accidental discharge on customer

[SirJesster]

from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/11/21/gun-store-employee-accidentally-shoots-customer-in-back/?test=latestnews

Gun store employee accidentally shoots customer in the back


Published November 21, 2012 Associated Press


Authorities say an employee at a New Mexico gun shop was unloading a handgun when he accidentally shot a customer in the back, wounding him.

The Las Cruses Sun-News reports the 65-year-old customer was airlifted from Silver City to a Texas hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.

Silver City Police Chief Ed Reynolds says an employee at Copper County Sporting Arms was unloading a .45 caliber handgun Tuesday when the weapon went off, shooting the man in the back.

Emergency responders closed off the street in front of the shop so a medical helicopter could land. The helicopter then flew the man to an El Paso, Texas, hospital for treatment.

Reynolds says the investigation is ongoing, and it's unclear whether any charges will be filed. No names have been released.

A person who answered the phone Tuesday at Copper Country declined to talk to the Sun-News.

[2nd Amendment Firearms]

yikes. why was he pointing a loaded weapon at a person to begin with?? Sounds like he doesn't know the basics about handling a weapon.

[ItWasntMe]

This is a huge WTF. 

The rules of responsible firearms handling, use them. 

Edit: I have to throw in a rant. I'm sick of the confusion between accidents and negligence. There is a big freaking difference between the two words. They may seem to imply the same but it is a matter of intent that separates them.

Negligence is no accident!

Negligence is an intentional act with an unintentional consequence.
An accident is an unintentional act with an unintentional consequence.

Big fracking difference.

[davycrockettfv]

In all my visits to dun shops I have NEVER seen one loaded for any reason in the shop.  Unless someone had brought it in for a trade and didn't unload I can't even think of what that would happen theoretically.  Senseless, and GREAT fodder for the anti-gun crowd.

[Cyris]

In all my visits to dun shops I have NEVER seen one loaded for any reason in the shop.  Unless someone had brought it in for a trade and didn't unload I can't even think of what that would happen theoretically.  Senseless, and GREAT fodder for the anti-gun crowd.

Exactly..

[Guy1az]

About eight years ago I was at a Tucson gun show at the fair grounds which is normally a larger show.  I was walking around the show and all of a sudden about two tables away there was a firearm discharged...obviously a larger caliber handgun...I have never seen that many people hit the floor before...me included.  A table had some handguns out on the table for sale...not sure who was handling them..the seller or a buyer as that was never made clear.  The vendor swore he had cleared all the firearms and the potential customer swore he had not loaded a round into any of them.  Fortunately the round went up into the air...by pure chance.  I never heard who was at fault or exactly what the determination was if any.  It certainly made it not your normal gun show.

[Black_water]

I hate reading stuff like this.  As if gun owners aren't demonized already, stupid stuff like this just makes it worse.

I mean if they made a big deal about everyone who gets run over by a car, cuts fingers off with saws etc it wouldn't be so bad.  But because they make every firearm issue a national one, we need to be much more careful collectively.

[Flash]

In all my visits to dun shops I have NEVER seen one loaded for any reason in the shop.  Unless someone had brought it in for a trade and didn't unload I can't even think of what that would happen theoretically.  Senseless, and GREAT fodder for the anti-gun crowd.

Mine's always loaded when I'm in gun shops, as is Mrs. Flash's.  I don't patronize places that require you to unload.

But one of the earlier posters is correct.  This is an ND, not an AD.

[Antman]

This is a huge WTF. 

The rules of responsible firearms handling, use them. 

Edit: I have to throw in a rant. I'm sick of the confusion between accidents and negligence. There is a big freaking difference between the two words. They may seem to imply the same but it is a matter of intent that separates them.

Negligence is no accident!

Negligence is an intentional act with an unintentional consequence.
An accident is an unintentional act with an unintentional consequence.

Big fracking difference.

I say again.....There is no such thing as an accident, it's always premeditated carelessness. (negligence)

[TucsonGlocker]

yikes. why was he pointing a loaded weapon at a person to begin with?? Sounds like he doesn't know the basics about handling a weapon.

Exactly my thought...

Never point the gun at anything you don't intend to destroy.

I vote them worst customer service representatives! A customer simply shopping in their shop and BANG, shot right in the back with a .45 by an employee 

[ItWasntMe]

Too soon?

[SurpShot]

yikes. why was he pointing a loaded weapon at a person to begin with?? Sounds like he doesn't know the basics about handling a weapon.

Agreed. Time to start looking for other employment. Preferably something in a non-firearm environment. 

[Comanchero]

yikes. why was he pointing a loaded weapon at a person to begin with?? Sounds like he doesn't know the basics about handling a weapon.

Agreed. Time to start looking for other employment. Preferably something in a non-firearm environment.

I'm assuming that he will probably be looking for a new job to support all of the legal fees and damages from the lawsuit/s that he is going to get hit with. 

[Guy1az]

He is entering a legal nightmare he will never recover from....civil or criminal it does not matter.

[desertrat]

Yes, I too am trying to figure out why the gun was loaded!
Very scary indeed. Hope the gentleman has a full recovery.

[davycrockettfv]

In all my visits to dun shops I have NEVER seen one loaded for any reason in the shop.  Unless someone had brought it in for a trade and didn't unload I can't even think of what that would happen theoretically.  Senseless, and GREAT fodder for the anti-gun crowd.

Mine's always loaded when I'm in gun shops, as is Mrs. Flash's.  I don't patronize places that require you to unload.

But one of the earlier posters is correct.  This is an ND, not an AD.

Don't have a problem with that as I frequently carry as well.  But then again, we aren't pulling our weapons and handling the firearms.  If for some reason that needed to happen, I sure hope we would immediately unload and clear.  Maybe that's what happened and led to the discharge...

[Son of Jared]

I hate reading stuff like this.  As if gun owners aren't demonized already, stupid stuff like this just makes it worse.

I mean if they made a big deal about everyone who gets run over by a car, cuts fingers off with saws etc it wouldn't be so bad.  But because they make every firearm issue a national one, we need to be much more careful collectively.

I think this is the proper perspective to have when such incidents occur. Accidents occur every day involving the simplest of tasks to the most complicated. I would imagine that statistically speaking, gun accidents are probably a very small percentage compared with gun usage.

[acetum]

I think it might be a little late for that guy but my kids can regurgitate these by heart:

1) treat every firearm as it were loaded...  (Hey guess what this one was loaded)

2) never point your weapon at anything you do not wish to destroy  (I think a customers backside would qualify here)

3) keep your trigger finger straight along the frame until you are on target and are ready to fire  (obviously his was not)

4) be aware of your target and its surroundings!!! 

Violate 1 you might get lucky, violate 2 and the poopy is going to hit the fan!!! 

If I had a dollar for every weapon that was ND I'd be 13 dollars richer. 

That's what they always say " I swear, I checked the gun, and it was empty."  STRIP OUT!  LOOK AND TOUCH....
A weapon is not clear if you still have a mag in it, your looking for that one round in the chamber!!!!!!!