Lucas Kunce, Missouri’s Democratic Senate candidate, is facing some serious heat—not for a policy proposal, but for a campaign stunt gone wrong. During an event earlier this week, Kunce hosted a shooting session with none other than anti-Trump former congressman Adam Kinzinger.
The two were firing AR-15s at steel targets just yards away, which, let’s face it, is the first red flag. Sure enough, things went south when a fragment from one of the bullets ricocheted off the target and struck a reporter, Ryan Gamboa, in the arm. The best part? Kunce waited until two days after the incident to notify the local sheriff, only getting around to it after The Daily Wire started asking questions.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley wasted no time pointing out Kunce’s questionable decision-making. Missouri law requires that if you injure someone with a firearm, you’re supposed to file a report with law enforcement immediately. Kunce’s delayed response raised plenty of eyebrows, especially from Hawley, who took to social media to call out the apparent lawbreaking. “Did Lucas Kunce do that?” Hawley asked. “Failure to do so is a crime.” For someone vying for a Senate seat, Kunce’s handling of the situation isn’t exactly a confidence booster.
The scene after Josh Hawley’s opponent @LucasKunceMO accidentally shot a reporter at an event with Adam Kinzinger pic.twitter.com/OMtVjJ6dYr
— Mike Berg (@MikeKBerg) October 23, 2024
The response on social media has been just as brutal. Critics called out the sheer recklessness of firing high-powered rifles, like the .556 and .308 calibers Kunce and Kinzinger were using, at close-range steel targets. And here’s where it gets even worse: the minimum safe distance for shooting steel with those types of rifles is usually around 100 yards, not a mere seven yards, as Kunce’s event reportedly allowed. One comment summed it up pretty well: “You could’ve killed somebody today, you freaking moron. What kind of a brain-dead idiot shoots steel inside 10 yards with a rifle?”
So Kunce’s stunt at the fake gun range – where he shot the reporter – was organized by a criminal? Who is not supposed to have access to firearms? What is going on here pic.twitter.com/TrNmMS7Cup
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) October 24, 2024
Kunce’s response on social media didn’t exactly calm the waters, either. He went on to praise his “great day at the range” with Kinzinger and union workers, casually advising followers to “always have your first aid kit handy.” It’s an odd choice of words, considering the situation. The attempt to downplay the incident was met with accusations of irresponsibility from every corner, with many wondering how a Senate hopeful could be this oblivious about basic firearm safety.
“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,” Kunce wrote in a post on X. “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.”
Great day at the range today with my friend @AdamKinzinger. We got to hang out with some union workers while exercising our freedom. 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… pic.twitter.com/Qu4YxfrtrU
— Lucas Kunce (@LucasKunceMO) October 23, 2024
If Kunce was aiming for some macho credibility by showcasing his marksmanship, it clearly backfired. And as election day inches closer, trailing incumbent Josh Hawley by significant margins, Kunce may need more than a first aid kit to recover from this PR mess. This incident not only raises questions about Kunce’s judgment but also fuels concerns about his understanding of basic safety, both on and off the range. Missouri voters are left wondering: if this is how Kunce operates in a controlled campaign event, what would he be like making decisions in Washington?