Dick Cheney
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Dick Cheney's passing was confirmed on Tuesday, 4 November. Following his death, the hunting accident involving the former vice president has resurfaced.

Dick Cheney Hunting Accident in 2006 Revisited

In February 2006, Dick Cheney went on quail hunting in South Texas. However, he accidentally shot Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old lawyer, with his 28-gauge Perazzi shotgun.

Whittington was retrieving a bird when another covey took flight. Cheney fired but hit the attorney in the face, neck, and torso.

The hunting accident happened while Cheney was serving as the vice president of the United States under George W. Bush's presidency. Cheney was the 46th vice president of the US from 2001 to 2009.

Due to his position, Cheney received major public backlash over the hunting accident. The criticism was not just about the shooting, but why the incident was not reported immediately. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times broke the news nearly 24 hours later.

Dick Cheney Shooting Victim Apologised

Harry Whittington was a prominent lawyer from Austin, but he did not blame the then-VP for what he endured, calling it a 'misfortune.' According to him, the incident was difficult to explain to 'those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting.'

Whittington took accountability for what happened to him, saying, 'We all assume certain risks in whatever we do.' He considered the incident an 'accident' and apologised to Cheney.

'My family and I are deeply sorry for all Vice President Cheney and his family had to deal with this week,' Whittington said, per Fox News. 'We hope he will continue to come to Texas and seek the relaxation he deserves.'

The doctors said Whittington was in 'excellent health', so he was immediately released. Whittington passed away in 2023. He was 95, USA Today reported.

Dick Cheney Took The Blame For The Hunting Accident

​Dick Cheney also spoke with Fox News and said it was 'one of the worst days of my life.' Although Harry Whittington did not blame the politician, Cheney took the blame for the shooting accident, saying 'It was not Harry's fault.'

'You can't blame anybody else. I'm the guy who pulled the trigger and shot my friend,' Cheney said.

Recounting the incident, Cheney said he immediately ran to Whittington, and he saw him lying on his back bleeding. Cheney told him he had no idea he was there, but Whittington did not respond.

Whittington suffered 'a mild heart attack' following the shooting.

Dick Cheney Defends Decision To Delay The News

Dick Cheney received intense backlash because the report was not released immediately. Some accused his office of a lack of transparency. They also questioned why the news was only disclosed in a small local paper and not nationally.

'I thought that was the right call,' Cheney explained, while doubling down on his choice, saying, 'I still do.'

Then-President George was supportive of Cheney's decision, saying the latter handled the incident 'just fine.'

Dick Cheney Cause Of Death Revealed

Dick Cheney died over the weekend. He was 95.

His family announced his passing on Tuesday. The former vice president reportedly died from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease.

Cheney had a history of heart problems, having survived five heart attacks. Former President Bush released a statement following his passing.

'Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor, love, kindness, and fly fishing,' Bush said, per USA Today.

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