Man shoots self in road-rage incident

You may be your own worst enemy!  Story here.

Anyway:

In many cases, state law allows Florida motorists to carry a loaded handguns in their vehicles which can contribute to the deadliness of the confrontations.

Sounds like piss poor policy choices to arm people especially given the "weapons effect"

Although, it gives me great solace that the facts have such an "anti-gun" bias.

But, I still keep wondering when the term "conservative" gained a meaning of something along the lines of "insane", "idiot", or "irrational" in US English???

If you people are "conservatives" who find "liberal" (the antonym of "conservative") to be an insult--then I am very proud to be a "liberal".

Kentucky state representative's gun accidentally fires in Capitol building

Ok, I know you will make idiots of yourselves by saying that my accident with a gun that doesn't fire projectiles (PPK blank gun) or a cocked, but otherwise unloaded, airpistol (Webley Tempest)--big differences there, but you probably shouldn't tell me I know nothing about guns if you can't spot them.

It seems that Representative Leslie Combs (D- Pikeville) was unloading her pistol according to safety procedure when it accidentally fired.

No human intervention or so the story goes.

"I thought it was totally clear," Combs said Wednesday. "I am a gun owner. It happens."  Combs added no one was in harms way.

I think there is a big difference between having an accident with a gun that is incapable of firing a projectile and one that does, but I guess that's just me.  In fact, the entire idea of using a blank gun for that type of thing is that you CAN screw up and no one will get hurt.

Unlike a gun that ACTUALLY has the ability to fire a projectile.

There's a serious difference between a blank firing pistol and a real one...

And while you're at it check this out!

Louisiana Man Arrested Immediately for Accidental Shooting Death

Local news reports

A Harvey man is in custody in connection with a fatal shooting that he described as an accident, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

Around midnight on Monday, just before the shooting, Phillip McClendon, 28, and another man were drinking in the victim’s garage, according to a witness.

When McClendon was interviewed by investigators, he said the shooting of Robert Casbon, 32, was accidental.

The gun has not been recovered, according to JPSO.

McClendon was transported to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center and booked with negligent homicide and possession of a handgun as a felon.

He is currently on parole for a narcotics violation and aggravated battery.

There are a few ways to ensure that you're arrested immediately for a negligent discharge. This guy had all of them.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

Gun loons heal thyselves!

"A Texas mom has been charged after allegedly waiting hours to take her wounded son to the hospital following a shooting, instead spending time searching for information on the Internet."

Dear Gun Carriers (Open and Concealed): Here is Why We Do NOT Believe You When You Insist You Are Safe It is because you aren't.

Cross posted from Penigma:

Yosemite Sam walks into the Wal Mart Men's Room....or at least, something very like the gun carriers doing so....

Not too long ago I wrote about the correlation between a state being red and the number of Wal Marts it had, along with the pattern of people having far lower levels of education, and being obese. In short, it tracks perfectly with the NRA tendency for their gun nuts to be old, white, flabby and crabby, conservative and not well educated.
And along with their obsessions with carrying guns at Wal Marts is the reported incidences of stupid accidents -- like guys shooting toilets out from under their own asses in men's rooms because their gun fell out while they were relieving themselves, and discharged.  The gun carriers span the spectrum from open carry to legal concealed carry to illegal carry, and a wider variety of demographics than the NRA members -- and they are all dangerous, they all put others at risk without a legitimate reason to carry.
There was another shooting at a Wal Mart this week in Dallas, there was one last month in Elizabeth, North Carolina. :

George Reichle  was seated in the men’s room stall next to Felty June 29 when to the surprise of them both, Felty’s .38-caliber pistol discharged a single round through the stall door and into the bathroom ceiling. Reichle wasn’t hurt, but the near-miss has angered him enough to publicly criticize Walmart for its reckless policy of allowing Felty and other customers to bring concealed weapons into the store.

Of course, changing the policy won’t be easy. Commonsense almost always loses out when it’s up against the often insane way gun rights are worshipped in this country. Simply suggesting that someone leave a dangerous weapon at home or in their car before entering a crowded store is considered by Second Amendment zealots to be tantamount to government storm troopers breaking into your house and confiscating your guns.

Sadly, many concealed weapon permit holders apparently are not above seeing the occasional customer shot to death if it means protecting their right to walk Walmart’s aisles with their handguns hidden at the ready. There are in fact dozens of websites where gun owners are constantly on the look out for any breach of their right to bear arms in Walmart stores, and there’s even one site that asked members how many of them performed their first “concealed carry walk” at Walmart. According to the poll, 18 of 43 respondents said they “proudly” did.

