Dog Accidentally Shoots Sleeping Owner in Memphis

A man in Memphis, Tennessee, was accidentally shot by his dog after the pet jumped onto his bed and set off a loaded firearm, police said Wednesday.

The man, who was sleeping beside his female partner early Monday morning, suffered a minor graze wound to his left thigh and was treated at a hospital.

According to the police report, the one-year-old pit bull, named Oreo, “got his paw stuck in the trigger guard and ended up hitting the trigger.”

The type of firearm involved was not specified, and authorities classified the incident as an “accidental injury.”

While gun violence is a major issue in the U.S., incidents involving animals pulling the trigger are rare.

In 2022, a German shepherd in Kansas fatally shot a man after stepping on a hunting rifle. A similar case in 2018 involved a pit bull-Labrador mix shooting its owner in the leg in Iowa.

The Tennessee victim’s girlfriend, speaking to local news outlet Fox 13 Memphis, said she was asleep when the gun discharged.

“The dog is a playful dog, and he likes to jump around… and it just went off,” she explained.

Her takeaway from the ordeal? “Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock.”