Quick Hit:

Missouri Democrat and U.S. Senate candidate Lucas Kunce is under investigation after a reporter was struck by a bullet fragment at a campaign event on Tuesday. Kunce delayed reporting the incident, leading to scrutiny from Senator Josh Hawley and press outlets who pointed out potential violations of state law.

Key Details:

• Following the incident, Senator Josh Hawley raised concerns that Lucas Kunce may have violated Missouri law by delaying the report of a shooting Hawley tweeted: “Missouri law requires any person who causes injury with a firearm to file a report with law enforcement immediately. Did Lucas Kunce do that? Failure to do so is a crime.”

• Kunce informed the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office about the shooting incident two days later, only after The Daily Wire made inquiries into whether he had complied with state law.

• The incident occurred during a campaign event on Tuesday where Kunce and former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger fired rifles at steel targets at close range. A bullet fragment struck reporter Ryan Gamboa in the arm.

Diving Deeper:

Missouri Senate candidate Lucas Kunce is now the subject of a police investigation after a reporter was injured by a bullet fragment at a campaign event. Kunce hosted the event at a private residence on Tuesday, accompanied by former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger. Both men fired high-powered rifles at steel targets positioned only yards away, a decision that led to a ricochet or fragment striking Ryan Gamboa, a reporter covering the event, in the arm.

Kunce’s failure to immediately report the incident to authorities has ignited controversy. Missouri law explicitly requires that any firearm-related injury be reported to law enforcement without delay. However, according to The Daily Wire, Kunce waited until two days later—after receiving inquiries from the outlet—before contacting the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s department confirmed that the incident is now under investigation but has not disclosed further details.

On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley, Kunce’s Republican opponent, highlighted the potential legal violations in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Hawley, who previously served as Missouri’s Attorney General, tweeted, “Serious question. Missouri law requires any person who causes injury with a firearm to file a report with law enforcement immediately. Did Lucas Kunce do that? Failure to do so is a crime 👇.”

Kunce responded to the incident by posting on X, downplaying the severity of the injury. “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,” Kunce wrote. But the post was met with immediate backlash.

Critics, including Ben Domenech, CEO of The Federalist, slammed Kunce for the reckless decision to fire at steel targets from such a short distance. “You could’ve killed somebody today, you freaking moron,” Domenech tweeted. Other commenters pointed out that shooting rifles like the .556 and .308 at steel targets from only seven yards is a dangerous practice. Standard safety protocols recommend at least 100 yards of distance to avoid the risk of ricochets or flying fragments.