‘Could’ve Killed Someone’: Conservatives Blast Dem Candidate For Gun Photo-Op That Injured Reporter With Shrapnel

Conservatives and gun advocates criticized Democratic Missouri Senate candidate Lucas Kunce on Tuesday and Wednesday for a gun range photo-op that resulted in a reporter being injured by shrapnel.

Kunce, who is aiming to take Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley’s seat in November, was at a gun range Tuesday with former Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger when a TV reporter was wounded with shrapnel. In response, critics slammed Kunce and the photo-op, pointing out violations of gun safety, like shooting steel at too close of a range.

“They are shooting steel at 5-7 yards with rifles, which could’ve killed somebody given the force with which the bullets will ricochet off the steel targets at that distance,” CEO of The Federalist and gun range owner Sean Davis said on X. “You would instantly get permanently banned at my range if you did that. Zero questions asked.”

“There are at least two canisters of explosive Tannerite powder on the table, down range from where guns are being fired,” Davis said on X. “That could’ve potentially killed or seriously injured someone if someone shot it or if someone was stupid enough to be shooting close enough to steel for a ricochet to hit it.”

There appeared to be bottles of explosive compound Tannerite, which is commonly used on gun ranges but is kept at safe distances, on the table close to active gunfire, according to Kunce’s post on X. The manufacturer of the compound stresses that it should be stored safely when not in use and that misuse could result in “serious injury or death.”

Typically, Tannerite targets are placed downrange at a minimum of 100 yards, according to the manufacturer guidelines.