Austin attorney Harry Whittington, 78, told reporters Friday afternoon in Corpus Christi that accidents happen as he checked out of the hospital where he spent almost a week after he was accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney while hunting in South Texas.

“We all assume certain risks in whatever we do,” he said.

Whittington said he has wonderful memories of all the trips he has taken over the years to the Armstrong ranch where he and the vice president were hunting, but said “this past weekend encompassed all of us in a cloud of misfortune and sadness that is not easy to explain, especially to those who are not familiar with the great sport of quail hunting.”

“My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through this past week,” he said.

“We send our love and respect to them as they deal with situations that are much more serious than what we had this week, and we hope he will continue to come to Texas and seek the relaxation he deserves.”

Earlier in the week, Whittington suffered a minor heart attack after a shotgun pellet traveled to his heart, but doctors say he will make a full recovery.

According some accounts, Whittington was shot as he approached the main hunting party without letting his companions know he was coming.

But in an interview with Fox News, Cheney accepted full responsibility for the shooting and said Saturday was the one of the worst days of his life.

Cheney was in Wyoming Friday for a scheduled speech, which started shortly after Whittington appeared before reporters in Texas.

“We’ve had a very long week,” he told a crowd of supporters.

Cheney has drawn criticism for relying on the owner of the ranch where he was hunting to notify the press about the shooting, but a poll released Friday shows most Americans think the incident has been adequately investigated.

On Thursday, Kenedy County authorities said they had completed their probe of the shooting and that no charges will be filed.