On December 31, 2018, Boone County deputies were dispatched to Witham Memorial Hospital regarding a gunshot victim. Deputies met with the victim, James Brown, 48 of Zionsville. Brown informed the deputies that he had went outside to shoot his .44 caliber lever action rifle with a friend using ammunition that he had just made with a reload kit he received as a gift. Brown and his friend both stated that when he shot the rifle using one of the reload rounds, the casing of the reloaded round exploded inside the rifle sending shrapnel into his arm and face. Brown was then transported to Witham by his friend and mother, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.On January 3, 2019, Boone County investigators were contacted regarding a male subject who had shown up at Witham Hospital with a gunshot wound. Deputies made contact with the victim, Mark Gregory 63, of Thorntown. Gregory stated that he was in his barn attempting to remove his Derringer pistol
from a hidden compartment when it fell. The pistol then hit an unknown object which caused it to discharge. Gregory was struck with a single .410 buckshot round in his upper thigh. Gregory was then taken to Witham hospital by his wife and later transferred to St. Vincent’s, where he was treated for non-life-
threatening injuries and released.
Currently, there is no evidence of foul play with either shooting. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate both cases.