 Oct. 5, said he will not allow any celebrations of his birthday, which coincides with Grozny City Day, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday. "There will be no festivities devoted to my birthday. I strongly forbid to devote any celebrations to my birthday, regardless of where they are held. I also warn that anyone, who even tries to make me a present on this day, will be sacked immediately," Kadyrov said. "We will have a major holiday on Oct. 5, we will celebrate the Day of the City of Grozny and inaugurate the Grozny-City business center," he said.
