Trace Adkins Opens up About Surviving Ex-wife's Gunshot Attack

WHO:

USA Today - Trace Adkins, a 64-year-old country singer, and his ex-wife Julie Curtis.

Fox News - Trace Adkins, Grammy-winning country star, and his ex-wife Julie Curtis.

WHAT:

USA Today - Adkins stated, "That took it a little far, I thought," regarding the shooting incident.

USA Today - Adkins described how Curtis put the gun "under my left arm, and the bullet came out under my right arm, so it went straight through."

USA Today - Adkins mentioned that he was hospitalized for a month after the shooting.

Fox News - Adkins said, "I don't think she even had any idea what that gun was going to do," regarding Curtis's intentions.

Fox News - Adkins noted that he had never seen Curtis hold or shoot a gun before the incident.

Fox News - Adkins married Victoria Pratt in October 2019 in a ceremony officiated by singer Blake Shelton.

Fox News - Adkins stated that Pratt recently became a naturalized citizen and expressed pride in being American.

USA Today - Trace Adkins was shot by his ex-wife during an argument in 1994.

USA Today - Adkins described the shot as a "kill shot," stating that the bullet went through his heart and both lungs.

Fox News - Adkins stated that he survived the shooting because the bullet went through at point-blank velocity, which prevented it from mushrooming.

Fox News - Adkins did not press charges against Curtis after the incident.

WHERE:

USA Today - The incident occurred in the kitchen of their home.

WHEN:

USA Today - The shooting incident took place in 1994.

Fox News - Adkins and Curtis divorced later in 1994.

WHY:

USA Today - Adkins stated that Curtis was upset about his drinking, which led to the argument that resulted in the shooting.

Fox News - Adkins mentioned that he did not believe Curtis intended to kill him, suggesting she thought the gun was a toy.

HOW:

USA Today - Adkins attempted to disarm Curtis by putting his arm out to ask for the gun when she shot him.

Fox News - Adkins described going into shock after being shot, stating he did not feel pain immediately and only remembered getting up and then going back down.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 20:23 UTC)

Adkins shared his thoughts on a recent shooting incident, stating, "That took it a little far, I thought," while describing how the bullet passed through his body. He revealed that he was hospitalized for a month following the event and expressed doubts about Curtis's understanding of the gun's potential danger, noting he had never seen her handle one before. In a personal update, Adkins mentioned that he married Victoria Pratt in October 2019, and he expressed pride in her recent achievement of becoming a naturalized citizen.

--

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 19:29 UTC)

Trace Adkins, the Grammy-winning country star, was shot by his ex-wife Julie Curtis during an argument in their kitchen back in 1994, an incident he described as a "kill shot" that went through his heart and both lungs. Adkins survived the shooting because the bullet passed through at point-blank velocity, preventing it from mushrooming, and he did not press charges against Curtis, believing she did not intend to kill him. He attempted to disarm her by reaching for the gun when she shot him, and although he initially went into shock and did not feel immediate pain, he vividly remembers the moments that followed.