In the winter of 2014, the life of 23-year-old Christopher Scott Cody Bunch was cut tragically short in what was described as an accidental shooting. On the evening of December 30th, in a home on Dutch Valley Road in Anderson County, Tennessee, a group of friends were gathered and discussing a. 45-caliber handgun. As they talked, the weapon discharged while being held by Joseph Eric McClane, a friend of Bunch. The single bullet struck Christopher, a male, in the chest.
He was pronounced dead shortly after 10:00 p.m.
Deputies from the Anderson County Sheriff's Department responded to the scene to find a neighbor attempting to render first aid. McClane told authorities that he was trying to de-cock the firearm's hammer when it slipped, causing the gun to fire. Witnesses at the scene corroborated this account, stating that the gun 'just went off.' The incident was immediately investigated, with the case being referred to the Criminal Investigations Division, however, no criminal charges were ultimately filed in the death of Christopher Bunch.
In the wake of the shooting, Christopher's mother, Marcella 'Marcy' Bunch, filed a $6 million wrongful death lawsuit in December of 2015. The civil suit named Joseph McClane, the owner of the handgun Joshua Hutchins, and the homeowners Robert and Melissa Kemp as defendants. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants' collective actions amounted to gross negligence and recklessness, leading to the untimely death of Christopher, who was confined to a wheelchair due to spina bifida and was unable to move out of the way. The suit sought $5 million in damages and an additional $1 million in punitive damages.
