Dog Shoots Woman With Shotgun Outside Nebraska Convenience Store

What began as an ordinary stop at a Nebraska convenience store quickly turned into a frightening shooting investigation after police say a dog accidentally fired a shotgun from inside a parked vehicle.

What Did Scooby Doo?

Officers with the Scottsbluff Police Department were called to the Short Stop convenience store in Scottsbluff just after noon Saturday, following reports that someone had been struck by what was first believed to be a BB gun. As officers responded, they learned the situation was far more serious. A shotgun had gone off in the parking lot.

Shotgun Fires From Inside Truck

When police arrived, they found a pickup truck with a camper attached and visible damage to the passenger-side door consistent with a shotgun blast.

Investigators say the truck’s owner had stopped at the store when a passenger stepped outside near the front passenger door. Inside the vehicle, a dog sitting in the back seat reportedly jumped across the truck, somehow triggering a loaded shotgun left inside. The weapon discharged instantly, blasting through the door panel.

Woman Injured While Waiting at Stoplight

At the same moment the gun fired, a woman was stopped at a nearby traffic light with her arm resting outside her vehicle window. Police say one pellet from the shotgun blast struck her in the upper right arm.

Her injuries were not considered life-threatening, and a family member drove her to Regional West Medical Center for treatment.

The incident remains under investigation.