Lawyer Dies in Freak Accident After MRI Machine Triggers His Own Gun to Shoot Him

A freak shooting accident of a Brazilian lawyer has sparked renewed calls for gun safety across the world.

The odd incident unfolded on January 16th. That day, gun enthusiast Leandro Mathias de Novaes was accompanying his mother to an appointment at the Laboratorio Cura in São Paulo, Brazil. The pair had been asked to remove all metal objects before walking into the MRI room. He and his mother even signed forms regarding the facility’s protocols. Yet, Novaes decided to keep his weapon strapped to him. What happened next sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel.

When Novaes entered the room, the MRI’s strong magnetic field forcefully snatched the gun from his waistband, causing it to go off, striking him in the abdomen. He was quickly rushed to the São Luiz Morumbi Hospital. Sadly, he passed away from his injuries on February 6th after weeks of fighting for his life.

Electrical pulses flowing through the metal coils of the MRI machine create a magnetic field, which can be 140,000 times stronger than the earth’s magnetic field. This is why anything metal is strongly prohibited when interacting with the powerful imaging machine.

Laboratorio Cura released a statement shortly after the death, sending their condolences but reiterating that Novaes was warned of the dangers.