Stinky shot: Texas woman aims for skunk, accidentally shoots husband

A Texas woman aiming for a pesky skunk that was feeding off cat food bowls outside her home wound up accidentally shooting her husband when the bullet ricocheted off the porch and struck him in the abdomen, a sheriff said.

The accident happened Sunday night at the family’s home in a subdivision south of College Station, Texas, Brazos County Sheriff Christopher Kirk said.

“Apparently they feed their cats out of bowls outside the back of the porch. They had a skunk that had been coming up there feeding. They decided they wanted to dispatch that skunk,” Kirk told NBC News on Tuesday.


The wife went out to retrieve her .45-caliber handgun, which was legally permitted, from her purse in an office in an attached garage. The husband stayed inside the home.

The wife shot at the skunk but missed. The bullet ricocheted off the porch, penetrated the back door of the home and struck her husband in the abdomen. The bullet did not damage any vital organs and wound up lodged in the hip area, the sheriff said.

The husband was airlifted to a hospital in Houston, where he was treated and released on Monday.

Kirk said investigators interviewed the husband and wife separately and their stories were consistent that the shooting was an unfortunate accident.

“She was very concerned about her husband and certainly having created that situation,” the sheriff said of the wife.

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The couple’s names were not released. Kirk said they were in their early 50s.

The couple’s seven children were also in the home at the time but none witnessed the accident and none were hurt, the sheriff said.

Kirk said investigators will present their findings to the prosecutor to see if any laws were broken.

“Discharging a firearm in that situation was probably not good judgment,” Kirk said. “It certainly was reckless but I don’t know if anyone would be served if any charges were to be filed.”

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Kirk said even the skunk cooperated with the investigation.

“He actually came back while our investigators were at the scene and tried to feed again off the cat bowls. We chased it off,” he said.

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Nice one! Love the excuses people use....like...Bush "chocked on a pretzel"! We all know "someone" whacked him with a frying pan.

    Reply#27 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:17 PM EDT

    Laura maybe ?

      #27.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:41 PM EDT
      Reply

      Insert joke here about husbands and skunks being synonymous? :)

      • 2 votes
      Reply#28 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:25 PM EDT

      This women shot in the direction of her house with a .45 cal. hand gun. Another poster child for gun control.

      Why do these nitwits keep giving the gun control folks valid reasons.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#29 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:26 PM EDT

      Glad the skunk is ok. You just can't fix stupid - put food on your porch and then try to shoot the hapless creature that comes to eat it!? These people are too dumb to live.

      • 5 votes
      Reply#30 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:30 PM EDT

      I'm with you there. As you see, they are eliminating themselves, one at the time....or trying to.

        #30.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:40 PM EDT

        Whats worse is these people had 7 kids. The next question should be about the right to reproduce...

          #30.2 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:54 PM EDT

          What's worse is they vote !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          • 1 vote
          #30.3 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:03 PM EDT
          Reply

          And the skunk came back! Too funny.

          • 2 votes
          Reply#31 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:35 PM EDT

          He's well fed and feels safe, the woman shoots thing that chase him away!

          • 2 votes
          #31.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:48 PM EDT
          Reply

          Thank you NBC for distracting all the Democrats from the important issues. It worked.

            Reply#32 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:35 PM EDT

            No, we are not distracted from the important issues. Democrats can multitask. How about you?

            • 5 votes
            #32.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:43 PM EDT
            Reply

            Obviously, she has no idea what happens when you shoot a skunk. Especially with a .45. On the porch.

            They would never got the smell of skunk out of their house!!

            Hope he's all right.

            • 3 votes
            Reply#33 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:36 PM EDT

            the skunk you mean...yeah, me too. He needs to find a friendly place where he can eat. This one is definitely hostile.

              #33.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:39 PM EDT
              Reply

              HAHA...

              "damn woman cant you do anythin right"...last words from hillbilly husband

              • 1 vote
              Reply#34 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:38 PM EDT

              No last word from husband I new we should have bought that hunting dog, he would have smelt a real skunk!

                #34.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:51 PM EDT
                Reply

                She should have grabbed the shotgun. Would have killed the skunk and missed the hubby.

                  Reply#35 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:42 PM EDT

                  There's nothing in the Second Amendment saying you have to be smart to bear arms. This going to make conversation at the dinner table interesting, and Wow, what about the holidays when everyone comes over? Next question: Does she still have the .45 and how does hubby feel about that?

                    Reply#36 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:48 PM EDT

                    Seriously lady? you are going to kill a skunk for eating your cats food that you leave outside?? for the love of JC put the damn food inside! problem solved no? Cowboy wannabe! get a life.

                    • 2 votes
                    Reply#37 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:52 PM EDT

                    This story stinks.

                      Reply#38 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:07 PM EDT

                      I'll bet she's been practicing that bank shot for years...

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#39 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:17 PM EDT

                      College Station. Must have been aggies.

                        Reply#40 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:18 PM EDT

                        I doubt. Likely rednecks.

                          #40.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:38 PM EDT

                          alumette - aren't they the same thing?

                            #40.2 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:38 PM EDT
                            Reply

                            "Woman aims for husband, hits husband, blames skunk."

                            • 3 votes
                            Reply#41 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:19 PM EDT

                            Another gun owner shot by his own weapon...........yawn........

                            • 1 vote
                            Reply#42 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:31 PM EDT

                            I believe he was shot by his wife's weapon.

                              #42.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:15 PM EDT

                              And?............................................................................

                                #42.2 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:23 PM EDT
                                Reply

                                Is it legal to shoot a poor skunk who is simply hungry ? it certainly is unethical. I would put two bowls out, one for the cat and one for the skunk. By the way, cats should be indoors, living with the people.

                                • 2 votes
                                Reply#43 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:37 PM EDT

                                Only in Texa$$. Put your effen cat food bowls inside for awhile and the skunk will learn that it is no longer there. I get the feeling that a skunk will learn quicker than a texan. R. Perry for example.

                                • 3 votes
                                Reply#44 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:38 PM EDT

                                Doh!

                                How did I know it was Texas before I even clicked on it?

                                • 2 votes
                                Reply#45 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:39 PM EDT

                                Cause the story smelled like skunk, or husband?

                                  #45.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:54 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  She was just practicing to fight the UN when they invade Texas

                                    Reply#46 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:04 PM EDT

                                    I have fed little black and white skunks for years. I like watching them eat. It is the tea party skunks I won't feed.

                                    • 3 votes
                                    Reply#47 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:24 PM EDT

                                    More than one husband has been accused of being a skunk......

                                      Reply#48 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:25 PM EDT

                                      Next time, lady, use the shotgun.

                                        Reply#49 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:25 PM EDT

                                        In hindsight she will be glad she missed the varmint. A mortally wounded skunk will invariably void its scent glands, thereby rendering the house all but unlivable.

                                          Reply#50 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:28 PM EDT

                                          If I were her husband that house would not be too livable now for her! I'm sorry and a beer is not going to cut this one.

                                            #50.1 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:53 PM EDT
                                            Reply

                                            It all depends on how she looks at this now. In her opinion she may have missed one skunk and hit another.

                                              Reply#51 - Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:33 PM EDT
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