Man dies after accidental shooting

[TheeBadOne]

Herriman man dies after accidental shooting in Rush Valley

By Lindsay Whitehurst
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 06/08/2008 03:15:24 PM MDT

Posted: 2:35 PM- A Herriman man is dead after an acquaintance accidently shot him in the back Saturday, police said.
About 9:30 p.m., four men were working on a yard in Rush Valley for an upcoming wedding when the conversation turned to guns, Tooele County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jason Sparks said.
The homeowner has an extensive gun collection, Sparks said, and he brought out a .45-caliber Springfield model 1911 handgun. A 66-year-old guest from out of state slid the rack back as he looked at the weapon.
The guest, who holds a concealed weapons permit, checked if the gun was loaded, Sparks said, but did not see a bullet in the magazine.
Sliding the rack raised the hammer, and to drop it, the man had to pull the trigger. When he did, the bullet shot from the gun and hit the 41-year-old Herriman man in the back. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police did not release the name of either man, and are investigating to decide whether charges should be filed. The two men knew each other, Sparks said. Their children are friends.
Rush Valley is located about 10 miles south of Tooele.

http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_9522682

[Tater]

If I read the article correctly, the gunowner brought the weapon out and handed it to a friend without verifying it was unloaded. The 'friend' cocked it, didn't see a round and pulled the trigger while it was pointed at his 'friend' and shot him in the back killing him. So, as near as I can tell, the gunowner deserved to be shot and the 'friend' deserves to live with that for the rest of his life. Just my opinion after reading the article. I don't know how he was brought up but I was brought up to ALWAYS make sure a firearm is unloaded before handing it to anyone. I was also brought up to never point a firearm at anything I wasn't willing to shoot and kill...PERIOD. Just my opinion based on the article.

[fabsroman]

Tater,

I'll agree with you on everything except your position that the homeowner deserved to die and the friend deserved to live with it his entire life. Nobody deserves to die over this stuff, but they do anyway.

This is why it is so important to follow ALL of the gun rules. Usually, if you follow all but one of them, nobody would get hurt. For instance, if they had properly checked the gun to see if it was loaded, nobody would have died. If the guest had never pointed to gun at anybody, nobody would have died. It is just a sad story.

[Swift]

Two mistakes = a dead man.

[PJgunner]

Originally posted by Swift
Two mistakes = a dead man.

How very true. One of the things I teach in Hunter Ed class is how much easier is is to inadvertently point a handgun in the "wrong direction". The emphasis is on muzzle control. A sad state of affairs as a man is dead and another man has to try and live with himself for killing another human being.
Paul B.

[skeet]

Yep really stupid. If I hand a gun to someone to look at I KNOW it is not loaded....twice checked on a handgun. And I never turn my back on someone with a gun at up close and personal range. Learned that in my gun shop years ago.

Now on another thread here. If it was a stupid mistake which it seems as though it was..Bet the law will have to step in and "charge" the shooter with some crime. If indeed it was a tragic accident...it was just that...an accident. The "law" will have to try the stupid SOB for something though. And then there will be the inevitable lawsuit. He might be sorry right now that this stupid accident happened..but after the law and the lawsuit...bet he won't have one bit of remorse left...or money either!

[rattus58]

My question is why was the magazine still in the gun? You hand a pistol to someone, the first thing you do, or I do anyway, teach as well, is to remove the magazine/clip pull the slide and visually inspect the receiver/bore.

Aloha... :cool:

[muledeer]

Right on, Rattus!!
muledeer

[Dan Morris]

Originally posted by rattus58
My question is why was the magazine still in the gun? You hand a pistol to someone, the first thing you do, or I do anyway, teach as well, is to remove the magazine/clip pull the slide and visually inspect the receiver/bore.



Aloha... :cool:


Basic common sense!!!
Dan

[Rocky Raab]

Not trying to let the guy off, but a couple things stand out to me. One, it was 9:30 pm and they were outdoors; it must have been nearly dark, certainly after sunset. Two, the guest did try to clear the gun, and clearly thought he had.

Yes, he should have been much more careful about where he had it pointed, and he could have tried to lower the hammer in a way other than merely pulling the trigger - or left it slide-locked.

A tragedy none of them will ever forget, to be sure.

[skeeter@ccia.com]

Being around guns since a twinkle in dads eyes, I still remember one thing that happened to me that 'woke' me up again..First thing you do and no need to say to anyone here at HC is NEVER POINT A GUN IN THE FIRST PLACE....EVER..PERIOD. Loaded or unloaded or even 1/2 taken apart...there is no need to point it at anyone...I even cringe when I clean one taken apart and look down the tube...esp now that my brother did that but intentionally pulled the trigger...scarry thing it is..
Rack it once, check it....then do it all over again....a few times...I have myself as careful as I am, racked one, seen rounds in clip, removed clip...racked again to eject the round i just loaded..and this all to prove to the guy that handed me the 'unloaded' gun he said......said it unloaded but I check and I nervous as all he?? when someone else handle it...they are on the safe side of the thing....Just about a month ago at our sportsmens club, a guy that just got a new 22 semi and put laser dot on it...took it out of his car and I seen the dot on my body....he said was unloaded...I told the guy if I ever see him point any gun at anyone ever I will take it off him and pound it right up his a??..be it loaded or unloaded...even though he is friend of mine from club....Right?...we all know it is the 'unloaded' gun that killed someone....geez....that PMO ...

[Bret Andrysiak]

UMMMMMMMMMMMMM................... Mr Darwin theres ANOTHER call on line three.
Too many screwups to list before the gun was in the hands of and IDIOT.
I guess the most noteable one is...........WHERE IS THE END OF THE PIPE POINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That bein said a bad ejector can leave one in the pipe and some folks don't do a real brass check.

[Tall Shadow]

Originally posted by Bret Andrysiak
UMMMMMMMMMMMMM................... Mr Darwin theres ANOTHER call on line three.
Too many screwups to list before the gun was in the hands of and IDIOT.
I guess the most noteable one is...........WHERE IS THE END OF THE PIPE POINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That bein said a bad ejector can leave one in the pipe and some folks don't do a real brass check.

Rule #1: EVERY WEAPON IS ALWAYS TO BE TREATED AS "LOADED"!

The first thing I taught my girls about guns.
(Dad) "Is this gun that you just saw me unload & check loaded?"

(Girls) "Yes!"

(Dad) "But you saw me unload and check it!"

(Girls) "Doesn't matter!....It is still loaded!"

(Dad) "Good Answer!"

Tall Shadow