Missouri Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Lucas Kunce accidentally shot a local television reporter during a campaign event Tuesday.
Kunce, who is running against incumbent Sen. Josh Haley, R-Mo., was firing at a set of targets at a private resident in Holt, Missouri, when a stray bullet fragment wounded TV reporter Ryan Gamboa, the Kansas City Star reported.
The fragment appeared to have ricocheted off a target. Kunce, who had been shooting an AR-15, was the only person firing when the injury occurred.
The candidate, a former Marine, then provided first aid to Gamboa, who was bleeding from his arm. Kunce wrapped gauze and his belt around the reporter’s arm to help stop the bleeding.
Gamboa, whose wound later was wrapped with medical tape, remained at the event and continued his assignment. He later went to be checked out at a nearby hospital, and said his injuries were minor, KSHB reported.
“You never know what’s going to happen — shrapnel can ricochet off anything, and you’ve got to be prepared,” Kunce said in a written statement, the Star reported. “We were able to handle the situation, and I’m grateful Ryan is OK and could continue reporting.”
Hawley took to social media to comment on and share posts about the shooting.