Accidents happen!

[bobsyouruncle]

Before I gloat, I need to remind myself that just because I haven't had an accident doesn't mean I couldn't, always think safety.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/fulton-county-courthouse-accidental-shooting

 

[Dave P.]

And we all know how that happened.

 

[rugerjunkie]

There’s a difference between accidents and negligence…

 

[bobsyouruncle]

There’s a difference between accidents and negligence…

Absolutely! if it was a revolver you could just leave it on your belt, snapped into its holster, same with a 1911. If it was another popular type firearm with no manual safety, as the person was about to be seated, felt the gun slip from its holster and as they fumbled to grasp it hit the trigger

 

[Chief 101]

"shots rang out" opening statement by the news lady...my guess is Glock

 

[Watertender]

Just the thought of the pistol going off in a bathroom makes my ears ring! That had to be a real eye opening moment for anyone in the area

 

[Cholo]

↑ If you hadn't, you did! LOL

 

[bobsyouruncle]

I would guess guns were drawn, creating the potential for even more accidents

 

[Jeepnik]

Perhaps they need to teach law enforcement to clear their weapons before using the facilities. I know outside the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton Armed personell are supposed to use barrels to savely clear their weapons before entering.

 

[eveled]

There’s a difference between accidents and negligence…

While I understand your point. There are 2 types of accidents.

An accident is something you did that you did not do on purpose.

There are preventable accidents that are usually caused by negligence or stupidity.

There are non preventable accidents that nothing could have been done to prevent it. These are pretty rare.

 

[Mobuck]

"Perhaps they need to teach law enforcement to clear their weapons before using the facilities. I know outside the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton Armed personell are supposed to use barrels to savely clear their weapons before entering."
'Administrative handling' is the primary cause of AD/ND among LEO personnel. My take on that: if they can't safely load/unload their 'weapon', they need: more training or a different line of work.

 

[blume357]

firing into a barrel? Now that is silly and way too macho ... how hard is it to clear a weapon with out firing it.. at least with proper training. Then again it does take training and sometimes even that changes..., the 5th time I took the same defensive handgun class they had come up with a different way to eject your brass so that you can easily retain it. Then the last class I took had the LEO method of making sure the weapon is clear which was entirely different from the other classes I've taken.

I found the article in the OP's link poorly written but this is normal for most internet news.

 

[contender]

Actually, the barrel is there just in case the person clearing the firearm FAILED to properly clear the firearm. It's a safety item, acting as a safe direction and a way to catch the errant discharge. Of course,, if a person does the clearing process properly, the barrel is never needed.
In USPSA,, as a RO,, I have specific range commands. After a competitor has completed a stage,, I say; "If you are finished, unload & show clear." They are supposed to drop their magazine, or remove their moon clip, open the firearm, & present it to the RO where I can SEE the empty chamber. After which, I say; "If clear, hammer down." The word IF is in there to put the responsibility BACK to the shooter to ALSO check the chamber prior them dropping the slide & dropping the hammer.

The person who shot herself obviously did something wrong. The story is too vague & without details.

Still, gun safety falls directly upon the person with the firearm.

 

[Armybrat]

Just the thought of the pistol going off in a bathroom makes my ears ring! That had to be a real eye opening moment for anyone in the area

I wonder if she had finished her “business”….. or not.
It might make a big difference to the EMS crew.

 

[bobsyouruncle]

I'm always amazed at the number of guns left in restrooms.

 

[Watertender]

I wonder if she had finished her “business”….. or not.
It might make a big difference to the EMS crew.

Cleanup in stall 3!

 

[Jeepnik]

firing into a barrel? Now that is silly and way too macho ... how hard is it to clear a weapon with out firing it.. at least with proper training. Then again it does take training and sometimes even that changes..., the 5th time I took the same defensive handgun class they had come up with a different way to eject your brass so that you can easily retain it. Then the last class I took had the LEO method of making sure the weapon is clear which was entirely different from the other classes I've taken.

I found the article in the OP's link poorly written but this is normal for most internet news.

They don't fire into the barrel. The point their weapons in them while clearing them. I'll tell you what, Although I didn't carry on base, I figured there were enough armed folks around I didn't need to.

 

[Mobuck]

"Firing into a barrel"
As others have pointed out the purpose of the barrel (at least when I was involved in such things) was: remove the magazine, clear the chamber, drop the slide/bolt, point the muzzle into the sand filled barrel, and pull the trigger. This ensures that the firearm is in fact clear and woe be it unto anyone who gets a BOOM rather than a click. I have no idea how many pushups that would score the miscreant.

 

[peachhead]

What the heck does the Brian Nichols shooting have to do with the current incident? No point in bringing that up in the article.

 

[DeletedMember275]

What the heck does the Brian Nichols shooting have to do with the current incident? No point in bringing that up in the article.

It's called 'filler.' Generally the first and the last paragraphs of a written news story tell you all there is to know about that incident. The rest is just filler.

 

[DeletedMember275]

"Firing into a barrel"
As others have pointed out the purpose of the barrel (at least when I was involved in such things) was: remove the magazine, clear the chamber, drop the slide/bolt, point the muzzle into the sand filled barrel, and pull the trigger. This ensures that the firearm is in fact clear and woe be it unto anyone who gets a BOOM rather than a click. I have no idea how many pushups that would score the miscreant.

The current design of clearing barrel looks like those at the link. In the military, weapons are stored in an uncocked mode. Insert muzzle, drop magazine, rack slide, visually check chamber, pull trigger, recover formerly chambered round. Done.

I had one of these at each entrance to my Small Arms Shop in Korea.

Clearing Barrel

 

[friendly]

In the 67-70 Marines, there were only 3 reasons that any firearm fired.
1) You deliberately fired it.
2) You were doing something you shouldn't and the firearm went off.
3) The firearm is defective and the defect caused the discharge.
#1 & #2 got you a court martial. Anything from a bust, to a BCD discharge