5 accidentally wounded at 3 gun shows

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Accidental shootings at gun shows in North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio Saturday left five people wounded, authorities said.

Police said a security guard and two other people were wounded about 1 p.m. Saturday when a 12-gauge shotgun a man intended to sell at the Dixie Gun & Knife Show in Raleigh, N.C., discharged as it was being checked in, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported.

The injured were identified as Janet Hoover, 54, of Benson, Linwood Hester, 50, of Durham, and Jake Alderman, a retired Wake County sheriff's deputy from Wake Forest. Officials said the injuries did not appear life-threatening, the newspaper said.

The shotgun's owner, Gary Lynn Wilson, 36, of Wilmington, was being questioned by the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

"Right now, what we see is an accident," Sheriff Donnie Harrison said. "If there's something he may be charged with, we'll find that out."

In Indianapolis, a person loading a gun outside the Indy 1500 Gun and Knife Show at the State Fairgrounds was accidentally shot when his .45-caliber, semiautomatic discharged about 4:15 p.m. Saturday, WISH-TV, Indianapolis, reported.

Gun show representative Ashley Varner said the man, identified as Emory L. Cozee, 54, had been inside at the gun show before the incident.

Cozee was taken to a hospital for treatment for a wound to his hand and police said no charges would be filed, The Indianapolis Star reported.

In Medina, Ohio, a 62-year-old man was seriously injured about 3 p.m. Saturday when a semiautomatic pistol being checked by a gun dealer at a gun show at the Medina County Fair Community Center discharged, the Medina Gazette reported.

The unidentified victim, who was struck in the thigh and arm, is the dealer's partner, the newspaper said. His condition wasn't available.

Medina Police Chief Patrick Berarducci said no charges would be filed against the unidentified dealer.

"We have no reason to believe it's anything other than simply a tragic accident," he said.

All three gun shows will continue Sunday, officials said, though the one in North Carolina will no longer allow private gun sales, police said.

Paul Milligan of Raleigh, who wanted to sell three guns to a dealer, said police were overreacting by banning private sales.

"This is just a mess," he said. "One guy gives all of us a bad reputation because he can't follow fifth-grade safety rules."