Snuggling Up with Guns

The Captain reported back in October about a man shooting himself in his slumber. Now we have another similar incident, but this time the man was in his car with his wife and kids.

A 30-year old Michigan man shot himself Monday morning while napping in his car parked on the Ohio Turnpike.

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers are investigating the 1:38 a.m. shooting, but troopers said it appears Mahmoud Ajaj of Dearborn, Mich., accidentally shot himself after falling asleep.

Ajaj grew tired while driving and decided to park on the side of a westbound lane near Fremont, said Sgt. Gregory Blake, with the state patrol's District 10 Investigation section.

In the car with Ajaj was his wife and two children, ages 3 years old and 7 months old. After parking on the side of the highway, Ajaj took out a gun that was in his car's glovebox, troopers said.

"He said it was for protection in case someone tried to rob them," Blake said.

Ajaj held the gun on his chest, the barrel pointing toward the driver's-side door. As he drifted off to sleep, he inadvertently squeezed the trigger.

"It appears like an accidental shooting," Blake said.

[Sandusky Register]