Here is a link to the news…
In hearing from someone that was there, it sounds like his chair swiveled out of the way as he was transitioning to a seated position. He brought the gun in close to his body as he fell, but his finger was still on the trigger. As he hit the ground, it pivoted up and he pulled the trigger. The entry was just under the chin, and the exit was through the top of his head.
The last report that I have is that he is still alive, thanks to the efforts of the gentleman on scene that began CPR immediately.
I was looking at a number of forums, and there are people expressing everything from sympathy, to outrage that “anyone would allow a 15 year old to handle a monster 45”.
When we take a step back and look at the situation, he made the mistake of having his finger on the trigger when he had not made the decision to fire. That’s the essential rule that he broke.
It’s true that as he was falling, he allowed the firearm to point at something that he didn’t want to destroy. That is another rule technically broken, but he was in the act of falling. Had he not had his finger on the trigger, he would not have been shot.
Those rules work together.
I have drilled those rules into my nephew and others that I have had the opportunity to teach. Every time at the range or in a class. They work together to keep you and others safe.
In this case, a very tragic accident happened. But we have to accept that sometimes, in a free society, bad things can and do happen. It doesn’t make guns bad, it doesn’t make the father an evil person, and it doesn’t make the son an idiot. He and his father were enjoying an activity together. That’s what he remembers now, I’m sure.
I do want to address the people referring to that “monster 45”.
If you have never shot a gun, a .45ACP may indeed seem intimidating. But in practice, many people notice LESS perceived recoil shooting a .45ACP than they do shooting a .40 S&W. There is more of a “pop” from a .40 S&W.
I think I first shot a .45 when I was about 8, but I might have been younger. My nephew shot a .40 S&W at 10. They are not monsters. In fact, some of the most fun I have had with my nephew was when we were out shooting and I was able to watch the joy in his eyes as he practiced and developed his ability to hit whatever he aimed at.
This father was not negligent in allowing his son to shoot a .45 ACP. His son made a mistake – but it was as he was falling down. Yes, if he had obeyed all of the rules of firearm safety he would not have been injured. But he didn’t. It still does not make them idiots, and it doesn’t make guns bad.
Thankfully we live in a free society, and sometimes bad things happen in a free society. I’d rather that be the case, than that we outlaw guns, or outlaw anyone under 18 from ever shooting them as I have seen suggested.
Hopefully he will fully recover. Our prayers go out to them, and we hope they can remember the joy of being together more than the pain of this incident.