Local range suicide....

[Rezin]

California man kills self at shooting range

Bucks County Courier Times
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-02262006-618459.html

BRISTOL TOWNSHIP - A 20-year-old California man rented a revolver at a local firing range, shot a few rounds, then turned the gun on himself Saturday morning, police said. The man’s name was not released, but authorities said he was from Costa Mesa. It was unclear why he was in the area Saturday.

Cops said two on-duty Bristol Township police officers were testing guns at the indoor Ready Aim Fire shooting range on Elwood Avenue at the time of the suicide, and the California man waited until other shooters stopped firing to shoot himself in the head.


Several customers were also firing at the time of the shooting, but no one else was injured, police said.

 

[Herself]

Your point?

The range fee and rental he paid is not going to cover the clean-up costs, but if there had been no range, he could just as easily stayed home and drank Dran-o. Or walked in front of a truck on the freeway, or whatever. The planet's not that safe a place, never has been. There are many exits.

Someone who has his mind made up to check out will check out. If he'd merely wanted attention, he would've called the Suicide Hotline.

Why do people think it is a good thing to force such unfortunates to stick around? I miss H. Beam Piper, who took the same way out, but he wasn't seeing any other path. It was his free choice. Bon Voyage!

--Herself

 

[Maxwell]

Id have to agree with herself there, and I think alot of pro-gun folks would too. If he was going to off himself the availibility of a proper tool really wouldnt change much. Any knife, poison, vehicle or weapon would do.

I think whats more disturbing is the rights slighly leftward lean when it comes to some issues

 

[SIOP]

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

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I heard that this is very common on Guam. The Japanese will come over, rent a gun, and off themselves.

I think it further shows the selfishness of the people killing themselves. Your final act in this world should not be to inflict BS on others.

 

[mustanger98]

I think it further shows the selfishness of the people killing themselves. Your final act in this world should not be to inflict BS on others.

If I don't say anything else on this thread, I will say I totally agree with Ohen Cepel on this point.

 

[BigRobT]

I suppose that there will be an outcry from Californians about gun ranges, now.

 

[1 old 0311]

A lot of ranges won't rent firearms to first timers for this very reason.

Kevin

 

[XD Dude]

How does one become a second timer if no first timers are allowed? I was a first timer once...Thank God I wasn't turned away...I may have missed out on a great sport and pastime.

I cringed when I saw this thread...as it WILL just draw more unwanted attention to ranges in California. I wholeheartedly agree that there are a thousand ways to off yourself, but there are also a thousand liberals out here just waiting for the reasons to pile up.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

The range fee and rental he paid is not going to cover the clean-up costs

I know it is dark, but that was the first thing I thought of too.
I agree, he would have done it one way or another. I do not understand the whole gun suicide thing. Maybe I am just a coward but I am afraid I would just take some pills and go to sleep. I know it is usually an anger issue. The people that do this are often committing suicide as a punishment to someone else or as a way to be remembered due to the graphic means of death but it is not for me. I would have been curious to know if the other patrons where allowed to continue their practice or did this shut the place down.

 

[PATH]

Sad occurence any way you look at it. I'll keep that poor soul in my prayers. Who knows what inner demons drive some to end their lives. A permanent solution to a temporary problem is tragic. It is just a terrible thing for all parties!

 

[HighVelocity]

Could have been a lot worse. He didn't take anyone with him or force somebody else to do it for him.

 

[Mushy]

I feel bad for the Range Owner, but at least he didn't pull a "Suicide By Cop".

 

[Old Fud]

I was confused at first.

There are no ranges in the California Bay Area that will rent guns to a person a) who comes in ALONE, and
b) without another Piece of his own.
I thought (still do) this is the norm in Southern California too.

Then I re-read the piece.
The 20-year-old "Man" (I have a small problem with that designation, but let's not side-track) may have been from California, but the event happened in a range 3000 miles from home in Philadelphia.

I respect the rules in California ranges -- and others that have them.
They deal with the issue of suicide as best as can be done, while still insuring sensible people can "try before you buy".
I suspect they were made up by insurance companies, not politicians.

Fud

 

[748]

Buy a bullet rent a gun...

 

[1 old 0311]

A few years ago a guy went into Gander Mt. Asked to see a shotgun removed a shell, from his pocket, and killed himself. I thought " Gee I have had bad service before but .............. "

Kevin

 

[JohnKSa]

Had this happen to a friend of mine who owns a range.

Cleanup is NOT fun and is harder than you might think.

Finding a warm, bleeding dead body in your business is NOT fun. The range owner still doesn't talk about it much and the other customer who was shooting at the time was badly traumatized.

Then, to top it off, the suicide's sister called the range owner a few days later and asked him why he thought her brother committed suicide. She said that he had never seemed depressed. She stopped just short of accusing the range owner of being involved in some way.

If you really hate someone who owns a range, go kill yourself at their range. It's guaranteed to put them through hell.

 

[Hollowdweller]

Our state capitol won't let you go to the highest point above the rotunda because somebody went up there and jumped off once

 

[adaman04]

Well he wanted to buy his own gun to do it, but the ridiculous waiting period turned him to the rental. Okay, I guess its not a laughing matter, but people have been committing suicide since the beginning of man. It's the most selfish act one can commit, and I guess there are a lot worse ways to do it than shooting yourself. I wonder if its the first time it has happened at a range?

 

[puffiewon]

The same thing happened at a range by the house where I grew up, a man came in, rented a gun, fired at a couple targets, killed the guy in the next lane (whom he had never met), then killed himself. That range no longer rents guns.

 

[TexasRifleman]

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.

 

[Manedwolf]

The same thing happened at a range by the house where I grew up, a man came in, rented a gun, fired at a couple targets, killed the guy in the next lane (whom he had never met), then killed himself. That range no longer rents guns.

Situational awareness needed at the RANGE, now. Man. Perhaps I should do away with the earmuffs and go for the enhancer/canceller earplugs...

 

[losangeles]

Nah, I doubt it's state law.

All the local ranges where I shoot will allow a person to rent if that person has brought his own pistol or is a regular at that range.

 

[vynx]

I live in Los angeles.

At a range in Agoura (Ventura Cty right next to LA) a customer rented a shotgun a year or so ago and kill himself. The owner said it happens once or twice a year. I don't think the guy had his own gun and he did come in alone.

The paper said he rented a shotgun becasue he didn't own a gun.

 

[Old Fud]

The two places I frequent say it is their policy.
They don't hide behind "it's the law".

You can rent if you show up with a piece of your own.
You can rent if you show up in a group (2 or more.)

And evidently you have to be known REAL WELL to get around those conditions, cuz I'm a semi-regular and got turned away one time when I showed up without my usual pile of stuff.

I don't blame them. It was a late-in-the-evening impulse, so I showed up empty handed exactly 1 hour and 5 minutes before closing time.
I probably looked "impulsive".

Sometimes you learn to respect people when they have the timerity to -- gasp -- cross even YOU.

Fud