Eutta Phelps, a 68-year-old woman from Somerset, Kentucky, died on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, from a gunshot wound sustained in what was determined to be a tragic accident. At the time of her death, she was a passenger in a vehicle being driven by her 18-year-old grandson.
In the backseat of the car were two other teenage relatives who were handling a muzzle-loading pistol. Believing the firearm to be unloaded, the youths were playing with it when it discharged.
A single shot struck Phelps, causing a fatal injury. The driver immediately stopped the car and alerted emergency services. Eutta Phelps was rushed to a nearby hospital, but she did not survive.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident and concluded that the shooting was accidental. The authorities did not publicly announce any arrests or the filing of any charges in connection with the death. The investigation focused on the circumstances of the accidental discharge of the firearm by the teenage relative. The family was described as being deeply distraught by the event.
