Man whose gun went off inside sock at Augusta graduation in court
Gary Atherton, the 38-year-old man accused of shooting himself in the foot and injuring a bystander at Augusta High School with a .380-caliber pistol hidden in his sock, made his first appearance in a Butler County courtroom on Wednesday.
Atherton is charged with one felony count of aggravated battery and one misdemeanor count of unlawful discharge of a firearm in a city, according to the Butler County Attorney’s Office.
Police have said Atherton’s gun discharged at Augusta High School’s graduation ceremony on May 15 when he tried to adjust its position in his sock.
A 28-year-old woman who was standing about 50 feet away was also struck by the bullet. The woman was treated and released from the hospital less than a day later.
Atherton is scheduled to next appear in a Butler County courtroom at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.
Matt Riedl: 316-268-6660, @RiedlMatt
This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Man whose gun went off inside sock at Augusta graduation in court."