Accidental Shooting At Local Gun Show Sends One To The Hospital

People attending a gun show at Expo Square yesterday had quite a scare after an accidental shooting.<br><br>A 57-year-old Kansas man drove all the way to Tulsa to attend the show, but wound up getting

Sunday, October 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

People attending a gun show at Expo Square yesterday had quite a scare after an accidental shooting.

A 57-year-old Kansas man drove all the way to Tulsa to attend the show, but wound up getting accidentally shot and is now at a hospital with a gunshot wound to both legs.

Investigators say gun show customers, including a doctor gave the victim first aid, as EMSA arrived to the fairgrounds.

The bullet passed through one leg, broke a bone and lodged in the victim's other leg. Witnesses say a lot of people hit the deck when they heard the shot.

"I ducked. I didn't know what was going on," says Paul Lira, Tulsa.

â€œSome people said, come on son, let's get out of here, and that kind of stuff. And people gathered around in a little spot," says Drew Cummins, Missouri.

Witnesses say people quickly calmed down after word spread that it was an accidental shooting.

Investigators say 24 year-old Jacob Hurst of Tulsa pulled a loaded semi automatic pistol out of his holster, it accidentally went off and hit the victim.

Deputies arrested Hurst and booked him on a complaint of reckless handling of a firearm, a misdemeanor.

Gun show organizer, Joe Waneamacher says it's a very, very unfortunate incident.

He says somebody broke the rules, because loaded guns are not supposed to be in the show. Waneamacher says guards check for loaded guns when people come in, and the guns are tied so they can't be fired"

Waneamacher adds guards also routinely walk around the show to make sure guns are tied.

â€œIt's a gun show. Lots of guns, lots of ammo, it's kind of inevitable that something is going to go wrong," says Lira.

Waneamacher says that in the 45 years of the twice-a-year gun show, this is the 2nd time a gun has gone off and the first time anyone got hurt.

Investigators say the Waneamacher's don't face any charges.

They say it's up to the Waneamacherâ€™s to find out how Hurst got a bullet in his barrel.

The victim is in stable condition.