Des Moines County Sheriff shoots himself in the hand

KWQC TV ^ | 12/17/2015 | Jennifer Janda

[iowamark]

Burlington, Iowa - Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone accidentally shot himself in the hand.

On Wednesday, December 16th, Sheriff Johnstone suffered a gunshot wound to his left hand while cleaning his personally-owned handgun at his home.

Sheriff Johnstone was taken to Great River Medical Center Emergency Room for treatment of his non-life threatening injury. He will be transferred to another medical facility where he can be treated by a surgeon who specializes in hand injuries.

[iowamark]

I shouldn't laugh. I hope that he will be ok. Yes, Sheriff Johnstone is a Democrat.

[lacrew]

I will never understand this. Clear the weapon before you fiddle with it.

[iowamark]

He just got a ticket for hitting another vehicle on the way to the firing range.

http://www.kcci.com/news/sheriff-says-hes-to-blame-for-crash-wants-ticket/35081374

[Paul46360]

Right...I clean my gun with bullets in it ALL THE TIME!!!

[Farmer Dean]

Law enforcement are supposed to be professionals.Unacceptable.

[defconw]

I have always wondered if people just say they were cleaning the gun because they are to embarrassed to say that they were playing with the gun?

[HomerBohn]

I predict he’ll lost the next election.

[Riley]

I find that ‘it went off while I was cleaning it’ is usually code for ‘I was doing something stupid, I knew better, and I’d rather not talk about it’.

[SkyDancer]

I wonder if he knew what that little hook was for.

[datura]

[IC Ken]

So he was stupid enough to clean a loaded gun.

[NFHale]

“...will never understand this...”

You and me both.

How in the Hell do you NOT check and clear a firearm before attempting any cleaning/maintenance on it??? Treat every gun as if it’s always loaded. First damn thing you learn.

[riverrunner]

Most likely a Glock and forgot to take the one out of the chamber then pull the trigger trying to take the slide off.

[camle]

this is why you put the bullets somewhere AWAY from any gun you’re messing with

[FlingWingFlyer]

Democrats should never handle guns. They are not toys or taxpayer wallets.

[ChildOfThe60s]

I have always wondered if people just say they were cleaning the gun because they are to embarrassed to say that they were playing with the gun?

LOL. Actually a good question.

Every year goes by I get more safety conscious, not less. I make sure a gun is clear when I finish shooting, before I clean it, when I put it into the safe and when I take it out of my safe. Then, before I holster it, I make sure it is loaded and chambered.

[FlingWingFlyer]

LOL!

[Old Sarge]

Oh, THAT’S funny!

Here, honey, laugh it up...

[NFHale]

Still, no excuse for it.

Dump mag.
Work the slide.
Check chamber.
Show clear.

I carried a G19 all day long (now a G17). I get your point, but you clearly know to do this; you’d think a “highly trained professional” would know it as well.

[Beowulf9]

It’s up there with when cheating on spouse ‘It just happened’