Shooting victim suffers a mild heart attack

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Heart specialists are keeping a close watch on Harry Whittington, who had a mild heart attack early Tuesday after a shotgun pellet migrated to his heart, a complication of the accidental shooting by Vice President Dick Cheney while the two were hunting.

Meanwhile, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said it will classify the Saturday shooting as an error in judgment by Cheney, said Steve Hall, education director for the department. Members of the hunting party have blamed Whittington for not announcing his location to the others.

Cheney's office issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying the vice president was keeping closely informed of Whittington's condition. Cheney also called Whittington, who was listed in stable condition.

"The vice president wished Mr. Whittington well and asked if there was anything he needed. The vice president said that he stood ready to assist," the statement said. "Mr. Whittington's spirits were good, but obviously his situation deserves the careful monitoring that his doctors are providing."

The accident occurred Saturday afternoon when Cheney swung his shotgun on a rising quail and fired, striking Whittington, who reportedly was about 30 yards away.

Dr. David Blanchard, director of emergency services for Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi-Memorial, said the 78-year-old attorney had a heart attack at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday due to inflammation caused by the pellet. The small birdshot that caused an atrial fibrillation was one of many that remained lodged in Whittington's face, neck and upper torso after he was hurt at the Armstrong Ranch.

"We are very, very optimistic that with Mr. Whittington's strong heart, his personality, his stamina, his will, he will do very well," said Blanchard. "He will have the full life that the Lord intended him to have. This shouldn't affect that one way or another."

Before the noontime announcement by hospital officials, they repeatedly had said Whittington had not developed any complications and was moved out of intensive care Monday afternoon. And while hospital officials had acknowledged that dozens of shotgun pellets remained in Whittington's body, they did not disclose that any of the small birdshot was near the Austin lawyer's vital organs.