Posted on 07/02/2012 11:24:05 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
JULY 2---The largest wildfire burning in Arizona was started during a bachelor party when one shotgun-toting celebrant fired a shell that promises to shoot “100 feet of fire, setting everything in its path ablaze,” The Smoking Gun has learned.
The Sunflower Fire--which has burned nearly 18,000 acres of the Tonto National Forest and is not fully contained--began in mid-May after five Arizona men gathered to celebrate the upcoming May 19 nuptials of Bryan Reeder. The group--all in their mid-20s--traveled from Mesa to the Sycamore Creek area for a weekend “campout and bachelor party,” according to court records.
On Saturday, May 12, the quintet awoke and “began to target shoot in an area close to their camp,” a United States Forest Service agent reported in a sworn affidavit. About two hours into the target shooting, Craig Shiflet (pictured at right) loaded an “incendiary shotgun shell” into his Remington 12 gauge and fired the round.
Tyler Pace, another bachelor party attendee, told investigators that after Shiflet fired the round, he “noticed smoke in the brush just behind” where the round landed in vegetation. Pace said the entire group “ran over to where the smoke was and noticed fire, which they unsuccessfully attempted to stomp out.”
As the fire rapidly grew, Shiflet called 911 and reported the blaze (and was instructed to leave the area by a police dispatcher).
(Excerpt) Read more at thesmokinggun.com ...
Idiots!
What a way to start a marriage..huge fines and possible jail time....
An excess of glee, booze, and incendiary shotgun shells sounds like fun during a party on a beach. In a dry place like Arizona in the summer, not so much.
Otherwise known as the “Dragonfire” round. Real smart.
I think there used to be some specialty shotgun shells called “Dragon’s Breath” that shot a large flame out when discharged.
Good for nothing except to make people go “wow” at night.
Dragon’s Breath?
Soon they’ll be taking all guns away.
Those incindiary rounds are awesome but not when used by drunken idiots in the wrong conditions. WOW.
FPS Russian fires the 12ga. Dragon’s Breath round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4FjODPDFA
(In Russian accent)
“I hope you enjoyed the video my friends
and as always
have a nice day.”
“Idiots!”
This IS the Tonto National Forest.
“Tonto” means “fool” in Spanish. In Potowatomie Indian it means, “wild one.”
This won't start a fire!
Video also demonstrates how easy those rounds can get away from you too. Notice at end when he’s saying ‘have a nice day’, the large bussell of hay 12 feet to the left of his burning target catches on fire from a stray spark and he doesn’t see it.
I wonder if alcohol was a factor.
Video = holy cow!
Is the Tonto National Forest near the Kemo Sabe National Forest?
I am sure that right before he did it, he uttered those famous words, “Hey, hold my beer.”
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