Guy shoots himself at local gun shop.

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

btefft

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Messages
156
Guy shoots himself at local gun shop.

A guy went to our local gun shop, rented a 45 (said he was gonna buy it) and blow his brains out at the indoor range in back.

Here's the article from the newspaper.
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/breaking_news/story/659792.html

I was going there to look at scopes for my AR and the police politely turned me away. I didn't know why at the moment.

But as I walked away I heard "Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?" It was a reporter with our Channel 9 News Team.

I said, "Sure."

On camera, she asked what I thought about the shooting (that's when I learned what had happened - someone shoot himself, but I didn't know at the time if was accidental or on purpose - I didn't even know he had died.)

I told her I thought it was awful. She asked about my safety measures at the range and I told her "Simple, I always treat my weapon as if its loaded, even when I'm sure its not. You've always got to respect a weapon for the danger it presents. Always make sure the muzzle is point down-range."

In this case, the guy took his own life - and I wasn't his first attempt - only the first time he succeeded.

I'm looking forward to watching the news this evening to see what kind of spin they put on it.

Hack
 
If you want to shoot yourself, at least have the common decency to do it in the privacy of your own home (preferably in the bathroom or kitchen for easier cleanup by the police and/or your loved ones). Shooting yourself at a rental range is just pointless and rude.


Yeah, yeah, I know. Suicide is never the answer, blah blah blah.. if you're set on doing it, firearms at least provide an efficient method of doing so. Don't drag everyone else down with you, though.
 
If you want to shoot yourself, at least have the common decency to do it in the privacy of your own home (preferably in the bathroom or kitchen for easier cleanup by the police and/or your loved ones). Shooting yourself at a rental range is just pointless and rude.
Click to expand...

Don't forget to advocate using your OWN gun to do it.

And it is sad that people kill themselves.
 
Hmm - I've never given the gun shop or gun shop range any thought as a place I should be trying to look out for the mental welfare of my neighbor. I've always been focused on safety first, then my purchase or practice time.

I worked for a few years as a part-time college councilor (thanks for paying your taxes). I found that if you think you need to say to a stranger: "hey, are you ok? You look kinda depressed - are you thinking about suicide?" it is the right question to ask about half of the time, and people are offended only about 10% of the time. Outside of a college setting, I don't know what the ratio would be.

I guess I should try to look at people around me a little more closely, try to spot somebody that needs help.
 
"40,000 men and women every day"

Blue Oyster Cult Don't Fear the Reaper

Suicide is a sad and extremely selfish act.
 
We had a woman top herself at the pistol club I am a member of just a few months ago. She walked in, expressed interest in wanting to try shooting, went to a lane with an instructor who showed her how to use it and then she simply shot herself in the head. It later came out that she had attempted suicide before. Tragedy for her and her family but an awful and selfish thing to do to the instructor and the owner of the range.
 
A friend of mine killed himself a couple of weeks ago.
He wrote detailed instructions to everyone, right down to "take the studded tires off my truck".
Left a note for the police, laid down in his parking lot and shot himself.
RIP Bob
AC
 
I'm surprised ranges still rent to people that come in alone without a gun of their own to shoot.

Lots of the ranges around here have stopped doing that.
 
Hm. I try to consider many scenarios, but never thought of this one.

Thank you for bringing this sad topic to light. Now I guess I will be eyeballing my "range" neighbors a bit more closely.
 
It's unfortunate that the reporter didn't tell you exactly what happened before sticking a mic in your face.

Many ranges have instituted a policy against solo shooters on their lanes in an attempt to prevent such incidents. Others process a NICS background check in an attempt to screen potential suicides. Luckily, this happens pretty infrequently.
 
Others process a NICS background check in an attempt to screen potential suicides.
Click to expand...
If you know a range that is doing this, then I would suggest you tell them to stop. It is illegal for an FFL to use NICS for anything other than the transfer of a firearm and unauthorized use could cost them a $10000 fine and loss of access to the system (see 28 CFR 25.11).
 
You can't really stop a man with a purpose. Even if the purpose is immediate death.

Many ranges have instituted a policy against solo shooters on their lanes in an attempt to prevent such incidents.
Click to expand...

Good policy...this policy will, at least, hinder it. Most ranges in my area have that "Non-members MUST be in a party of two to rent guns."
 
MT GUNNY -
Permanent Solution to a Temporary Problem!
Click to expand...

Permanent solution? Yes
Temporary problem? It doesn't seem temporary to the depressed person. And in cases like these, perception IS reality.
 
Unfortunately this also gives the local anti gunners and news media something else to use to make guns look evil.

I have responded to a few suicides in my career and the only thing I can say is that the person who does it is a very selfish human being. Their pain may be over but they leave family and friends behind wondering, in some cases, what they may have done to make that person do what they did. They show no regard for anyone else. I also believe its not a brave thing to do. Living life to its fullest no matter what happens is being brave.

When you hit rock bottom, there is no where to go but up. Some people hit rock bottom and continue to dig.
 
Fortunately this is not a common occurrence. I tend to stay away from reporters. It's a shame so many people will have to clean up the emotional mess this man created. A worse shame is that he felt he was facing a life and problems he hadn't the strength to face. I have seen that in a few people's lives. Fortunately I had an opportunity to speak with them before they got to that point.
 
renegade1alpha -

I really do understand your perspective. And yes, suicide does appear to be a very selfish thing to do. To those left behind. However, to the person who commits suicide, they are facing what, to them, is a hopeless impossible situation. They can never see it getting better, never being able to overcome whatever situation they find themselves in.

Do they have no regard for anyone else? In their own way, yes, I think they do. They often know they are not well, and they are sometimes afraid of what they might do to their loved ones in a fit of depression or rage. With fear like that, always living just under the edge, it isn't hard to justify their suicide as an act of love. And to them, with that frame of mind, it really is.
 
then there are those who are terminally ill and don't want to die like that or saddle their family with the expense
 
A Buddist would say would say that suicide is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. good on you for using it at a teaching moment.
 
Foreshadowing...

It's the Gun Ranges fault the guy killed himself. It was entirely preventable. They should have known when he rented the gun and only wanted to buy ONE bullet! :rolleyes:
 
Permanent solution? Yes
Temporary problem? It doesn't seem temporary to the depressed person. And in cases like these, perception IS reality.
Click to expand...


unfortunately, depression is never temporary, unfortunately, your life IS forever to you as a person, and depression is never farther than the hair is from your scalp if you have it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
local guy shoots himself in the leg..
Replies
17
Views
1K
BrokenPaw
B
B
  • Locked
Can you believe it - Another suicide at my range.
2
Replies
38
Views
2K
Justin
Justin
N
  • Locked
Man shoots himself in arm after being denied sex
Replies
9
Views
585
JShirley
JShirley
L
  • Locked
Man at Gun Show Shoots Himself in Bathroom (MN)
2
Replies
32
Views
2K
losangeles
L
T
  • Locked
Miami boy, 3, shoots himself
Replies
13
Views
979
TarpleyG
T
Back
Top