Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Man accidentally shot

The Morning News

FAYETTEVILLE — A 49-year-old Springdale man was in critical condition Sunday after being accidentally shot by his 6-year-old grandson, according to police.

Steve Patton was shot in the chest Saturday with a .22 caliber semiautomatic, Springdale Police Lt. Ron Hritz said. Patton was showing the boy and his 9-year-old sister the gun, and the boy apparently squeezed the trigger, Hritz said.

Patton’s condition was listed as critical according to a nursing supervisor at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.


Police wouldn’t release the name of the 6-year-old. No one else was injured in the incident.

“There was one bullet in the chamber,” Hritz said. Patton didn’t know there was a bullet in the gun. The boy was standing next to him (Patton) and pointed it left and it hit him (Patton) in the upper right chest, Hritz said.

( I guess I really don't need to reiterate here about RULE # 1---ALWAYS ASSUME THE GUN IS LOADED!)


The accident happened about 5 p.m. Saturday in Patton’s camper trailer at the Whisler RV Park, just off Arkansas 265, according to a police report.

Hritz said Patton’s girlfriend called 911 to report the accident.
The incident has been ruled as accidental but it will be forwarded to the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review, Hritz said. There won’t be any criminal charges filed, he said. It’s just department policy to send any shooting incident report through the prosecutor’s office.