Texas Commissioner Sentenced for Accidental Shooting

Mike Gardner, a 63-year-old county commissioner from Texas, has been sentenced to one year of probation after accidentally shooting his 12-year-old grandson during a wedding he was officiating in Nebraska. The incident occurred on September 30, 2023, when Gardner intended to fire a homemade blank round into the air to signal the start of the ceremony, but the gun discharged prematurely, causing a shoulder wound to the boy that, while serious, was not life-threatening. Initially charged with felony second-degree assault, Gardner pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor child abuse charge in a plea deal. He expressed deep remorse for the incident, stating, “It’s something I’ll have to deal with for the rest of my life.” Local authorities criticized the decision to bring a gun to a crowded event, labeling it as reckless behavior. Gardner has been ordered to cover the costs of his prosecution in addition to his probation.