If you do a google search of gun discharges, Wal Mart, there is a shocking number. Here's another one, the most recent -- but then the week isn't over yet. There's time for another one any minute, given WallyWorld's are open 24 hours, and welcome people carrying guns.  And it is not like WalMart is the only place that gun guys put people in danger.
Next time a gun nut wonders why we don't believe they are safe, this is why - this and all the other incidents like it; this and all the other incidents where someone gets shot, intentionally or accidentally.

From CBS Dallas;

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A woman and two young children were wounded on Monday night after a gun accidentally discharged inside of a Walmart store in northeast Dallas. The incident happened at about 9:20 p.m. in the 9300 block of Forest Lane.

According to police, a man identified as 23-year-old Todd Canady — who does have a concealed handgun license — went into the Walmart store to purchase groceries. But he had trouble pulling out his wallet at the check-out line. He accidentally dropped and fired his pistol instead. The bullet first grazed Canady in the back of his leg before ricocheting off of the ground.

Debris struck two children and a woman’s ankle as they were standing in line. They were not seriously hurt.

Todd Canady (credit: Dallas County Sheriff’s Department)

Canady left the store and then fled when police tried to question him about the incident. He was later arrested and will face a felony charge of injury to a child, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault and evading arrest. The pistol has been taken in as evidence as an investigation continues.

Accidental Discharges Revisited!

Since our anonymous friend has such a thing for the time I had a "negligent discharge" with a Reck PK800, an 8mm blank firing gun. I thought I would humour him with this post about the Stansfield Report on Negligent Discharges from the RAMC Journal.

As far as I know, the Stansfield Report is the only one of its kind that investigated the incidence of unintentional firearm discharge and injury across the military, in this case across the UK Armed Forces. The report's conclusion was that Armed Forces doctors should be aware of the incidence of UK Military unintentional firearm injury and the context in which they occur in order to facilitate informed discussion with the chain of command about preventing (preferable) or responding to these injuries.

Of course, is the subject of negligent discharge addressed in a properly informed manner, which I would point out that anonymous's continual comments about the ND with a blank firing weapon demonstrate that they are not. While the Stansfield report pointed out that The UK Armed Forces unintentional discharge rate must be put into context, other country’s militaries do not actively place this sort of information in the public domain. Of course, there is a stigma to this topic since the name Negligent Discharge implies the assumption that a trained soldier has control of his weapon at all times. Thus, there can be no accident involved, but only negligence in handling.

The Stansfield report points out that Over the 5 year period that this study ran, there were 1158 Unintentional firearm discharges, forty three (4%) of which resulted in injury. Fifty five military personnel sustained unintentional firearm injuries during the review period, more than half of which were gunshot wounds and this included one fatality. The Regular Army suffers an average of 7.7 unintentional firearm injuries per 100 000 Regular Army person years

Nevermind that one of the ND mentioned in the Stansfield report was a REME armourer servicing a challengingly blocked rifle. I put it to you that a loaded weapon presents the possibility of an accidental discharge or negligent discharge no matter how well you are trained. As the Stansfield report points out, The comparatively low rate of UK gun ownership may be one explanation; nevertheless UK unintentional general injury fatalities are significantly lower than elsewhere.

I put it to you that there is probably a significant amount of negligent discharge in the US firearms owning population. I point to this post at TTAG: Self-Defense Tip: STFU:

TTAG has an entire series called Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day, wherein we admonish readers to take responsibility for every bullet fired from their gun or guns every time. No matter what.

However, there is a time and a place for everything. The best time for a gun owner to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of those around them: before bad shit goes down. So that it doesn’t. But life is a messy business. People make mistakes. Shit happens. When it does you need to weigh your options before you own-up—especially to the cops.

The first problem with accepting the blame for an ND immediately post-facto (without consulting an attorney): you don’t know how the Man’s going to take it. For example, you might be ready to take the heat for loosing a round whilst pointing the gun in a safe direction. After all, no one was injured. Why not put your hands up?

Because an over-zealous DA could look at a “simple” ND and decide to prosecute you for failure to maintain control of your firearm (check your state’s laws). If he or she’s successful, you will lose your Second Amendment rights. Forever. If not, you’re still going to have a $100k-ish lawyer’s bill to pay.

To protect your gun rights, to defend your ability to defend yourself with a firearm, you have to assume that the police and the DA don’t give a shit about you or your family. They play politics and you, sir, are a pawn. In fact, it’s best to assume that they’re all out to get you.

I think that pretty much sums up the popular belief on negligent discharges.

Especially from our Anonymous friend.

