Gun goes off twice in woman's handbag at KC Health Dept.

KANSAS CITY — Police are investigating an accidental shooting at the Kansas City Health Department.

Health Department spokesman Jeff Hershberger said a gun in a woman’s handbag discharged when she set the bag down Friday morning in the atrium. The first bullet grazed a patron in the leg. Paramedics treated and released the victim at the scene.

The gun discharged a second bullet as the woman’s companion carried the bag out of the building. That shot didn’t hit anyone. Witnesses gave descriptions of the two after they fled the scene.

Kansas City has plans to upgrade its detection system at sites such as the Health Department pending a citywide security assessment.

The atrium’s customer service department reopened shortly after the incident.