Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded another hunter with birdshot on a quail hunting trip Saturday.
Harry Whittington, an attorney, suffered a barrage of birdshot in the cheek, neck and chest. Although it broke the skin, Whittington was reported to be alert and in stable condition at a nearby hospital as of press time.
The two were hunting at a Texas ranch belonging to Katharine Armstrong, and Cheney was hunting with a valid license.
According to eyewitness accounts, Cheney allegedly did not see Whittington as he was retrieving a dead quail behind him. While aiming at a flying quail, Cheney unknowingly moved his gun toward Whittington and fired, hitting the man from 30 yards away with a .28 gauge shotgun.
Cheney's office failed to report the incident publicly for nearly 24 hours. Even then, they commented only after an online newspaper near the Texas ranch had picked up the story.
