No charges after flyaway metal grazes reporter at event for Missouri's Democratic Senate candidate

Democratic U.S. senate candidate Lucas Kunce, right, applies first aid... — Democratic U.S. senate candidate Lucas Kunce, right, applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after Gamboa was struck by a metal fragment during a sport shooting campaign event Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 in Holt, Missouri. Credit: AP/Dominick Williams

By The Associated PressUpdated October 30, 2024 6:22 pm

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri will not be charged after a reporter was slightly injured from flyaway metal during a campaign event at a shooting range.

Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish in a Monday report said there was no “ill intent” by Democrat Lucas Kunce or other shooters at the Oct. 22 event on a private shooting range about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

The KSHB-TV reporter felt a pinch and later noticed he was bleeding, according to the police report. He continued to cover the event after being bandaged by Kunce, then was treated for a minor injury at a hospital.

He declined to press charges, calling it a “freak” accident, according to the police report.

Fish wrote that it's also unclear who fired the round that led to the injury.

The shooting event, which also featured a former Republican U.S. congressman who is backing Kunce's bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, appeared to be aimed at garnering support for Kunce among gun-owners, Republicans and moderates in a state now defined by the GOP's political dominance, including a strong belief in gun rights.

Speaking last week at rally on a farm near Jefferson City, Hawley said that Kunce’s campaign has long needed “a shot in the arm” but that “he’s taken it too literally.”

Democratic U.S. senate candidate Lucas Kunce, center, applies first aid... — Democratic U.S. senate candidate Lucas Kunce, center, applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa, left, after Gamboa was struck by a metal fragment during a sport shooting campaign event Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 in Holt, Missouri. Credit: AP/Dominick Williams

He criticized the Kunce event as unsafe, saying that Kunce was too close to steel targets to be firing an AR-15-style rifle. Fish said that after the event he measured the distance between the firing range and targets at about 10 yards. The reporter said he was about 10 yards back from the shooters.

“I know we’ve got some reporters here today. I just want to say to you guys: Listen, I promise you I will not shoot you — no matter how many tough questions you ask," Hawley told journalists covering his farm rally. "And I call on Lucas Kunce right now to pledge never to shoot another reporter again.”

Kunce in a statement last week said safety is important to the campaign, “which is why the range was set up and run by a NRA Training Counselor.”

“But any time you are handling weapons, you need to be prepared,” he said. “We acted quickly and I’m glad the reporter was okay and able to keep reporting.”