Police say a man who accidentally fired a gun in a brewery in Ipswich, Massachusetts, injuring himself and a child, has been arrested.
The gun went off in the dining area of the True North Ale brewery on County Road Friday afternoon. Police arrived to find a man, identified Thursday as 35-year-old Donald Terenzoni of Newton, New Hampshire, suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Terenzoni was taken to a hospital to be treated, police said. A juvenile grazed by shrapnel was also brought to a hospital as a precaution. Another person who suffered a minor injury from shrapnel declined to be transported.
Investigators found Terenzoni is not licensed to carry a firearm in Massachusetts. Ipswich police said Thursday he faces three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, as well as charges of discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license and possession of ammunition without an FID card.
"A customer visiting with his family accidentally discharged his concealed handgun at the floor shortly after arriving, allegedly due to irresponsible handling," Jake and Gary Rogers of the brewery said in a statement Friday. "There was no malicious intent. However, several bystanders received minor injuries from shrapnel and we wish them speedy recoveries. Thank you to our staff members and Ipswich Police and Fire who all responded quickly and handled the situation admirably."
"Our vision has always been for the Taproom to be a fun community and family gathering place. Being a safe place to relax should go without saying," the statement continued. "We are licensed gun owners ourselves yet we must insist that a place like our Taproom is not a place for firearms."
