North Shore Brewery Gunshot: 'Our Taproom Is Not A Place For Firearms'

IPSWICH, MA — Owners of a North Shore brewery and tap room restaurant are telling customers to leave their guns at home when visiting the restaurant after an accidental discharge of a weapon sent two people, including the gun owner, to the hospital on Friday.

Ipswich police said the shot was fired shortly after 5 p.m. at the True North Ale brewery on County Road in Ipswich.

Police said a man in the dining area was carrying the gun when it accidentally went off with the bullet striking the gun owner and a piece of shrapnel injuring a juvenile in the dining area. Both the gun owner and the juvenile were taken to the hospital for treatment, while a third person who suffered a minor shrapnel injury during the incident declined medical transportation.

Police said there was no threat to the public and the incident remains under investigation.

"Thank you to our staff members and Ipswich Police and Fire who all responded quickly and handled the situation admirably," True North Ale owners Jake and Gary Rogers said in a message on social media this weekend. "Our vision has always been for the taproom to be a fun community and family gathering place. Being a safe place to relax should go without saying.

"We are licensed gun owners ourselves yet we must insist that a place like our taproom is not a place for firearms."

Ipswich police have not said whether there will be any charges filed as a result of the gunshot.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)