Wilmington woman injured by stray bullet during Fourth of July trip to Nashville

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Fourth of July trip to Nashville turned dangerous for three Wilmington women after one of them was struck by a stray bullet while waiting for a rideshare.

Morgann Swan, Ashley Owens and Jennifer Kanady traveled to Nashville to celebrate the holiday weekend.

“We didn’t think anything worse could possibly happen and then it did,” Swan said.

The group said Thursday night went as planned. But on Friday, Owens fell off a scooter while on the way to brunch. She went to the emergency room with her friends by her side.

Despite the injury, the women continued with their plans to see Nashville’s fireworks show, which drew an estimated crowd of more than 300,000 people.

“It was really cool to see, honestly. There were kids on their parents’ shoulders. There’s all kinds of generations of family out there together, so it was a really fun experience,” Kanady said.

After the fireworks ended, the women waited for a ride in a designated rideshare area. That’s when Swan was suddenly injured.

“I heard something that kind of sounded like somebody throwing a popper,” Owens said. “And she just looks at me and goes, ‘Ouch, oh my gosh,’ and her leg starts bleeding. And we are like—was it a rock? Was it something flying up from the cars? Because we were on the corner.”

Swan said she did not realize it was a gunshot.

“When I was hit, I wasn’t thinking it was a gunshot at all. I didn’t hear anything. I just felt something hot and sharp,” she said.

Kanady used a tourniquet to slow the bleeding until emergency crews arrived. Paramedics transported Swan to the hospital, where doctors confirmed she had been struck by a bullet.

Officials later said the bullet may have come from what they called celebratory gunfire — shots fired into the air during large gatherings.

“It’s not—there’s no such thing,” Owens said. “That’s completely inexcusable. There’s no reason to do that. What goes up must come down. Morgan’s was bad enough, but some people were hit in the face, shoulders, neck areas—I mean, it’s just completely inexcusable.”

Swan is still recovering.

 “There was a bullet in my leg and, um, I think I’m still in shock. But, um, I am still trying to process a lot. But I am just grateful to be okay, to walk out of there.”

Doctors advised Swan not to have surgery to remove the bullet immediately. It passed through muscle and is now sitting in soft tissue. Her medical team will re-evaluate her condition in three weeks.