Crime & Safety

Naked Man's Gun Goes Off While Practicing Stripping the Weapon

He's charged with reckless endangerment in Milwaukee County Court after he misfired, leaving a hole in the wall just six feet from where his wife was sitting.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the suspect's name who has now officially been charged in Milwaukee County Court. 

Sitting naked on his living room floor, a Bayside man accidentally shot his handgun through his apartment wall, shattering a red vase in his neighbor's apartment. He told police he was just practicing stripping the weapon, but practice didn't make perfect in this situation. 

According to the report: 

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received a 911 call at 4:21 p.m. Sunday from a resident at reporting a possible gun shot coming through her apartment. Shortly after, another resident called to report that he was responsible for the accidental gunshot that went through his neighbor's wall.

Michael Shuster, 53, told police he had accidentally fired his handgun and the round had gone through the wall of his apartment. The Springfield XD 0.45 caliber semi-automatic handgun was lying on the living room floor on top of its case with the loaded magazine lying next to the gun, and a round still in the chamber.

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Shuster said he was practicing loading, unloading and dry firing the gun, while sitting on the living room floor.

He said he was practicing stripping the weapon, loading and unloading it with a loaded magazine, while sitting naked on his living room floor. Shuster said he was practicing pulling the trigger to improve his muscle memory, but thought the gun was unloaded when it went off. 

He told police he thought the gun was empty when he pointed it at a painting hanging on the wall of the apartment, pulled the trigger and the gun went off. He said he went next door to make sure his neighbor was OK, then returned to his apartment and called 911 to report the incident.

Shuster's wife said she was sitting in the living room in a chair just a few feet away watching TV when the gun went off. The chair was only about six feet from where the bullet entered the wall. 

He said he purchased the handgun this spring from Gander Mountain. Shuster said he didn’t have any formal training with the gun, but does shoot it at a range several times per month. 

He told police he feels horrible and embarrassed.

Police took him to the district attorney's office and then back to his apartment where the voluntarily turned over his other gun, an unloaded Ruger LCP 0.380 handgun which he said he keeps in his bedroom. Both weapons were secured at Bayside Police Department.

Police checked out the other apartment and found red broken glass all over. The bullet had gone through the wall and shattered a red vase. The bullet was found lodged inside a vase near the couch. 

Shuster is charged with reckless endangerment by Milwaukee County Court, and now faces fines of up to $10,000 and possibly nine months in prison. 


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