Man Accidentally Shot Himself During Dentist Appointment

A man accidentally shot himself during his dentist appointment in New Carlisle, Ohio, because he mistook his gun with his phone. The 72 years old was under the influence of an anesthetic when he got confused and hurt himself.

James White, a 72 years old resident of New Carlisle, was under the influence of nitrous oxide when he heard his phone ringing. The man tried to grab the mobile device from his pocket and answer it, but he accidentally rummaged in the wrong pocket and ended up with his gun in his hand.

Unfortunately, when he pulled out his gun, he somehow squeezed the trigger and the man accidentally shot himself through the hand, grazing his stomach in the process. The doctor and other people present during the incident were not harmed.

According to a man living in the vicinity of the dentist office:

“If you’re going to be put under nitrous, then you think twice about taking your gun into the dental office.”

White was within his rights to carry his gun as he showed his concealed carry permit to the police when they showed up at the site of the accident. Moreover, the office had no visible sign asking patients that carried firearms not to bring them into the facility.

Sgt. Christina Evans-Fisher of the Sheriff’s Office in Clark County said that it’s common courtesy not to bring a firearm to a dentist’s appointment, especially if the appointment involves the administration of drugs that affect the cognitive capacities of the carrier.

“Going into a doctor’s office where you might be placed under some kind of medication, you might not want to carry a weapon in there. Think of your safety and the safety of those around you.”

One of the employees of the New Carlisle Dental Group declared that his colleagues were pretty “shaken up” after the incident, but that they also know that the entire thing was an accident and hope that White will make a full recovery.

The man is currently hospitalized, his hand taking up the shock of the gunshot. Fortunately, his stomach was only grazed, so no vital organs were damaged.

What do you think about the incident? Do you believe that all dentist offices should explicitly tell their patients not to bring their firearms with them?

Image source: Wikipedia