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From the front page of today's paper:
Re-enactor accidentally shoots himself in foot
BY RICK FULTON
Times Staff Writer
Published: Monday, August 4, 2008 8:32 AM EDT
A Civil War re-enactor participating in a mock skirmish at the American Civil War Museum Sunday was injured in an apparently accidental self-inflicted “gun shot.”
The re-enactors were using blank cartridges at the time which lack a projectile and consist solely of black powder.
Police and emergency personnel responded at 3:28 p.m. to the scene of the shooting and police eventually cordoned off the area with yellow tape stating it was considered a “crime scene.”
Patrick Williams, a re-enactor from Hagerstown with the 42nd Mississippi, identified the injured compatriot as a member of the 15th Alabama.
He said he thought the injured soldier was around 17 years of age.
The Times elected not to publish the name of the injured re-enactor because of his age.
Williams stated that the units involved in the living history event at the 297 Steinwehr Ave. museum were staging a skirmish at the time of the incident.
“The shooting was almost over,” Williams said, when the victim accidentally shot himself and “got the very tip of his boot.”
The boot, left behind in the camp after the injured re-enactor was transported to York Hospital by ambulance, had a hole around the toe area about the size of a quarter surrounded with burned leather.
Williams described the injury as a “foot wound” in which one or more toenails were taken off in the blast.
Period muskets, even replicas, can shoot a sheet of flame up to three feet just from a normal powder charge.
He described the shot as having been at “point blank range” and said he believed the re-enactor was using a .69 caliber weapon.
York Hospital would only confirm that the patient was received in the emergency room, but would not release any patient information regarding status of the injured re-enactor.
Gettysburg ambulance, Medic 28, Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township police responded, as well as Gettysburg National Military Park security, who assisted with traffic control.
The incident was still considered under investigation by press time.
Regards,
Shaun Grenan
Re-enactor accidentally shoots himself in foot
BY RICK FULTON
Times Staff Writer
Published: Monday, August 4, 2008 8:32 AM EDT
A Civil War re-enactor participating in a mock skirmish at the American Civil War Museum Sunday was injured in an apparently accidental self-inflicted “gun shot.”
The re-enactors were using blank cartridges at the time which lack a projectile and consist solely of black powder.
Police and emergency personnel responded at 3:28 p.m. to the scene of the shooting and police eventually cordoned off the area with yellow tape stating it was considered a “crime scene.”
Patrick Williams, a re-enactor from Hagerstown with the 42nd Mississippi, identified the injured compatriot as a member of the 15th Alabama.
He said he thought the injured soldier was around 17 years of age.
The Times elected not to publish the name of the injured re-enactor because of his age.
Williams stated that the units involved in the living history event at the 297 Steinwehr Ave. museum were staging a skirmish at the time of the incident.
“The shooting was almost over,” Williams said, when the victim accidentally shot himself and “got the very tip of his boot.”
The boot, left behind in the camp after the injured re-enactor was transported to York Hospital by ambulance, had a hole around the toe area about the size of a quarter surrounded with burned leather.
Williams described the injury as a “foot wound” in which one or more toenails were taken off in the blast.
Period muskets, even replicas, can shoot a sheet of flame up to three feet just from a normal powder charge.
He described the shot as having been at “point blank range” and said he believed the re-enactor was using a .69 caliber weapon.
York Hospital would only confirm that the patient was received in the emergency room, but would not release any patient information regarding status of the injured re-enactor.
Gettysburg ambulance, Medic 28, Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township police responded, as well as Gettysburg National Military Park security, who assisted with traffic control.
The incident was still considered under investigation by press time.
Regards,
Shaun Grenan
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