I'm sure it's every cop's worst nightmare. Handling a firearm and it "just goes off". Except that's not what happens. A firearm doesn't "just go off". Someone puts their finger on the trigger and pulls it. Then the gun "just goes off" precisely as it is designed to do. When this happens unexpectedly it is called a negligent discharge. Someone was negligent in their attention … [Read more...]
With Concealed Carry Comes Personal Responsibility
A frightening story from Belize reinforces the responsibility we gun owners have when carrying our firearms legally, no matter where we are. A man was in Brown Sugar Mall, a crowded area called “Tourism Village”, when felt the need to adjust his pants. Perhaps they were too baggy; perhaps his belt was too loose? Whatever the reason this man committed the heinous error of … [Read more...]
Gun Safety Rules must be followed if you don’t want to shoot your penis off
While some people insist on calling this sort of thing an "accidental discharge" I prefer the vastly more accurate term "negligent discharge". It was no accident that an unnamed man in Birmingham, Alabama, shot himself in the penis on June 12, 2012 and was taken to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital. It was because he was negligent and refused to follow the very simplest of … [Read more...]
DEA Agent Lee Paige loses case centering around his shooting himself during a gun safety demonstration
Lee Paige, the DEA's poster-boy for how NOT to handle a firearm, is apparently still a Drug Enfrocement Agency (DEA) special agent stationed in Orlando, Florida, according to a report found online. You may recall the 2004 video of DEA Special Agent Lee Paige shooting himself in the leg mere seconds after claiming “I'm the only one in this room professional enough, that I … [Read more...]
Firearm Safety Advisory: You’re NOT one of the Sons of Anarchy…
Chandler, Arizona: On August 2nd, Joshua Seto failed the Stupid Test. Many people who fail the Stupid Test never get a second chance to get it right. Seto is a very lucky man and he is lucky to be alive. Firearms can be dangerous, especially when they are not treated with the respect they deserve. Joshua Seto learned this the hard way when he managed to shoot himself in … [Read more...]
Cops shooting cops… just NOT a good idea
News coming out of Columbus, Ohio is not very good. Sgt. Michael Mourne was shot by fellow officer Stephen Lazar as the team was exiting their vehicle to serve a search warrant. The admonition “Keep your finger OFF the trigger until you are ready to shoot” is one that I drilled into then heads of my firearms students so often they get sick of hearing it. There’s a reason … [Read more...]
Just tell the truth, painful as it might be, okay?
Telling the truth isn't always easy. Sometimes it's downright hard, actually. Especially when you've screwed up, and screwed up really bad. You know, like shooting yourself in your bullet-proof vest because you were stupid enough to point your loaded firearm at your own body and pull the trigger. That's what [allegedly] happened to (soon-to-be former?) Los Angeles … [Read more...]
A Hartford Police Officer’s Negligent Discharge
Last Saturday morning a Hartford police officer managed to shoot himself in the hand. He was inside the police station attempting to remove his gun belt when his sidearm “accidentally discharged” according to Hartford Police spokeswoman Christene Mertes. Dear Christene, It’s no accident. Firearms cannot fire by their own will. It takes one of us human beings to mess up … [Read more...]
Firearm Safety Rule #1 — Assume the Firearm is LOADED!
There's a reason we assume a firearm is loaded... until we prove otherwise. It's the only safe approach to dealing with firearms. Ignoring this Prime Directive of firearms safety can have some pretty drastic consequences, as one Quebec man learned today. An unnamed man accidentally shot himself in the face about 9:30am, according to this CNews report. He’s very lucky to … [Read more...]
Negligent Discharge near President Obama?
Obama's on a tour around the world again, promoting whatever it is he stands for. Lord knows I can't figure that out. It changes too often. But I digress... outside the hotel where he was staying, an assistant police inspector caused a bit of a ruckus. According to this news report, he was getting into his car when his revolver "went off". What's interesting about this … [Read more...]
What’s the first rule of gun handling again?
Gun Safety Rule #1 ALWAYS keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction. Seriously. It's not that difficult. And it saves having to explain how you managed to shoot both your 4-year-old son and your own mother while you're "cleaning your gun". Gun Safety Rule #2 ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you're ready to … [Read more...]
How to Ruin Your Wedding Day
You wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life. I know mine was. But then I wasn't stupid enough to bring an automatic firearm to my wedding reception either. Seriously. A news report out of Ankara Turkey today blew me away. Okay, not literally, obviously, but it sure made me laugh and cry both at the same time. As I said in a post the other day about … [Read more...]
Police officer accidentally shot himself… oh really
This news item from Queensland is puzzling. It states: A Queensland police officer is being treated in hospital after a service pistol accidentally discharged into his face. The 41-year-old senior constable from Metro North was at the gun safe at Albany Creek police station in Brisbane's north when the pistol discharged, causing shrapnel wounds to his face, police said … [Read more...]