A Democratic Iowa House candidate claims she accidentally shot a sliding glass door with a Glock 21 belonging to her partner.
Sonya Heitshusen, 55, is running for Iowa House District 28, and her partner is an officer with the Des Moines police department, according to a Des Moines Register report. Ms. Heitshusen “admitted to having a couple drinks prior to the incident” before handling the .45 caliber gun belonging to her boyfriend, Luke Wilson, around 10:00 p.m. on June 27, according to a West Des Moines police report.
She said had received threats on social media after expressing her pro-life views she after Roe vs. Wade was overturned, according to a West Des Moines Police Department report. The legislative candidate told responding officer Benjamin Percival her boyfriend was out with friends so she retrieved his black Glock 21 from atop the china cabinet in their living room.
“Sonya stated after retrieving the firearm she went to set it down on the table in the kitchen and accidentally pulled the trigger in the process, thinking she was activating the safety,” wrote Officer Percival in his report. “As a result, Sonya fired one .45 caliber round through the window of the door leading to the
back patio area.”
Officer Percival noted law enforcement searched outside the residence but found no signs of additional damage resulting from the lone gunshot.
According to the Register report, Heitshusen explained that in light of the threats and because her partner is a police officer, she said, “There are firearms in our home for personal protection.”
“I’ve received ongoing threatening messages on social media,” she said in her statement to police. “Knowing my partner was leaving town for an extended period of time, I checked one of the firearms, and while checking it, an accidental discharge of the firearm occurred.”
“No one was hurt and no property was damaged other than my own,” Heitshusen stated. “I take full responsibility for the accident and we reported it to the police.”
Reckless use of a firearm causing property damage where no bodily injury occurs is an aggravated misdemeanor, in Iowa, carrying a maximum two-year sentence upon conviction.
Grant Woodard, her attorney, appeared before a Des Moines judge Tuesday. Woodard declined to comment when a reporter telephoned Thursday, so it is unclear when Heitshusen’s next hearing is scheduled.
UPDATED — This article was updated to include additional facts after receiving a copy of the responding officer’s police report. The lede was edited to correct the model of the gun, which is a Glock 21, instead of the initial description of it as a Glock 11 model.
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