On the 10:00 news in Houston

"Man shot and killed at local gun range. At the American Shooting Center, preliminary reports say the man was taking his gun out of his vehicle when the gun discharged and shot him in the chest, killing him."

This just happened so I'm sure we will hear about it tomorrow. That's where I shoot with a membership. The range officers announce at the cease fires that all guns are to be cased and uncased only at the shooting benches. Of course it is hard for them to monitor what happens at the vehicles.

Maybe the report should have said that he was killed in a parking lot. But that won't make the news because it happens all the time.

ray

One dead after gun range shooting

09:07 PM CST on Wednesday, December 19, 2007

KHOU.com staff report

A man is dead after a shooting at a gun range in a county park. Constable deputies on scene said the shooting appears to be accidental.

A Pct. 5 Constable spokesman said an unidentified man was shot once in the chest as he was either loading or unloading a rifle from his car.

The shooting happened about 6:40 p.m. at the American Shooting Centers range located within George Bush Park in the 16500 block of Westheimer Parkway in west Houston.


KHOU Web site report. They make it sound in the first sentence like it was a shootout. Can you say sensationalism. I fell sorry for the man,s family. My prayers go out to them.

i am not saying that he deserved to die or even get shot, but what the hell was he thinking?

I DO feel sorrow for the man, his family, and our sport on hearing of this. Still and all, it emphasizes that Darwin probably was right about the gene pool and survival of the fittest.

Next to bird hunting accidents, shooting self or others while taking an "UNLOADED GUN" into or out of a vehicle is most common shooting accident. I know of several of these over years. Next in line is cleaning an "UNLOADED GUN".

I never unload my guns, therefore I know, they are always ready to shoot and handle them as such.

Just my $.02 RC

They included another shooting in Corpus Christi in the on-line paper this morning. The local news on TV did not even report it this morning.

quote:

A man was fatally shot during an accident at a west Houston gun range, police said.

The 45- to 50-year-old man died after he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest at American Shooting Centers in the 16500 block of Westheimer Parkway, Houston police said.

The incident happened about 6:40 p.m. Authorities say they believe the injuries were caused by a rifle.

No other details were immediately available Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, a police officer for the Port of Corpus Christi died in a similar shooting, police said.

James Saavedra, 40, was shot once in the chest on Wednesday while he and another officer were sighting in a rifle at the department's gun range, said Luther Kim, the port's police chief. Saavedra died at a hospital one hour later.

Saavedra was working with Officer Eric Giannamore when the shot was fired. Kim said he did not know which officer fired the shot or where the two men were standing in relation to one another.

Kim said the officers were on duty when the shooting occurred. Both were qualified range masters and experienced as firearms instructors, he said.

"Words cannot express the sorrow we all feel at his untimely passing," Kim said. "(Saavedra) was an exceptional and highly experienced police officer, but more importantly, a wonderful man."

The Corpus Christi Police Department was handling the investigation for the port police force, a nine-officer department with jurisdiction over the Nueces County port. Kim said Giannamore has been placed on administrative leave with pay.

Saavedra is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.

Just goes to show any of us can have a dumb-ass moment unless we are constantly vigilant.

ADs will happen. Gun safety just means that when they do, the results are not fatal. Someone had their finger on a trigger with he gun not pointed in a safe direction.
Peter.

Or another possible explanation, suicide ?.

Not to change the subject but to introduce a possible ulterior motive in " some " apparent accidents . Suicide !.

An older couple were driving erratic on one of the local freeways , the News reported it as a possible medical condition as an explanation for the fatal accident . They slammed into the back of a school bus !. Accident or Suicide ?. most medical conditions that occur while driving tend to cause the driver to swerve severely in one direction or the other . generally rolling the vehicle over or off the roadway . not slamming cars like a bumper derby !.

San Diego CA. has had a rash of Bank Robbery's hold ups shootings and Violent crimes rapes robbery you name it . Ever since appx. 8-10 months after hurricane katrina !. Right after Federal money dried up for victims , curious if Houston Dallas has had similar shift in crime rate ?.

Here's a hoot I understand we just signed an agreement with Mexico to give them Billions of $$$$$$$$$$ to curtail illegal immigration on their side of the border !!. We're paying for it all the way around now !!!!!!!!!!.

They discovered another smuggling tunnel about 60 miles east of San Diego in Teccate Mexico ( the US Border patrol found it ) . Border patrol Notified the Mexican authorities two days later the Drug Cartel or smugglers ?? shot and killed the Teccate Chief of Police in his HOME ; while he slep next to his wife !!. He had only had the job 3 days prior to the shooting !.

