Define Irony: Phoenix man killed in gun-safety demo

Elsewhere

Damn... this sucks. Even still, I have NEVER pointed my gun at my head before... even when I was certain it was not loaded.

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/293333.php

Phoenix man killed in gun-safety demo

ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.18.2009

A 26-year-old Phoenix man accidentally killed himself early Sunday while explaining gun safety to two Sierra Vista residents. Samuel Benally Jr. was at an apartment on West Tacoma Street when he said guns should be kept unloaded because people could point them at their heads, said Sierra Vista police Sgt. Brett Mitchell.

Benally then demonstrated by putting his own 9mm Ruger, which he believed to be unloaded, to his head and firing it, Mitchell said. Benally was flown to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Mitchell said. An investigation is ongoing, but police do not believe alcohol or drugs were involved, Mitchell said.

John Doe

Sounds like a good nomination for the Darwin award.

VIII

Stupid is as stupid does.

And, he was sober. Drunk and stupid I can understand. Sober and stupid, well, I said it above.

All he has proven is that, perhaps, IQ tests should be required before gun licenses are given out.

Edited to add: I do like the edit feature.

Also, villabolo, I was being sarcastic. I am really sorry your father did that. It is sad that someone would take a chance like that with a child or young person nearby.

I actually want to get a gun, what with the gun laws potentially changing. Hopefully I will never, ever, drunk or sober, feel the need to point it at anything I don't plan on hurting real bad. Including myself. I mean that sincerely.

villabolo

When my very drunk father first taught me how to load and unload a gun he would, after removing the cartridge from the chamber, point it at his head and dry fire it. My attention was, to say the least, rivetted to what he was doing.

As far as irony is concerned I would say very little. Only if he followed the rules of gun safety and a freakish accident occurred would it have been ironic. This man clearly violated the number one rule of firearms. Never point a firearm (empty or not) at anything you don't mind destroying.

Edited to add: No offence taken VIII, it seems we both posted simultanously without realizing what the other would say.

leavingwt

This is a tragedy.

It should also be pointed out that the tool performed exactly as it was desgined to perform. The tool was pointed at a human being, and then the trigger was pulled.

The tool did not mysteriously kill an innocent person.

BurnTheShips

The Four Rules, as defined by the late, great, Colonel Jeff Cooper (italics mine):

RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED (always treat a gun as if it were loaded)

RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET (and what is behind it)

It looks like this individual broke Rule 1, Rule 2, Rule 3 and maybe Rule 4.

Follow the rules, and you will never have an accident with a well maintained, modern firearm.

BTS

Gregor

I know of two Sierra Vista residents who will never point a gun to their heads.