Dog accidentally shoots someone outside Nebraska convenience store while owner was inside shopping

By WILKO MARTÍNEZ-CACHERO, US REPORTER Published: 02:17, 25 May 2026 | Updated: 02:29, 25 May 2026 A dog accidentally shot someone outside of a convenience store in Nebraska after its owner went inside, police said. Officers responded to the Short Stop convenience store in Scottsbluff, about seven hours west of Omaha, at 12.07pm on Saturday following reports that someone had been shot, according to KNOP. Officers from the Scottsbluff Police Department were initially told that the shooting involved a BB gun, the outlet reported. But as law enforcement rushed to the store at 2002 Avenue I, they learned it was actually a shotgun that had been fired. When authorities arrived, they found a truck with a camper attached and damage on the passenger-side door consistent with a shotgun blast.  The truck's owner had gone inside the store as another person stood outside near the passenger-side door, police said. At that point, the dog, who was sitting in the back seat, allegedly jumped from one side of the truck to the other. Police said the dog, whose breed has not been revealed, accidentally triggered a loaded shotgun inside the truck. The victim has not been identified. The shooting happened Saturday around 12.07pm at the Short Stop convenience store in Scottsbluff, Nebraska Dispatchers initially told the Scottsbluff Police Department that the incident involved a BB gun, but officers learned it was actually a shotgun while on the way there The dog accidentally firing off the weapon also caused a nearby woman to be hit by a pellet in the upper right arm. She was stopped at the traffic light on Avenue I with her arm resting out of the window, according to the outlet. The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, was subsequently rushed to the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff for treatment. However, her injury was not believed to be life-threatening. The shooting remained under investigation by the Scottsbluff police. It is illegal to travel with a loaded shotgun in a vehicle, according to Nebraska state law. Law enforcement said the incident served as an 'important reminder that firearm safety is of the utmost importance when handling, possessing, transporting, or maintaining any type of firearm,' per KNEB. Should owners face charges if their pets cause gun-related accidents like this? What's your view? Police said the loaded shotgun was discharged when the dog, siting in the back seat, jumped from one side of the truck to the other A nearby woman was hit by a pellet in the upper right arm and taken to the Regional West Medical Center for treatment  Despite the incident's bizarre nature, other shootings by dogs have been reported in the US over the past year. In November, a 53-year-old Pennsylvania man was allegedly shot in the back by his dog, according to Shillington police cited by WFMZ. The unnamed man said he was cleaning his shotgun and had laid his firearm on the bed when his dog jumped up. The canine apparently saw his owner setting the gun down as an invitation to jump on the bed to be pet, discharging the weapon in the process. After the shooting, the Shillington man was rushed to the hospital to undergo surgery for his injuries. Law enforcement said the shooting, although unusual, appeared accidental. In that incident, it was believed that the dog's paw could have gotten caught inside the trigger with the safety off. The Daily Mail reached out to the Scottsbluff Police Department for comment on Saturday's shooting. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.