Dad accidentally shoots teen son when gun in his pocket fires, Tennessee police say

A man accidentally shot his teenage son at a Tennessee home when he got off the couch and a gun went off in his pocket, according to police.

The 17-year-old had non life-threatening injuries, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said.

The father and son were sitting in the living room shortly before 11 p.m. on Dec. 18, according to an arrest affidavit.

The father got off the couch, and a gun in his right pocket discharged in the direction of his son, police said.

The son was shot, and the father had a bullet hole near the pocket of his pants but wasn’t injured, according to police.

When officers arrived, they placed a seal over the wound on the son’s “chest/abdomen area” and sent him to a hospital with medics, police said.

After the accidental shooting, the father told police he put the gun in the trunk of his car parked in front of the home.

When officers searched the car, they found a 9mm Glock, which they said had been reported stolen by its registered owner in Chattanooga.

Officers found a bottle of whiskey on the coffee table in the living room, and the man told them he had been sharing it with his girlfriend just before the incident, police said.

The 33-year-old was charged with theft of a firearm and possession of a handgun while under the influence. He’s being held on $8,000 bond.

His attorney information is not available in court records.

This story was originally published December 19, 2023 at 5:24 PM with the headline "Dad accidentally shoots teen son when gun in his pocket fires, Tennessee police say."