The Real Estate slump isn't the only problem with the economy !!!!!!!!!!.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . I Mean JUST THAT !. ...

I investgated one of these back in the early 80's. I figured it was a suicide. A 60 yoa life time hunter and shooter who had cancer. Went out to do some target shooting. got to the range pulled his loaded rilfe out by the muzzle and shoots himself in the heart.

One of the problems I had with calling it a accident Wis has a law requireing a firearm must be unloaded and in a case law if in vehicle. This fellow would have been very well aware of it.

Sheriff over ruled me at the time and it went down as a accident. A lot of ruleings like that family feels better gets to collect insurance ect.

Don't know if that is the case in the one posted but I am doughtful in a lot of these.

Well it turns out he was a brother-in-law of a friend of mine. He was supposedly an excellent wing shot and an experienced hunter. He has a Suburban with a shelf made in the back at the top of the wheel wells and kept his guns under the shelf. That explains getting hit in the chest if he was standing at the back of the Suburban.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I DO feel sorrow for the man, his family, and our sport on hearing of this. Still and all, it emphasizes that Darwin probably was right about the gene pool and survival of the fittest.

My sentiments exactly. Some folks just cannot be saved from themselves.

gun loaded in the car (not only not safe, not legal)
pulled trigger (one can only guess why)
had barrel pointed toward chest ( well duh )

maybe me but when going to range i load once at range bench no before i load guns in truck

Something to be said for cable safety locks during transportation of weapons.
Pat

quote:

Originally posted by skb2706:

gun loaded in the car (not only not safe, not legal)

Wrong. There is NO law in Texas against having a loaded firearm in your car.

The Corpus Christi case is still murkier. The best guess is that the shooter was sighting in and while looking through the scope didn't see his partner head downrange. You can't call that a suicide when you have person #2 pulling the trigger.

quote:

Originally posted by CDH:

quote:

Originally posted by skb2706:

gun loaded in the car (not only not safe, not legal)

Wrong. There is NO law in Texas against having a loaded firearm in your car.

That would depend on where you are, Texas state law prohibits a loaded firearm in a vehicle on public hunting land and some other locations.

quote:

PROHIBITED ACTS
Important – In addition to the other applicable statutes or regulations, a person on Public Hunting Lands commits an offense if that person:

Means and Methods
possesses a loaded firearm within or on a motor vehicle
except as provided for a disabled person (see page vii),

possesses a loaded firearm within a designated campsite,
designated vehicle parking area, designated boat launching
facility or departmental check station;

NOTICE: The prohibited acts and other public hunting regulations
do not in any way restrict a person having a concealed
handgun license from possessing a concealed handgun,
loaded or unloaded, on public hunting lands in strict accordance
with the concealed handgun laws.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/..._prohibited_acts.pdf

Before the pissing match starts, in several states you can have a loaded rifle in the truck (car). Common sense tells you to NOT have a round in the chamber.

Dunno about all other states, but here in Washington, the law applies to the firearm, doesn't matter if it's in the magazine or in the chamber, it's a $250 fine either way.

Never saw a need to have a loaded Rifle in the vehicle . What good is that ?. Most morons have enough trouble with the steering wheel and a dam cell phone !.

If your hunting you shouldn't be in anything other than your hunting area and clothes !. Last I checked Never had a Deer or Elk napping in my truck Cab or jeep !. Besides how do you sight in with a rifle bumping along down the road , where do you put your target ?. On the hood Ornament ?.

Last word of caution DON'T let ME catch you driving down the freeway reading a news paper and drinking coffee !. Other wise you'll end up like that stupid SOB I swerved to avoid hitting last week . I did how ever lay on the Horn which is a diesel Tractor compressed air horn . That coffee was about 2 Ft. out of the cup last I saw him !!!!!!!!!!. Wonder if he'll try a law suit with McDonald's ??.

Did I mention I LIKE PEOPLE who PAY ATTENTION to what ever they're doing !. Merry Christmas ALL ...

stillbeeman ;I agree Common Sense !!.

Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

The shooting happened about 6:40 p.m. at the American Shooting Centers range located within George Bush Park in the 16500 block of Westheimer Parkway in west Houston.

Well, obviously this is all George Bush's fault!!!

Sounds like just stupidity and safety. If the guy was a carpenter he probably would have killed himself with a skillsaw and unsafe use or a salesman he would have choked to death on lies.