Posted on 01/05/2002 4:57:05 PM PST by ElkGroveDan
SFO Guardsman Shoots Self When Gun Misfires
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- There is disturbing news from San Francisco International Airport. KRON 4 has learned that a national guardsman was wounded when his gun accidentally discharged at the airport. It is the first such incident of its kind since the national guard began patroling airports in October.
The incident happened last Friday night shortly after 11, at SFO. Fortunately, the wound was not life threatening and no one else was hit.
Specialist Louis Alvarez and other members of the national guard were going off duty that Friday night. They gathered at the airport's courtyard number one outside the international terminal for a bus ride to their hotel. Alvarez, according to his superiors, was about to unload his 9-milimeter sidearm. Its a safety procedure that soldiers go through before leaving the airport.
To make sure there's no live round in the chamber of a pistol, soldiers fire into a red barrel filled with sand - called a clearing barrel.
Lt. Robert Paoletti explains the safety procedure: "They fire into the clearing barrel to drive home on an empty chamber to make sure the weapon is clear. We also have the non-commissioned officers inspect the chambers of the weapons to make sure they're clear to insure safety."
But Alvarez apparently had difficulty removing his sidearm from the holster. There was also a live round in the chamber. Somehow, as he was struggling, the gun went off and the round hit him in the buttocks. Alvarez's superiors say the shooting was unfortunate.
"He's a good soldier that had an accident. He is trained on the weapon. He is qualified in the weapon so it's an unfortunate thing," Lt. Paoletti says.
The national guard has now launched a formal investigation to find out exactely why the accidental shooting happened.
Soldiers are permitted to carry live ammunition, but normal operational protocol does not allow live rounds in the chambers unless the alert is upgraded. Did Alverez violate regulations by carrying his sidearm with a live round in the chamber?
"I'm not at liberty to discuss what the actual reason for the accidental discharge was. Like I said, it's under a formal investigation. Hopefully we'll be able to come to some resolution," says Lt. Paoletti.
Police were called immediately to the scene, but there was apparently some tense moments and confusion while police tried to piece together what happened. Airport sources tell KRON 4 that some officers thought, initially, that the soldier had been shot by a terrorist.
Alvarez was taken to San Francisco General. He's now back at home recuperating from his wound.
There are only two kinds of gun owners in the world, those who have had an A.D. and those who will. Not a critisism BTW. Over confidence is a bad thing. Keep safe.
A "misfire" occurs when the hammer strikes the primer but it does not ignite. It is a failure of the ammunition (or of the firing pin etc).
Having your finger in the trigger guard while you are drawing your weapon is a failure of the operator.
I wish people would stop calling them accidental. They aren't!
Reason: Nowhere near as much fun.
Complacency and total ignorance cause this type of "accident" to occur. If he was having trouble getting the gun out of the holster, that should have been a signal that something was wrong and help was needed. Fortunately, he hit himself where his brains are, so no damage was done.
When testing a nuclear weapon, when does one decide that he has a "misfire" as opposed to a "hangfire"?
"But Alvarez apparently had difficulty removing his sidearm from the holster. There was also a live round in the chamber. Somehow, as he was struggling, the gun went off and the round hit him in the buttocks." Someone should have reminded the guy to stop, take a deep breath, count to ten, and then begin all over again.
Was he aiming at anything when he fired the weapon?
Give him credit for hitting something.
"Struggling with his holster..." That's a new one.
Why does the image of Barney Fife come to mind?
"Now AAAnnnndddyyyy...."
I wish him well!
I don't know and I don't want to be there!! ;^)
P.S. Those .45 LC never misfire, do they?
This accident is the first time I've seen an advantage in switching our armed forces off of the 1911A1. At least the guy shot himself with a 9mm instead of a .45acp. If the NG has started a practice of shooting themselves in their butts, maybe the 9mm is a better choice ;-)
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