Local range suicide....

[Kruzr]

For the Californians. Question please.

I shoot in California at public ranges when I'm there on business.

I've been told in several ranges that it was state law that anyone shooting on a public range cannot rent a gun if they are alone for exactly this reason.

They may shoot their own, but not rent.

I've tried many times to rent this or that and been told that story repeatedly.

Is it in fact a state law? I was told that in Milpitas, San Diego ,and Sacramento that I can remember for sure, maybe others.

As a (recently) former rangemaster at an indoor range in California, I can tell you it is not a law. It is an adopted policy to try to stop things like this happening. The range I worked at had 5 suicides in 22 years. The last one that occured was on my shift.

I agree that it is a selfish act to do this in a public place. It not only affected the family of the shooter (her sister was with her) but it had quite an affect on me and the other shooters at the range at the time.

 

[pauli]

there are so many better ways that affect so many fewer people. that's what bothers me.

 

[countertop]

This happened at a range here in NoVA about a year ago while I was there trying to sell a gun. I was on the range shooting guns with the guy looking at mine when we heard a scream. In the next room over (this gun shop has two ranges, seperated by a door) and run over and a guy had shot himself.

He rented a .44 Magnum and stuck it in his mouth. Didn't pass away for awhile.

I've heard that suidices at shooting-ranges with rented guns is more common than you'd think.

Yep. Turns out, it had happened a number of times before at the range, including with the same gun (which I had rented a week prior). Anyway, one of the cops said it would have happened anyway, but that suicides are quite regular occurances (relatively speaking) at gun shops.

The suicide victim usually doesn't want to leave a mess behind for the family to clean up - and rents a gun so as not to burden the family with the loss of something valuable. Not sure how they cleaned it up, my understanding is that there was a "service" that did that kind of work around here.

had quite an affect on me and the other shooters at the range at the time.

It was spooky and I still haven't returned to the range (though I've been in the shop since). Its had quite an effect on me.

 

[choochboost]

but at least he didn't pull a "Suicide By Cop".

What about suicide by civillian, or suicide by fellow range visitor? That's exactly why I always have a full mag in my back pocket every time I go to the range. I live in Costa Mesa, the same city this man was from. Maybe this is selfish of me, but I'm glad he didn't do it at my range........but you can't rent a handgun there when you're by yourself anyway.

 

[JohnKSa]

Not sure how they cleaned it up, my understanding is that there was a "service" that did that kind of work around here.

There are services that clean up this kind of mess--it may actually be mandated that you use such a service in some areas as the "mess" is a biohazardous waste, strictly speaking.

The problem is that they're expensive. Probably worth it if you have the money, but a small range like the one my friend owns would have trouble absorbing that kind of expense.

 

[Rezin]

Delelted. Thought better of it...............