Dick Cheney accidentally shot Harry Whittington, a 78‑year‑old Texas attorney and fellow hunter, during a quail hunting trip in Texas in February 2006.

Quick answer

  • The person Dick Cheney shot was Harry Whittington , a Texas lawyer and Republican donor who was part of his hunting party.
  • The incident happened on a ranch near Riviera, Texas, during a quail hunt in February 2006.
  • Whittington was hit in the face, neck, and chest with birdshot but survived the accident.

What happened in the incident

  • Cheney fired a 28‑gauge shotgun at a quail that flushed while the group was hunting, and Whittington was struck by the pellets instead of the bird.
  • Reports described Whittington as having stepped away from the hunting line to retrieve a downed bird shortly before he was hit.
  • He was taken to a hospital, treated for birdshot wounds, and later experienced a minor heart issue related to a pellet near his heart, but was eventually released.

Aftermath and public reaction

  • Whittington publicly described it as an accident and even apologized for the trouble the incident caused Cheney and his family.
  • The event quickly became a major news story and the subject of extensive media commentary and late‑night jokes, and it is still frequently referenced in political discussions and forums today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.