Senate hopeful Lucas Kunce trolled after journo struck by bullet fragment at shooting range campaign event

HOLT, MISSOURI: Things went awry at a shooting range campaign event for US Senate candidate Lucas Kunce on Tuesday, October 22, when a bullet fragment hit a TV reporter.

The Democrat — who’s running for Senate in Missouri — subsequently tended to the injured journalist at the shooting range north of Kansas City.

Lucas Kunce's campaign event takes a dangerous turn

Democrat Lucas Kunce was at a private residence near Holt, Missouri, alongside former Rep Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Illinois.

Kunce was firing an AR-15 when things took a turn for the worse - a bullet fragment apparently ricocheted off a target and struck KSHB-TV reporter Ryan Gamboa in the arm.

Kunce, a former Marine with 13 years of service, didn’t hesitate; he wrapped gauze and used his belt to stop the bleeding. He added some medical tape for good measure.

Despite the injury, Gamboa stayed at the range to keep working on his assignment. Later, he headed over to a nearby hospital just to make sure everything was okay. Luckily, the reporter’s injuries turned out to be minor, and he was quickly discharged.

A photo from the incident shows Kunce leaning over to help bandage Gamboa’s arm, with blood visible on the reporter’s sleeve. Kinzinger looked visibly concerned about what had just happened as he stood nearby.

Kunce later said he was relieved that Gamboa was alright, insisting that his campaign had counted on the shooting range’s safety measures.

Kunce’s campaign has leaned heavily on his military experience, often featuring him handling firearms in ads.

This particular event, however, did not bode well for the candidate just two weeks before Election Day - especially with Kunce trailing behind incumbent Senator Josh Hawley, who’s seeking a second term, the Kansas City Star reported.

Josh Hawley and other critics pile on Lucas Kunce's mishap at shooting range

It didn’t take long for incumbent Josh Hawley to seize on the opportunity. The GOP firebrand wasted no time posting jabs on social media. He sarcastically wrote on X, “I condemn all acts of violence against reporters and call on Kunce never to shoot another one,” adding laughing emojis.

Hawley kept the jokes coming. “While Kunce was busy shooting at reporters, Erin and I were traveling the state,” he wrote in another post alongside a clip from one of his campaign events.

He even shared a photo of his grandmother holding a rifle, claiming she’s a better shot than Kunce. 

Hawley’s posts didn’t stop there; he even threw Vice President Kamala Harris into the mix. “Will Kamala condemn the gun violence by Kunce and Kinzinger?” he asked.

Kunce, on the other hand, tried to downplay the incident.

He posted on X, “Great day at the range today with my friend @AdamKinzinger. We got to hang out with some union workers while exercising our freedom. Always have your first aid kit handy. Shrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today, and you’ve got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I’m glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting.”

However, the post didn’t exactly go over well with everyone.

Internet reacts to Lucas Kunce's shooting range mishap and the campaign ahead

The incident stirred up a lot of opinions, and the majority were not in Kunce's favor. Former Rep Peter Meijer — a Republican with a history of criticizing former President Donald Trump (like Kinzinger) — also blasted the Senate hopeful.

“Photos before incident look like Kunce was firing at a (presumably steel) target from well under 10 meters. What a stupid, reckless photo op," Meijer fumed.

Conservative commentator Benny Johnson also jumped into the fray. “Democrat politicians love Dick Cheney so much they’re now shooting random innocent people,” he quipped in a reference to the former Vice President's infamous hunting accident. This even got a repost from Hawley.

Sean Davis, CEO of The Federalist, pointed out what he saw as serious safety issues. He flagged several problems with the event’s setup, including targets being too close, using a high-powered scope for short-range shooting, Kinzinger’s improper use of eye protection, and even some explosive tannerite powder spotted on a table near the firearms.

Despite all the drama, Kunce and Kinzinger kept their schedule and went on to host a rally in Kansas City later that day. But with Election Day just around the corner, this incident could have a lasting impact on the campaign.

Kunce is already facing an uphill battle against Hawley, who held a major lead in a recent poll by Emerson College and The Hill that showed Hawley at 51% support to Kunce’s 40%.

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