Teen, shot while cleaning rifle, advocates gun locks

Orlando Sentinel ^ | April 24, 2004 | Lavanya Ramanathan and Keith W. Kohn

[Gun142]

Teen, shot while cleaning rifle, advocates gun locks

By Lavanya Ramanathan and Keith W. Kohn | Sentinel Staff Writers
Posted April 24, 2004

An Osceola County teen who narrowly escaped tragedy this week wished Friday that the rifle he and a friend were cleaning had been equipped with a gun-safety device that's being dispensed all over Florida.

Quentin Jones, 14, was nursing a wound in his shoulder caused by a .22-caliber bullet that went "under my armpit and through my fatty tissue" after the gun discharged accidentally.

Had the rifle's angle been slightly different, Quentin said, he could have been seriously hurt. His mother, Beverly Jones, called it a "lucky learning experience" for her son. "It could have been a big deal," Jones said.

Central Florida law-enforcement agencies trying to halt such accidental shootings, which killed more than 100 Florida youths in a 10-year period, are joining an aggressive push to distribute 655,000 gun locks statewide.

[Gun142]

Website is subscription.
Article basically goes on to say how gun locks are true miracles:

"If a gun lock's on it, that would be an answer to everything," the longtime deputy said.

No, it wouldn't, moron. Real safety education (Eddie Eagle) and even some experience to reduce a kid's curiosity of firearms is a good answer.
Respect and [self] discipline rooted with fair parenting is another.

/mini-rant

[DiscoStu1979]

Unloading a weapon prior to cleaning it is a pretty good idea as well.

[annyokie]

Note to teen, unload gun prior to cleaning.

[hellinahandcart]

Not pointing the business end toward yourself is another helpful household hint.

[FourPeas]

His mother, Beverly Jones, called it a "lucky learning experience" for her son. "It could have been a big deal," Jones said.

Yup. Methinks he'll remember next time to be more careful.

[hellinahandcart]

You have to PAY to read that crappy paper online now? Bwahahaha!

[clee1]

Near Darwin award winner.

[ampat]

If he's too absent minded to unload the gun before handling it, then he's to absent minded to put the lock on. Always, always check that the gun is unloaded when you pick it up

[stainlessbanner]

http://www.bugmenot.com/

[Oztrich Boy]

An Osceola County teen who narrowly escaped tragedy this week wished Friday that the rifle he and a friend were cleaning had been unloaded.

[Gun142]

I double check my guns before leaving the range or field when hunting. I check again before they go in the safe. Always checked before cleaning too.
I've never failed.

Many thanks to Dad! for pounding the basic safety rules into my head from early on.

As he says - "Safety pays for happy days".

[Vision]

You clean a rifle with the breach closed, shoot yourself, and then want to put locks on all guns? You're a moron sir.

[Parley Baer]

Yep, at least two gun rules broken maybe more. Check to see if weapon is unloaded weapon before cleaning. Do not point the business end at anyone including yourself. I don't know the circumstances involved but it should have been unloaded after the last shoot and checked again before being put away. Parley

[Oztrich Boy]

"If a gun lock's on it, that would be an answer to everything," the longtime deputy said.

Just darn! Is Barney still serving?

[Cicero]

What a maroon.

[WorkingClassFilth]

The only gun infraction I've ever had in my lifetime was deliberate and commited at the age of 19.

Since then, every weapon I've picked up was empty, or soon so. No muzzle under my contol has ever crossed the face, body or person of anyone in visible range.

I am one of many. I am the NRA.

[vpintheak]

Stupid is as stupid does.

[Euro-American Scum]

An Osceola County teen who narrowly escaped tragedy this week wished Friday that the rifle he and a friend were cleaning had been equipped with a gun-safety device that's being dispensed all over Florida.

It might have been avoided entirely if he and his friend stopped shooting the s**t and paid attention to what they were doing.

[NonValueAdded]

So this bozo who is cleaning a loaded weapon and manages to shoot himself is advocating gun locks and we're supposed to take everything he says seriously? Heck, if you advocate gun locks, why choose that nimrod as a spokesman?

[Gun142]

You have to PAY to read that crappy paper online now?

My mistake, should have posted that you need to register to read articles there. It's free after you submit your fake name and fake address with an old Yahoo email account.