Teen accidentally killed by dad at range

[EdC]

Hot brass down the back of dad's shirt and an instinctive reaction to get it out:

Teen accidentally killed at gun range by dad's bullet, police say - CBS News

I remember my first live fire NRA basic pistol class. We were required to wear a collared shirt buttoned up to the neck to guard against this. I admit that I don't do that any longer and presume that being an "experienced shooter" I won't let bad instincts take over if hot brass goes down my shirt and still practice the safety rules. I don't know how experienced this dad was.

It's happened to me a couple of times and I stayed safe (and burned a little while I put the gun down) when I went after the hot brass. Apparently, my instinct was "don't point the gun at something I'm not willing to destroy" and "keep my finger off the trigger." However, I'm starting to rethink my abandoning the "button up" safety precaution.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Sympathetic response/reflex?

 

[EdC]

The dad says that the bullet ricocheted off the ceiling and then hit his son. I really don't understand this. What kind of ceiling could it have been? I admit that I don't know much about ricochets.

'The gun didn't kill my boy. I did' -- father grieves son he accidentally shot - CNN.com

 

[Denny347]

FL teen was killed by father after a piece of hot brass lands on father's neck. Dad went to flick it off his skin WITH HIS GUN HAND, STILL HOLDING THE GUN, FINGER ON THE TRIGGER!! As he flicked it off, bang, shoots/kills son behind him. Shop owner telling news that there was nothing anyone could have done to prevent this . Such a tragedy over a skin burn. Let it burn you while you put firearm safely away THEN deal with it. That is hammered into our brains EVERY range training day. Just last week during my rifle in service I had a piece of hot .223 brass fall into my belt line, damn that hurt. But you take the burn until you secure the firearm...still have the mark.
Father accidentally shoots, kills son at FL gun range | WISH-TV

 

[308jake]

I have scars on the back of my knees and neck from hot brass landing there and not being able to safely remove it. Pain heals, chicks dig scars and handling a gun safely is forever.

 

[rhino]

This was tragic and was avoidable.

I've had multiple second and third degree burns from hot 5.56mm brass and knew as I was burning that I had to maintain control of the muzzle of my weapon and my trigger finger.

Louis Awerbuck always included a discussion of this in his safety briefings at the start of every class. I think we who teach others (including those who do so just by example) need to include discussion of what to do when hot brass sticks to you and more importantly, what to not do.

 

[steve0322]

It's sad and completely avoidable. Unfortunately, the left is going to take this and run with it as far as they can.

 

[Hookeye]

My guess is that a .22 lr bouncing back would have substantially deformed enough to show at entrance in autopsy.
Pops probably broke 180 and just popped the kid.

I had a .22 lr bounce off partition on indoor range, land over my safetyglasses in corner of eye.
Had eye surgery as a kid, so am super hyper sensitive to anything around my eyes.

Probably a worst case scenario for me.

Kept the gun pointed downrange, couldn't shake brass from corner of eye.
Flipped gun on safe, set it on the bench (pointed down range) carefully, backed up and then went spaz.

Always be safe.

Have seen others indoor and outdoors, break 180 from hot brass and other.

I prefer to shoot alone.

Because people are friggin' stupid.

 

[bigretic]

I have scars on the back of my knees and neck from hot brass landing there and not being able to safely remove it. Pain heals, chicks dig scars and handling a gun safely is forever.

My guess is that a .22 lr bouncing back would have substantially deformed enough to show at entrance in autopsy.
Pops probably broke 180 and just popped the kid.

I had a .22 lr bounce off partition on indoor range, land over my safetyglasses in corner of eye.
Had eye surgery as a kid, so am super hyper sensitive to anything around my eyes.

Probably a worst case scenario for me.

Kept the gun pointed downrange, couldn't shake brass from corner of eye.
Flipped gun on safe, set it on the bench (pointed down range) carefully, backed up and then went spaz.

Always be safe.

Have seen others indoor and outdoors, break 180 from hot brass and other.

I prefer to shoot alone.

Because people are friggin' stupid.

Yeah, I don't get it either. I've had brass land inside my glasses lots of times, as well as down the shirt - front and back and everywhere else. If a little jiggle didn't fix the issue, the gun was put down and the brass removed. Period.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I'm feeling REALLY manly right now. Last Appleseed I attended I was shooting my AR. During timed fire I had brass land firmly in the bare pit of my support elbow. I knew I had less than 10 seconds to get my last couple shots off so I sucked it up and kept cadence.

Sure I danced like a fool after ATM yelled cease fire, but damn. I cant imagine freaking out that much over stuck brass. Just keep it pointed downrange and do what you can with whatever else you have available. Even if it means hastily putting the weapon down at your feet quickly.

I even have the scar to this day.

 

[Slawburger]

I caught some hot brass down my shirt from a 9mm while shooting a stage. It was distracting and unpleasant but I finished the stage.

Not piling on the father, he will punish himself enough. Just adding to the reminder, keep it pointed downrange.

 

[OutdoorDad]

I took my nephew to the range when he was 13.
It was an hour drive. We spent that time talking about what might happen, what could happen and what should happen.

We mentally drilled on "what to do if what you THINK should happen doesn't.
And "what to do if something happens that you thought WOULDNT "

Third shot or so... he takes a piece of hot brass inside his shirt and it nestles in that hollow place right above your collarbone.

As we discussed, he placed the pistol on the table and took three steps backward. And then danced a jig.
VERY proud of that kid at the time. Even more so now.

I cannot imagine how this father must feel.
A tragedy.

 

[Bfish]

This is very sad. No matter the circumstances. I hate seeing stories like this.

 

[Hookeye]

7 kids. He's got spares.

 

[Tombs]

I see people flail around with guns a lot when they catch brass. I've never understood it, and it's one of the reasons I won't shoot on a range if someone else is in the same set of stalls, I value my life.

Burns take awhile before they start really hurting, doesn't matter how hot they are. I don't understand how someone is so sensitive to pain that they can't sit the gun down. What on earth would they ever do if they got a paper cut or a headache? Go to the hospital?

 

[HamsterStyle]

I. What on earth would they ever do if they got a paper cut or a headache? Go to the hospital?

They are part of the reason why the word migraine is one of the most overused words in the English language. As someone who used to get migraines quite regularly in Middle School, it annoys the ever-living crap out of me when people talk about having migraines but then carry on doing their normal routine. Um, no, you have a headache.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

We have all seen it. The weapon malfunctions and it gets waved all about. Some knucklehead shows up without a hat and an open shirt, shorts and flip flops (in March of course) and does the Dance of the Hot Scorpion for the amusement of his buddies while the muzzle dances about like a gun in gun shop.

Lack of discipline by the father killed the kid. The father will live with this forever.

Nothing more you can say other than to prevent it, the correct response has to be instructed. The weapon must be taken seriously or it will take a life.

 

[HoughMade]

I'm proud to say that my 11 year old sustained a decedent burn on his forearm (and he is proud of the scar) from flying brass at a 4-H Shooting Sports workshop a couple of weeks ago and maintained muzzle control. It's all in the training. If you actually treat a gun like a tool that can kill, it's amazing how your priorities straighten out.

 

[halfmileharry]

I shoot outdoors mostly and don't have the hot brass issue to contend with.
HOWEVER...Going to the Indoor ranges like Parabellum and Point Blank I consistently get the hot brass shower. I've got a couple of "white scars" on my rt elbow fold. I learned to wear protective clothing after that.
I feel terrible for the family on this. Hopefully the family will heal and others may survive after understanding what happened here.

 

[Tforrest1985]

This is just very sad a series of unfortunate events ending in tragedy