Extra Credit:
How does the safety mechanism on a RECK PPK differ from that of the actual Walther |PPK?

I just figured out where all out commenters have gone...

From Ohh Shoot!:

Man unintentionally shoots and kills himself while showing relatives the gun he kept with his concealed carry permit

Guess he didn't realise that firearms were deadly weapons that result in death and/or serious bodily injury when used correctly.

Or in the hands of idiots.

Accidental Shooting of 5-Year-Old Girl Jumping on Mattress - No Charges

The Chicago Tribune reports

A 5-year-old girl was injured early Saturday morning when a gun hidden between mattresses in a Marquette Park neighborhood home discharged as she was jumping on the bed, police said.

Please leave a comment.

Indiana Man Forgets About the One in the Chamber

via Ohh Shoot

34-year-old James Phillips, of Municie, Indiana, was in his bedroom cleaning his 9mm handgun when he unintentionally discharged the weapon. According to reports the gun "slipped out of his hand" and when he went to grab it he "accidentally pulled the trigger back and the gun discharged in his hand."

The bullet hit Phillips' hand and then went through the wall and hit his teenage son in the neck. They were taken to the hospital for treatment. Their conditions have not been released.

Police caution that Phillips took the magazine out of the handgun before cleaning the gun but failed to check to see if there was a round in the chamber.

Is there any reason why a guy like this should not lose his gun rights?

Remember How It Is That WE Think You Pro-Gunners Who Carry Are A Hazard to the Rest of Us? Here is a perfect example of why that is!

It is inherently more dangerous to have large numbers of people who believe themselves to be safe but are of dubious judgment and who practice questionable gun security armed with lethal weapons.  A safe and civilized society where there is a RIGHT to be safe, not a right to be armed with lethal force, means that we shouldn't be subjected to the danger from your fetish objects, or your gun lunatic fantasies and fears.

This is just one more gun nut who shot himself instead of someone else accidentally, but it could AS EASILY have been an innocent bystander who was the victim, or someone else's property.

This was filed uner news of the weird, and I'd agree that the failed logic of gun nuts is pretty weird and twisted.  But the underlying point is that you are more dangerous as a group of people than any claims of safety for yourselves, your loved ones or the public in general can justify for an armed civlian society.

We would all be safer with instead more and better equipped law enforcement, including surveillance and other monitoring equipment which both aids law enforcement to prevent crime, and to catch and successfully prosecute criminals.  We do not need more armed Joe-Bob public idiots.  Law enforcement has to have a better knowledge of the law and a more legitimate authority to enforce it.  Law enforcement has to train regularly and meet minimum standards of accuracy and safety.  Law enforcement is insured through their municipal or state jurisdiction for any mistakes they make - and they do make some - or for the actions of any bad apples among them.  Law enforcement has the ability to call for assistance from fellow law enforcement officers, and to coordinate efforts against criminals at the time of a crime that provide alternatives to deadly force, making for a greater range of options to preclude people being hurt or killed.  Law enforcement  is increasingly more often equipped with alternative weapons, including tasers and stun guns and pepper spray, rubber bullets, and protective equipment, alternatives or aids to solutions involving weapons of lethal force.

Before you insist here in one of your comments about how safe and how 'good' the public is with weapons, remember this guy.  And if you don't (I expect you will do your best not to think of these instances at all, and to try to deny them to yourself, as part of your pattern of intellectual dishonesty), be sure that will bring them up to remind you.  I doubt most of these even merit a mention in the national news, or depending on other events, local news.  But they occur, regularly.

Hmmmmmmmm.......I wonder if the person who sold this dangerous man the gun was a private seller.  I wonder if he checked to see if the dangerous gun carrier was a prohibited person or not.  I'm betting not.

This guy should lose his gun ownership for having an accident, particularly one in a public place. He is clearly NOT safe.  And while he and people like him are carrying, or just owning, neither are we.  We have a moral right to be safe - safe from all of you.  Your rights should not be more important than ours.

from the AP by way of MSNBC.com :

Police: Man shoots self in leg at gun show

26-year-old leaving Georgia civic center when he accidentally discharged a round

updated 2 hours 6 minutes ago 2012-02-06T14:11:45

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Authorities say a Georgia man is recovering after accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a Savannah gun show.

Police say 26-year-old Charles Lake was leaving the gun show at the Savannah Civic Center around 5:10 p.m. Sunday when he discharged a round into his leg while re-loading his pistol.

Savannah-Chatham police spokesman Julian Miller says Lake bought the pistol at the gun show on Saturday and had returned Sunday to purchase another gun. Police say he was re-loading the pistol in the parking lot because loaded guns weren't allowed inside the gun show.The Savannah Morning News reports Lake was taken to Memorial University Medical Center with an injury not considered life-threatening. No other injuries were reported.
Savannah-Chatham police are investigating the incident.

Puting the Shoe in Shoe-ting

 Look!

More people who should NEVER have been allowed near a gun!

This was NOT an appropriate situation for either open or concealed carry.  The one shopper who compared this to a firecracker is an idiot.

Emphasis is my addition, in bold, italic, or larger type - DG.

Beyond that - have we become so damned materialistic that we put a pair of stupid shoes ahead of our own safety and the safety of others? This is insanity.

From ABC news in San Francisco:

Air Jordan shoe frenzy sweeps Bay Area malls

Laura Anthony 

RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- Michael Jordan hasn't played in the NBA since 2003, but the frenzy over his shoes is as intense as ever. There was commotion, fights, even gunfire as shoppers waited all night and even broke down doors at shopping malls to buy the newest pair of Air Jordans.

Clearly the supply was way out of whack with the demand for the shoes. In some places, the crowds got so out of hand the shoe sales had to be shut down.
The frenzied scene was common all over the country. At one mall in Stockton, shoppers pushed and shoved to get their hands on a pair of $180 Air Jordan 11 Retro Concords.

Related Content

At Hilltop Mall in Richmond, gunfire rang out just before 7 a.m. when a 24-year-old man in line for Jordans mistakenly fired his weapon. The man was arrested and no one was hurt. "Right now, it's in the infancy stages of the investigation, but it appears it may have been a negligent discharge or an accidental discharge," Richmond Police Lt. Lori Curran said.
"The shooting, it was really nothing, it was just a little firecracker and the police, they just decided to shut it down because they didn't have the situation controlled," shopper Jonathan Del Valle said.
The mall shut down sales for a time, but later resumed.
At least some of those who bought the pricey shoes walked out and immediately resold them for a profit.
At the Westfield Solano Mall in Fairfield, dozens of police officers from four agencies responded when more than 1,000 shoppers showed up early and pushed a mall door off its hinges.
"The crowd was pushing up against the door on the upper level on the south side and pushed it off its tracks," Fairfield Police Lt. Joe Allio said.
Despite all the commotion, one young man managed to buy one of just 180 pairs before they sold out.
"I barely got in, but I was able to squeeze in and get my pair; it was lucky for me, I was very fortunate," Stephen Panis said.
Besides the one arrest in Richmond, two people in Fairfield were arrested, one for assaulting a police officer.
In contrast to what happened in Richmond and at some other malls, Serramonte Center in Daly City reported no problems. They handed out numbered wrist bands a day ahead of time so that only those who knew they'd get in showed up.
At Tanforan Mall in San Bruno, it went from mob-scene to ghost town when the two shoe stores there sold-out of the new Jordans by early morning.

Another Dog Shoots Hunter Story

Oh OH! 

I suppose we should be grateful they only endangered each other and not the rest of us, with this hunting accident.

I wonder what the heck they were hunting with a bull dog, and which bully breed, if any specific, this dog was.  They can be excellent all rounders, but they are not usually particularly gifted hunting dogs.

From MSNBC.com:

Another dog shoots hunter, this time in Florida

By msnbc.com staff

It's happened again: A hunting dog has shot its master.
This time, a man in Florida was hit in the thigh by a round from his Remington .308 on Saturday, TBO.com reported.
The culprit was a bulldog named Eli. Authorities told TBO.com that Billy E. Brown, 78, was driving to go deer hunting with a friend on a bumpy road in Pasco County near Tampa when Eli "got excited in the truck" and bumped the rifle. The gun discharged, the bullet hit Brown in the right thigh, and he was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, said Officer George Wells, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Brown's condition was not released.
Wells said Brown and the friend were about one-and-a-half miles into the woods when the accident -- if you're buying that the dog didn't mean to do that -- occurred.
The name of Brown's friend was not released. The two have been hunting together for more than 25 years, Wells told TBO.com.
This incident follows one Dec. 1 in which a hunter in Utah was hit in the buttocks by birdshot after his dog stepped on a shotgun laid across the bow of a boat. The Salt Lake City Tribune said the wounded hunter had 27 pellets removed from ... well, you know.

The third segment, Human Darwinism in Action!

And some folks here wonder why it is we don't all blithely trust people with  guns...

The porcupine is cute, the dog is clever - and they both have better sense than the guy at the end.

Yet another negligent discharge

Dog Gone wanted me to post this. For some reason Hindi transliteration was enabled, but I managed to fix that! But it was buggering up my posting.