Woman shot by own gun while driving in Pasco, now fighting for her life

A woman is fighting for her life in a Pasco hospital after she was shot by her own gun while it was being reassembled by a passenger in her car.

Pasco police so far are calling it an unintentional shooting, but add that it’s an active investigation and “all options will be considered until the case is complete.”

The names and ages of the woman and man have not been released by police.

The shooter is not in custody and has been interviewed by detectives.

“Police do not believe there is any additional risk to the public,” the department wrote in a Facebook post.

Officers responded to Lourdes Medical Center at 1:52 p.m. Saturday for reports of a woman with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Her “grave internal injuries” required emergency surgery, police said.

Both the man and the woman have concealed pistol licenses and were planning to do some recreational shooting later Saturday, according to initial accounts.

The woman was driving while the man, who was in the front passenger seat, took apart her pistol and then put it back together. That’s when the pistol discharged.

The bullet went through the shooter’s left hand, then hit the driver’s right arm and went into her torso, police said.

Anyone with pertinent information for detectives is asked to call the Pasco Police Department at 509-545-3421 or non-emergency dispatch at 509-545-3510.

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Woman shot by own gun while driving in Pasco, now fighting for her life."