9 m.o. shot in Kokomo

[singlesix]

Before everyone jumps on the Glock hate bandwagon, seems to me "I was just cleaning my gun" is used to cover up for I was playing with my gun and was a dumb&&& and pulled the trigger.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Very sad... I can't imagine what either of the parents are thinking right now.

Before everyone jumps on the Glock hate bandwagon, seems to me "I was just cleaning my gun" is used to cover up for I was playing with my gun and was a dumb&&& and pulled the trigger.

I'm not making a statement about the father from this story, but I agree with what you said. Every other news story about a "accidental" firearm discharge seems to be someone just aiming their gun around carelessly and then they **** up really bad and pull the trigger. Not saying that's what happened in this case, but the idea wasn't far from my mind when I saw the title of the news article.

 

[edporch]

While we don't KNOW that the gun was a Glock I would almost bet that it was. Gaston could have designed the Glock to be taken down WITHOUT pulling the trigger first but he chose not to. He should have stuck with making curtain rods. He is a marketing genius. Marketing people as a rule are not the folks I would pick to design a potentially dangerous mechanical device that will be sold to the masses.

Even if it was a Glock, that's no excuse for this carelessness!

I've owned Glocks for 20+ years.
You remove the magazine, point the gun in a safe direction and pull the slide back to clear the chamber and SEE that a round isn't in the chamber before you do ANYTHING.

This theory that a semi-auto pistol has to be able to be broken down without having to pull the trigger or it's unsafe is BS.

 

[Drail]

Well, when someone has an unintentional discharge from a pistol that required a trigger pull to remove the slide compared to a pistol that does not require a trigger pull then that requirement is most certainly adding to the risk. Granted, stupid people are the actual problem but is there any good reason to make it even easier for stupid people to screwup? And this goes right back to the idea of "I took the magazine out so it's safe now right?" A 1911 and most other pistols can be taken down with a round still in the chamber and they will "probably" not fire the round. That HAS to be considered an advantage. I am not a "Glock hater" but I do not see why the gun was designed the way it was. (actually I do but that is another debate) I know of multiple cases like this where the "stupid" person who unintentionally discharged a round (from a Glock) was a "trained" LEO, usually firing into another "trained" LEO. But, you are right - stupid people are the biggest problem. As are the people who train them.

 

[edporch]

Well, when someone has an unintentional discharge from a pistol that required a trigger pull to remove the slide compared to a pistol that does not require a trigger pull then that requirement is most certainly adding to the risk.
-snip-

I wouldn't bet my life on a gun that doesn't need a trigger pull to remove the slide.
It will with potentially a round left in it.
Just like I'd never rely on a safety to protect me from being shot.
So again, it comes back to the user knowing how to properly CLEAR a weapon before disassembling it.

For example, I have a S&W M&P40, and I ALWAYS remove the magazine, then pull back the slide to clear the chamber FIRST.
So the fact that the slide can be removed without pulling the trigger means nothing in terms of safely handling a deadly weapon.

 

[mom45]

The baby died today. I saw it on the news site earlier.

9-month-old Indiana boy shot during gun cleaning dies | Local - WSBT.com

 

[Deet]

So sad, prayers for the baby. I hoped that he would recover.

 

[ModernGunner]

Right, it's "Glocks fault". Well, IF it's a Glock, eh?

That's ludicrous and ridiculous wrong-headed thinking, at the minimum.

Unless something breaks on the firearm, it's the fault, and ONLY the fault, of the yabo holding the firearm. EVERY instance, EVERY time.

Period.

 

[JB357Mag]

Very sad.

Always point in safe direction.

One thing I like about my XD9 sc is that you have to lock
the slide back first, then move the take down lever up before the
trigger pull.

With the slide locked back it would be hard to leave a round in the chamber.

Jimmy

 

[chipbennett]

Not an accident; negligent discharge, and the father should be held responsible, up to and including manslaughter by negligent act, as applicable.

So much fail here. Many people have mentioned the violation of Gun Safety Rule The First (et al), but I would also include allowing a nine-month old around a gun-cleaning area. Not only is someone that age not able to understand firearm risk (and behave accordingly), but also, why would you want to risk the infant pulling over a bottle of Hoppes on himself (possibly ingesting some), or swallowing a barrel swab (or worse)?

That said: ultimately for anyone not part of the family of the poor infant, this is just a sober reminder of how important it is to maintain discipline when handling firearms.

(And, despite the historic-low rates of death, including child mortality, due to accidental (i.e. negligent) firearm discharge, expect the gun-control freaks to dance in this baby's blood in order to try to score political points. Engage tongue-biting.)

 

[dusty88]

Well, when someone has an unintentional discharge from a pistol that required a trigger pull to remove the slide compared to a pistol that does not require a trigger pull then that requirement is most certainly adding to the risk.

but I would also include allowing a nine-month old around a gun-cleaning area.

These are important points.

People will screw up.

Most accidents don't occur from 1 mistake; they occur from multiple mistakes combined. And some accidents are prevented by noticing what human error might occur later and creating procedures to overcome the potential human error.

I can have some understanding for how someone might have thought they unloaded the gun: if just not taught properly, or if distracted when starting the process. I can't imagine why you wouldn't in any case point the gun away from the kid.

But the other points are factors as well. Don't increase your risk when you don't have to. If the factor that increases the risk has no benefit, find another way to do what you are doing.