Posted on 05/18/2010 10:28:51 PM PDT by skyman
MURRAY -- A trio of disturbing self-inflicted gunshots at a Utah gun range is bringing attention to a federal gun law. All three people rented a gun at the range then turned it on themselves.
It's an interesting law: Buy a gun from a store and you'll need to pass a background check; try one out, all you need to do is show ID. But that may not have prevented these shootings.
The staff at Get Some Guns and Ammo is struggling with the self-inflicted shooting of one their customers Monday night. It's the third time it's happened in six months.
"They seemed like normal people, very down to earth, very poised," says range owner Stuart Wallin.
In each case, the people showed ID, filled out a waiver to enter the range, then shot themselves with the very gun they checked out.
"I don't wish this on any of my competitors," Wallin says.
It's horrifying, but it's not the first time. It's happened at gun stores around the country. Two weeks ago, a Florida mother killed her adult son, then herself at a gun range.
So what does the law say? According to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, background checks are only required when one is purchasing a gun. Stores don't do them, nor are they required to, when someone is renting one at a range.
Get Some Guns and Ammo has people fill out a waiver, asking if the renter is legally allowed to have a gun, is on drugs or alcohol or is suicidal. Owners decided to do this story, saying they know they'll face criticism from some but wanting to tackle the subject of suicide head on.
"We feel for their families and their friends. Suicide solves nothing," Wallin says.
The shooting range has also adopted a new policy. Anyone who comes in alone -- like all three victims did -- is required to provide the phone number of a friend, parent or spouse.
"We're going to call them and say, 'Is "John" in a good state to be shooting guns?'" Wallin says.
Wallin said had the victims bought the guns, thus prompting background checks -- two of the three would have passed.
This has also happened twice at a range in Wisconsin.
I didn’t realize how common it was. It would be pretty tramatic to be at a range when it happened.
Suicide is only less selfish than abortion.
A childhood friend did this to himself. Married and with children, too.
His sister had manifested full-blown schizophrenia at age 21 and was institutionalized after trying to murder their mother. (Schizophrenia ran in the family.) This young man believed he was exhibiting signs of schizo, went to a gun range, and committed suicide.
This will no doubt be used as propaganda aimed at eradicating the right to own a gun.
Anyone check the suicide attempt stats for the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State Building, you name it?
At some gun ranges, they will not rent to a person who comes in alone. In order to rent, there must be two people. I guess they figure that if there are two people, there is a smaller chance of one of them committing suicide. Not sure if that is a local law, or just the rule of the shooting range.
I'd be more inclined to use the word tragic.
It sounds like more urban gun ranges might be an idea.
After those incidents, the range policy no longer permitted unfamiliar new patrons to just walk in alone and rent a lane and firearm. Long term members with a stable history were not similarly limited.
It is traumatic for the employees and customers. It is tragic for the family of the person who commits suicide.
In Denver, I wanted to go alone to a indoor range but needed another person to be with me but there were some ranges that didn’t have this requirement must be the range policy.
It worked out as my brother was able to go and I beat him in a shooting contest which I hadn’t done in years ;-)
People owning high rise buildings must be equally devastated
Insensitive, but correct observation...if the gun range would simply in the future refer to themselves as an assisted suicide provider they could avoid more leftist MSM anti-gun attacks.
“At some gun ranges, they will not rent to a person who comes in alone. In order to rent, there must be two people.”
My local range has the same policy with the following exception: if a lone person brings at least one gun of their own into the range then they will be allowed to rent. I guess the logic behind that is if you had a gun of your own to shoot yourself in the head you wouldn’t need to come to their range and rent one.
Not really.
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