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2 People Injured By Live Ammo At Tall Ships Festival

DANA POINT (CBSLA.com) — Two people were slightly  injured by live ammunition during a mock sea battle at the Tall Ships Festival in Dana Point Saturday.

Authorities say someone inadvertently loaded a live shotgun shell  in one of the cannons on a tall ship competing in a mock sea battle.

The bird shot struck two people. Their injuries were not not life threatening.

Art Barron, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to Donna Reed, a crew member of a ship named the Bill of Rights

Reed showed Barron her battle scarred legs cut up by what looks like bird shot.

"I could have had an eye knocked out," said Reed. "We are questioning exactly what happened. There is an investigation. But this sort of thing doesn't happen."

Reed told Barron she considered herself lucky. Her wounds could have been a lot worse. And she was glad only one of the 64 passengers -- many of them small children -- aboard was struck.

"If that cannon had just been an inch higher, or if the ship had hit a wave, anything could have happened. It would have been awful."

A passenger was also injured by the ammo fired by a ship called The Amazing Grace.

Sgt. Mark Alsobrook of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. He says live shells  look remarkably life blanks so the department is handling the case as a negligent discharge case.

"The ammunition for the blanks and the ammunition for the 12-guage were kept in somewhat the same area. So, it appears at this time that it was an honest mistake," says Alsobrook.

Reed and the other victim were treated at a local hospital and released.

The investigation is on-going.

Festival organizers told Barron they never had an accident like the one Saturday in their almost 30-year history.

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