Dog in Truck Shoots Woman at Traffic Light

SCOTTSBLUFF, NE — A dog in the back seat of a parked truck accidentally discharged a loaded shotgun Saturday, injuring a woman who was stopped at a nearby traffic light, police reported. 

Scottsbluff police were called to a convenience store around noon after receiving a report of a person shot by a BB gun. Officers learned en route that the incident involved a shotgun, according to the Scottsbluff Police Department. 

When officers arrived, they found a truck with an attached camper. The passenger-side door had damage consistent with a shotgun blast. Police said the truck’s owner had pulled into the store and was not inside the vehicle. A dog in the back seat moved from one side of the vehicle to the other, triggering the shotgun, which had a live shell in the chamber, causing it to fire. 

The shot struck a woman in the arm. Her injury was not life-threatening, and a family member transported her to Regional West Medical Center for treatment. 

The Scottsbluff Police Department reminded the public that it is illegal under Nebraska state statute to travel with a loaded shotgun in a vehicle.

“This incident also serves as an important reminder that firearm safety is of the utmost importance when handling, possessing, transporting, or maintaining any type of firearm,” a department spokesperson stated. 

The incident remains under investigation.