Accidental Shooting at Range... Again!

Indoor range?

How do you shoot yourself like this? I think you sweep everybody else in the neighborhood when holstering (either vert or horizontal), but not yourself. OK, I guess I would sweep my left arm when holstering.

At least it was himself and not someone else. One idiot at the range was waving a loaded gun around while he was gesturing to his girlfriend and it crossed all our heads. They finally made him leave but man...sometimes you wonder why it doesn't happen more often...

Hmmm, that does seem highly improbable though, doesn't it?

When do you ever point the gun at your own vitals while re-holstering in a shoulder holster?

Sometimes I wonder if this sort of "accident" is really a suicide where the guy is hoping it'll be interpreted as an accident.

Sad thing either way.

Cheers,
ChickenHawk

Or it's yet another argument for manual safeties.

But, but I've read on THR that I can leave my finger on the trigger when I have a _______ and that Rule #3 does not apply to me because I am too cool.

Four Rules. The Four Rules always apply, regardless of the weapon you have, regardless of where you are, regardless of how cool you think you are.

One exception, Tejon: the gun is disassembled.

(But then, it isn't entirely a gun anymore, now is it...)

Keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire! Why can't people remember a few simple rules?:banghead:

I am terribly sad that he was killed; however, I am glad that no one else had to pay the price for his mistake.

Alex

It is not that people cannot learn the rules. It is that they believe the rules, 1. do not apply to them individually, or 2. it is OK for them to break the rules as they have a certain weapon.

We just had a multiple page thread here at THR on how it is OK to violate Rule #3 if you have a revolver.:banghead: People know the Four Rules but they want to be cooler than the Rules.

cooler...

People know the Four Rules but they want to be cooler than the Rules.

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Yep, I imagine he's cooled off nicely by now...

Too bad, but I (like a previous poster) have to wonder about this. Unfortunately, a suicide at the range don't seem to be unheard-of.

Wonder what type of shoulder rig he was wearing. The only thing I can think of is that the weapon would be carried butt-down, and he shot himself in the left armpit (bet THAT hurt).

Indoor range?

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I'm not certain since it's a private range belonging to the Memphis Sports Shooting Association, of which I'm not a member, but I believe all of their ranges are outdoor.

From what I understand, the use of holsters is against the rules at the MSSA range. Nonetheless, this is the second time in six months that someone has shot himself while using a shoulder holster at this range.

I've never used a sholder holster so I speak from ignorance, but how difficult is it to shoot oneself in the chest while re-holstering in a shoulder holster. I can see how you might shoot someone else if you didn't keep your finger off the trigger, but at what point in the re-holstering process do you point the weapon at your own chest?

Most ranges I've belonged to or have been at, do not allow holstered guns. They are to be carried unloaded in a range bag or carrier only. It's a sad incident though..

i can see how

you might do it i had a long barreled revolver was awkward to holster in shouder rig and it woullda been possible with it

At the MTU pistol club, holsters are not allowed during normal range hours. During the practical club, shoulder holsters and cross draw are not allowed. We have to be sure to strictly enforce the rules, we wouldn't get a second chance.

A) Who said he had his finger on the trigger. Maybe he snagged it.

B) Maybe he shot himself in the leg and not the chest. Think femoral artery.

C) Who said he had his finger on the trigger? But I repeat myself.

D) Was it an accident? Just asking.

John

My prayers are with the unfortunate deceased and his family. I'm perplexed that this was the second AD/ND of this type at this range, in the past 5 months???

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/new...ntent_id=4e57118b-8bef-4b1f-a5f8-c8f7474c5c8a

Shelby County Sheriff's detectives say a man accidentally shot and killed himself at a shooting range on Friday, January 5, 2007.
It happened just after 1 p.m. at the Memphis Sport Shooting Association range at 9428 Old Brownsville Road in East Shelby County.

Detectives say the man was killed after he attempted to place his pistol into a shoulder holster. The gun went off and the bullet struck him in the chest. He died at the scene.

The victim’s name won’t be released until his relatives are notified.

In August, another man also shot himself at the same range, while attempting to put his pistol into a shoulder holster after target shooting.

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http://www.shelbysheriff.org/press_releases/mankilledatshootingrange.asp

Collierville Man Killed At Shooting Range

Release Date: August 17, 2006

Shelby County Sheriff’s Detectives say a Collierville man was shot to death yesterday afternoon while target shooting at an East Shelby County gun range.

The shooting happened just after 2 o’clock at the Memphis Sport Shooting Association range at 9428 Old Brownsville Road.

Detectives say Roy Thomas Latimer, 69, of Collierville, was killed after he attempted to place his pistol into a shoulder holster.

The gun discharged and the bullet struck him in the chest.* He died at the scene.

The Shelby County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy.* However, Investigators believe Latimer died as a result of the accidental shooting.

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creepy

69 years old? Maybe he was senile and slipped

Quit bad mouthing shoulder holsters/cross draws...

Shoulder holsters and cross draw rigs do not cause ADs stupid actions by the shooters DO!

I use a cross draw holster and wore a horizonal shoulder rig for my .40S&W Beretta. I never had any problems, .

Rusty

as you get older

or as i do anyway, my body doesn't work as well thattype of rig/draw moght get harder more awkward as joints age

And this is why IDPA does NOT allow sholder holsters for their matches. You can see why now.

Bet it was a Glock!

Well until the coroners report comes out and we get some info all we can do is speculate.

It would probably be difficult to self inflict a mortal wound using a horizontal type shoulder holster. Not impossible, as reality has a way of showing no matter how wierd the scenario it might happen. However I could easily see how someone holstering a weapon with a chambered round in a holster that points the barrel vertically could cause the weapon to discharge in a fashion that could be lethal. The round could pass in a vertical or near vertical axis. It could easily sever the subclavian artery and/or subclavian vein causing massive hemorrhage. A person can easily bleed out to volume asystole in a matter of minutes. Speculation at the moment but obviously a concern. Hopefully we can garner more details in the future and thus learn from a mortal mistake.

I know the old adage of finger off the trigger is a cardinal rule. However I have read about accidental discharges in the past where a poorly fitted holster or a gun with a modified trigger wider than factory caused the gun to fire with no finger on the trigger. Sometimes an accident is just that, an accident.

WHY??? Why are we riding the "anti bandwagon"?? "It was a Glock." "It was a shoulder holster." "It was a gun range."

That looks like ammunition for the antis to me. It was someone who got careless, and made a mistake, and paid the supreme price for it. People do it driving cars every day.

If this thread continues very long,,, some time an anti will find it, and the Brady bunch will say, "Look, even the gun culture knows glocks are unsafe, and shoulder holsters are unsafe, and THIS range is dangerous."

My apology for my opinion, if I stepped on any toes