If only others would truly "LEARN" from this lesson, my fear is...
Too many people assume, it'll never happen to me. This is exactly the reason I NEVER drink, period! It, to me, is just not worth it. Not even a sip. I want all of my faculties to be at 100% for the eventuality that they need be called upon to defend me and my family.
I am not criticizing; I have place to do that, but as my CCW and my Tactical Shooting instructors told me, "If you're choosing to carry, then you're choosing to never drink again. The alternative is the guns are unloaded BEFORE drinking, and remain locked away until the alcohol is 100% voided".
I took the lesson to heart and learned from my instructors. My parting thought, secured, gated communities can protect us from the outsiders, but who will protect us from ourselves?
Glad it all worked out right, no injuries, no death--just some battered humility and eardrums.
Edited to add:
Some here have said, it was accidental discharge, not negligent. I submit that is was negligent, not accidental. Assume for one minute that someone had been killed. No alcohol=accidental death. Alcohol=negligent homicide. That is what I have witnessed, but perhaps it is only under Michigan law.
But for my part, the prosecution would be the mild and tolerable part; losing my wife or daughter would destroy me, especially if it were my fault. Better to assume it to have been negligent and allow that thought to burn in, in the hopes of it never happening again than to down-play it.
Doc2005