I've been quail hunting several times, a 28 gauge shell at anything other than point-blank range is really only dangerous if it hits somebody's eye. This was an unfortunate accident, but not all that uncommon. Getting hit in the head with a baseball can be far more dangerous, this is on about the same level as getting a fish hook through your hand.
I'm sure that Cheney feels a lot of regret and will probably be replaying this in his head for the rest of his life. But it was an accident and that's all that needs to be said.
So is it fair to state that Harry Whittington is Fredo?