Two people were accidentally shot in a Tennessee church this past Thursday during a discussion about church shootings, according to the Tellico Plains Police Department.
Several elders of The First United Methodist Church in Tellico Plains met yesterday afternoon at around 1 p.m. to discuss the Texas shooting and what could be done about protection in the church. During the discussion, someone asked if anyone brought a gun to their church.
One man said that he carries his gun everywhere he goes. He pulled out his .380 caliber Ruger, emptied the magazine and chamber, and then passed it around.
Once the gun came back around the circle, the man put the magazine back in, cocked the chamber, and then accidentally squeezed the trigger. The gun went off, hitting the man in the hand and his wife in the abdomen, according to police.
Both shooting victims were rushed to UT Medical Center by helicopter for non-life threatening injuries. Their names have not been released.
Immediately after the incident, several schools in the area were put on lockdown, which was lifted once the scene was cleared.