In a bizarre incident that would become one of the most memorable political scandals of the 2000s, former US Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot a companion during a quail hunting trip in Texas, leaving the man hospitalised with serious injuries.
The February 2006 incident occurred at the Armstrong Ranch in Kenedy County, Texas, where Cheney was hunting quail with 78-year-old attorney Harry Whittington. What began as a leisurely weekend activity quickly turned into an international news story that would dominate headlines for weeks.
The Fateful Shot That Echoed Around the World
According to official reports, Cheney fired at a covey of quail while Whittington was approximately 30 yards away. The Vice President failed to see Whittington approaching from his side, and pellets from his 28-gauge shotgun struck the attorney in his face, neck and chest.
The immediate aftermath was chaotic, with Cheney's security detail rushing to provide emergency medical attention while arranging transport to hospital. Whittington suffered what doctors described as "minor heart issues" due to shotgun pellets travelling to his heart, along with a collapsed lung.
A Media Firestorm Ignites
The incident sparked controversy not just because of its nature, but due to the handling of its disclosure. The public wasn't informed until the following day, and the initial report came not from the White House but from the ranch owner.
President George W. Bush, Cheney's close political ally, learned of the incident the morning after it occurred. The delayed disclosure fuelled accusations of transparency issues within the administration and led to intense media scrutiny.
The Political Fallout
Cheney eventually gave an exclusive interview to Fox News, defending his handling of the situation while expressing regret for the accident. "It was one of the worst days of my life," Cheney stated during the interview.
Whittington, displaying remarkable grace, publicly absolved Cheney of blame, telling reporters: "My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through."
The hunting accident became fodder for late-night television comedians and editorial cartoonists, cementing its place in American political folklore as a symbol of the Cheney vice presidency's controversial nature.
