A Georgia man is making headlines after accidentally shooting his mother-in-law in the back after a bullet ricocheted off an armadillo and into a nearby mobile home. Larry McElroy was simply following protocol when he pulled out his 9mm pistol and shot the armadillo, as authorities in the area actually recommend shooting armadillos as an effective method of population control (in place of trapping), but things went awry when the bullet ricocheted off the armadillo and landed in his mother-in-law’s back.
Investigators on the scene were rightfully skeptical when they were told the bizarre tale, but after what seems to be a pretty thorough investigation, Mr. McElroy’s story checks out.
LEE CO., GA (WALB) – Authorities say a woman was accidentally shot by her son-in-law while he was trying to shoot an armadillo.
The incident had a lot of people scratching their heads- even law enforcement.
“Just the circumstances, just all the way around, the whole situation was unusual,” said Investigator Bill Smith with the Lee county Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting happened Sunday night on Gosa Road.
Lee County Sheriff’s deputies said 54-year-old Larry McElroy was outside when he fired his 9 mm pistol at the armadillo. The bullet killed the animal, but also ricocheted off of it, hit a fence, went through the back door of his mother-in-law’s mobile home, through a recliner she was sitting in, and into her back.
According to a report, McElroy was about 100 yards away from the home at the time.
McElroy’s mother-in-law, 74-year-old Carol Johnson was fortunately not severely injured.
“She was walking around on her own power and talking,” said Smith. “It didn’t appear to be too severe. They took her to Phoebe North [hospital].”
At first I ask if they live in the city or county, because shooting is an effective way of getting rid of them. However, you have to be safe when you do that,” said Morgan.
Authorities also suggest using a shotgun to possibly avoid a situation like what happened Sunday.
“I really think if they’re going to shoot at varmints and whatnot, maybe use a shotgun.. with a spread pattern with a lot less range,” Smith said.
Lesson learned: when trying to shoot dinosaurs, always use a shotgun.
If he’d simply upped his firepower he’d never have shot his mother-in-law in the back, costing him a lifetime of chores and servitude to both his wife and her mother.
For those of you that aren’t too familiar with the armadillo, it’s one of the most armored creatures in the animal kingdom. Its entire body is covered in plates, and when it is threatened the armadillo is able to roll up into a ball and is virtually impenetrable. There’s also this video, one of my favorites on the Internet:
And in addition to spreading leprosy throughout the world, they’re actually quite adorable at times: