Looks like someone in Nevada pulled a Plaxico in a movie theater (except for the whole carrying illegally part):
Witnesses told police the man’s gun had gone off when he adjusted his position in his seat. They said he quickly got up, apologized to other patrons sitting near him and left the theater before police arrived.
Officers later found the man at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Reno with a gunshot wound to his buttocks. He told them his gun – for which he had a valid concealed-carry permit – fell out of his pocket and discharged when it hit the floor.
His story sounds like a load of crap to me, but either way, a properly holstered firearm isn’t going to do this. I also wonder if he violated Uncle’s rule 5. Even for pocket carry, the gun should be in a holster made specifically to fit in a pocket. It’s amazing to me how many of these incidents happen in states that mandate training, where any instructor worth their salt is going to tell you to carry your gun in a damned holster. Nevada’s training requirements are considerably more stringent, even, than most states that require training.
The problem is, if you take a moron, and run him through a training course, at the end of the process all you have is a moron who’s had some training. It doesn’t change fundamental fact that the person is a moron. Just because you take a few piano lessons, doesn’t mean you’re on your way to being the next Vladimir Horowitz. Some folks will never get beyond Mary Had a Little Lamb, no matter how much instruction you give them.
Very true. We have morons at our shooting club. Who are questionably not safe. At USPSA matches they are shooting over the berm and into the hill behind it. Our berm is an aluminum sheet with rubber tire bits as a back stop. Very fine for pistol. But shooting over it is unacceptable. As well as keeping their finger on the trigger when they mag change or move to the next target. Really unsafe people. And when you bring it up to them they get all defensive. why do these people not think of being safe? It is the most paranoid thing I do at the range.
Why are they not immediately DQ’d by the RO. All of those things listed there are explicitly stated in the rules as an immediate DQ.
See rule 10.5.8 and 10.5.10 explicitly on the booger hook bang switch problem while moving.
See rule 10.5.9 explicitly for the booger hook while reloading problem.
See 10.4.1 for shooting over the berm.
As for why they don’t think of being safe often it’s because this is how they have always done it and don’t see a reason to change. They do not understand or comprehend how their actions are unsafe.
If you see that happen at a match, notify the RO. At minimum they should be warned if the RO didn’t see it. If the RO did see it they need to get the boot for the rest of the match. The rules exist to protect everyone. The RO isn’t kicking them out, they kicked themselves out by breaking the rules.
I keep reading about these people who go to ranges or competitions and wildly violate the necessary and unarguable safety rules, and ask myself, why aren’t the operations, ROs etc. properly policing them? I.e. perhaps a warning and then decisively kicking them off the range?
How can we legitimately complain about people like this if we refuse to police our own?
One piece of gun control I support would be “must use a holster when carrying.”
-Gene
I am going to kind of play Devil’s Advocate. I purchased a DeSantis Nemesis holster for a .380. And on one occasion while at home lying down I had my pistol fall out of the holster.
One must realize, that not everyone is sold the right equipment. Especially while a new shooter.
I’ve since modified that holster to a far better design incorporating magnetic retention.
But seriously, yes, I do have concern. As most of the time, one doesn’t know their equipment is unsuitable until something happens.
This guy seems like he handled the matter reasonably well, apologizing to patrons for the disturbance and then seeking medical attention.
Regarding “a properly holstered firearm isn’t going to do this.”
I guess you did not hear about the PSP trooper at the Belfast barracks whose gun discharged while in the holster while he was walking across the barracks’s parking lot a couple of months ago.
Carrying in pocket in a theater.
Which pocket?
Fell out and discharged.
So…it fell out. To where? If he’s in the standard seat…soft and cushiony…it fired? If it hit the ground….where? Had to go past the seat…so, how did it shoot him in the butt? And really, a modern gun firing when it falls two feet?
I think he had it in a back pocket, “adjusted it” and pulled the trigger. Though even that is hard to believe…most mouse guns have a long trigger pull on DA.