Dick Cheney accidentally shot Harry Whittington while quail hunting on February 11, 2006, on the Armstrong Ranch in Texas.

Key details

  • The incident happened during a quail hunt at the Armstrong Ranch in South Texas, where Cheney was aiming at a bird and struck Whittington, a 78‑year‑old attorney, with shotgun pellets.
  • News of the shooting did not become public until the following day, when the ranch owner contacted the local newspaper, the Corpus Christi Caller‑Times.

Quick context

  • Cheney was serving as vice president of the United States at the time, which made the accident a major national and late‑night comedy story in early 2006.
  • Whittington survived the shooting, later spoke publicly about it, and even expressed regret for the trouble the incident caused Cheney.

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