Dog accidentally fires shotgun, striking woman yards away during chaotic gas station stop

A stray dog, a shotgun, and an accidental blast turned an ordinary refueling stop into a startling scene in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, Saturday afternoon. While the owner and a passenger paused at the Short Stop convenience store at 2002 Avenue I, the dog in the truck’s rear seat somehow triggered a live shotgun that fired a pellet through the vehicle’s front passenger‑side door and struck a woman several yards away. The victim’s injuries were not life‑threatening, but she was treated at the Regional West Medical Center.

The incident occurred just after noon when the truck pulled into the parking lot of the Short Stop. The owner stepped into the store for a quick purchase while the passenger stepped out, staying close to the front passenger‑side door. Inside the vehicle, the dog began to move in the rear seat area and made contact with a shotgun that was stored there. Police say the firearm had a live round in the chamber and was discharged when the dog’s movement triggered the trigger.

The blast punched through the front passenger‑side door, exited the parking lot, and hit a woman who was stopped at a nearby traffic light. Police report that the shotgun pellet struck the upper portion of her right arm, which was resting out the window at the time. “Her injuries were not considered life‑threatening,” the Scotts Bluff Police Department said, and a family member took her to the Regional West Medical Center for treatment.

No one else was injured. The truck’s passenger‑side door showed damage consistent with a shotgun blast, and investigators noted the initial call had mistakenly identified the weapon as a BB gun before being corrected to a shotgun.

The Scotts Bluff Police Department is continuing its investigation into the incident. As of now, authorities have not identified why the dog was present in the vehicle or how it accessed the firearm, but the case remains open.