Posted on 12/12/2017 4:28:16 PM PST by nickcarraway
Investigators working to determine if gun malfunctioned or if the shooting was human error
Harris County authorities say a 36-year-old man walking toward a building that houses a suburban Houston gun range has been shot and killed after a rifle being worked on inside the building discharged.
Sheriff's spokesman Thomas Gilliland said the bullet from the hunting rifle went through a wall and struck the man who had just got out of his car.
A medical helicopter took the man to a Houston hospital where he died later Tuesday morning.
The victim has not been immediately identified.
KXAN-TV is reporting the shooting took place at about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Hot Wells Shooting Range along Northwest Freeway and Barker Cypress Road.
Gilliland said the shooting appears to be accidental and "doesn't seem to be anything other than that at this point."
He said homicide detectives are questioning range employees and are trying to determine if the shooting was the result of a gun malfunction or human error.
Muzzle pointed back towards the parking lot with a round chambered.
NEGLIGENT.
Well said. This is the reason for that rule, `Check the chamber; next, re-check the chamber’.
I suppose whoever carelessly handled this hunting rifle feels bad ... but I’m positive the decedent’s family feels worse. This was a completely avoidable tragedy.
Who works on a firearm with a round in the chamber? This guy did. Next time, shoot yourself you careless POS.
Scratch one gun range from my list, there is no excuse for this kind of accident.
These are all safety 101 for a 12 yo. I don't want someone fiddling with their guns while I'm paying for my targets. I have to assume you are a total moron until you prove otherwise. In this case, it seems he was. If you have 20 people at the range, you must assume you have 4-5 that have never even shot their weapon before. I learned this stuff at my dad's side at 10 yo. I'm 66 now. I have no way of knowing if you just came in from Connecticut or some other God forsaken hole.
I've been at the range when a man brought a weapon inside loaded. The owner went nuts. In a hypothetical, lets say I knew my gun was loaded and everything was jammed. I couldn't open the bolt or take out a magazine. I would go inside and tell the owners, my problem and do EXACTLY what they told me to do. They would be invited to come with me to get the gun and carry it in themselves. If it was just foolishness from a shooter, they can expect hell on earth. He will certainly be held civilly liable, but could get manslaughter depending on the circumstances.
Wow.
On KHOU They said it was a 20 year old employee that was working on the gun. Sounds like he did not have enough training. I’ve been to that range many times and they always seemed to be very safety conscious - maybe a little too cautious in some ways.
American Shooting Center near West Oaks Mall is good. Most of the range officers are former military, and I have seen them fuss at anyone getting careless with a gun or otherwise violating range rules.
I shoot at Hotwells frequently. The range officers are excellent. Not sure why this happened.
As long as it doesn't flood :).
Seriously, my only issue with them is 50yds minimum for a rifle larger than a 22, making zeroing optics difficult.
That's how I started going to Hot Wells to begin with.
Handle a gun like you would a rattlesnake... Very carefully. And then you should be just fine.
Exactly my point. Homicide from the forensics standpoint...death at the hands of another...Accident from the judicial standpoint.
What your missing is that the forensics and judicial definitions are DIFFERENT! And we’re done. Merry Christmas.
Wow! Glad you’re OK!
Thanks. It’s a hell of a note when a gun accidentally discharges while being cleaned by a gun range employee. It proves that mistakes can always happen. I know the guy must be devastated. He needs our prayers.
And I’m sure there’ll be calls to close the range.
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