Three Hurt in Accidental Shooting at Gun Show

[Oldgrunt]

With all the bad publicity gun owners are getting right now, this doesn't help our cause. Personally, taking a loaded shotgun to a gun show is not something I would consider doing but, to each his own.


RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Officials say three people were wounded when gunfire erupted at a gun show at the North Carolina state fairgrounds.

It happened Saturday at the Dixie Gun and Knife Show, a quarterly event that usually draws thousands of people.

State agriculture department spokesman Brian Long says a 12-gauge shotgun discharged while its owner unzipped its case for a law enforcement officer to check it at a security entrance.

Two bystanders were hit by shotgun pellets and taken to a hospital. A retired deputy sheriff suffered a slight hand injury.

Long says the shotgun's owner, 36-year-old Gary Lynn Wilson of Wilmington, brought the weapon to the show to find a private buyer.

Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison says it's too early to know whether Wilson might be charged.

The show shut down early Saturday but will reopen Sunday.

 

[jfisch]

12 months ago this wouldn't have been news at all. Or at least not front page/website headline. Any gun stories from here on are going to be about how "scary and dangerous" they are especially if they are being published by the AP for major news outlets.

 

[usmeu25]

Im having a hard time trying to think of a reasonable response to this. What was this guy Gary thinking.

How could he not know that his Shotgun was loaded. Pure ignorance, he should be charged.

I'm sorry, but these are the type of people that give responsible gun owners a bad name.

Especially now during these critical times. All eyes across America are on us.(Gun Owners)

I'm extremely glad that there were no fatalities from this, and thank God there were no Children In the line of fire.

Gary Lynn should be held accountable for his lack of for thought. Make him pay for the Medical expenses for these injured people .

That's the least he could do, and if police want to change him, then so be it. No sympathy from me.

 

[Blackthorn]

He broke every rule for handling firearms not just this time but the time he cased, stored, and transported that shotgun. Deserves whatever he is charged with.

 

[SR40c]

Dumb-ass!...........................

 

[Sir Diealotz]

Dumb-ass!...........................

I concur....

Haboobafoo

 

[walt629]

Umm.... Gun show loop hole?

After making the decision to sell the gun, the next decision should be to make sure it is in selling condition. That would include a full inspection? Is it loaded? What a dumb s h i t!

Makes us all look stupid. You know the media will get some mileage out of this.

 

[2Awarrior]

How did he get in the door?
Every show I've ever been to - NY, PA, Connecticut, California - they're all over you at the door if you show up with a weapon. Never mind if this dumba$$ was stupid enough to leave it loaded, the guys I've run into at the door would make sure it's empty or you don't get in.

Edit -oops - disregard, I misunderstood the OP.

 

[Austin]

Now lets remember that everyone screws up every once in a while. I know I have...

 

[Deserteagle]

This story would be a lot better if the idiot had just shot himself with the shotgun, rather than shoot 3 innocent people with his pure idiocy.

 

[Dekul34]

Question that'll determine if he gets charged is did he pull the trigger or did the guy at the door checking the weapon? Agreed the owner is a moron not checking if it was loaded but then again he might not know anything about guns and just been selling something he inherited and knew nothing about, who knows

But, if the guy at the door was fondling it and pulled the trigger without checking if it was loaded then its another story, rule number 1, all guns are loaded.

The report is what confuses me, it went off while unzipping the case? Unless it was modified stupidly, like, I dunno, removing the trigger guard, I don't see how this is possible, someone must have pulled that trigger.

 

[captD]

How many people stopped a crime with a gun in the same timeframe? We'll never know if we rely on the mainstream media to give us the information. These events would never have been reported with such vigor had the "prez" not just pointed his finger at us. They were avoidable and stupid mistakes for sure, but given the number of responsible interactions that day, account for a tiny percentage. Media wet dream, unfortunately.

 

[usmeu25]

Austin,
I can not, or will not speak for you, But in 48 years of Hunting, Shooting, Carrying & Transporting weapons I have never made this kind of mistake.

As Dekul34 said, All Weapons are considered loaded. Why anyone wouldn't check this is a mystery to me. No excuses!!!

 

[2Awarrior]

Here I am mistakenly posting "how did he get in the door" earlier, and there I am at a gun show today. A seventy-year-old-looking guy hands a rifle he brought to the show to a vendor to ask him what it's worth. The vendor first wants to look down the barrel, so he pulls the bolt back.
You guessed it - live cartridge pops out.
Seems impossible, and I wish it was...

 

[mojoman]

This is not good now but the one I try to get in today they had signs posted no guns you can buy one and take it out but not on your person.

 

[Bill Amsden]

My thoughts exactly, rule number one..... when handling a gun always assume a gun is loaded until it is feild checked and verified that it isn't. This was not the best thing that could have happened at this time that is for sure. I'll refrain from any name calling but really hope this individual feels dumb as h*ll and that he could have killed someone due to his pure negligance and quite honestly inexperience!!!!!!!

 

[UATKP]

Texas gun shows that I've been to... if you take a weapon inside, it cannot be concealed... it must be checked in at the door, and a zip tie put through the trigger works to keep it from being fired, and I had to carry my handgun in the open all day. Don't know about others, but that's what they've done at the ones I've been to.