Another idiot with a gun

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Gary L. Griffiths

New member
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/22/us/washington-movie-theater-shooting/index.html

Not anyone's definition of a responsible gun owner. Apparently this idiot went to see "13 Hours" while drunk, then, naturally, started playing with his gun in the theater. Unsurprisingly, it went off, striking the woman sitting in front of him in the torso, fortunately apparently not fatally. :(

Proposed 5th Rule of Gun Safety: Your weapon should never be taken out of its holster unless needed to respond to a deadly threat, on a firing range, or when at home for storage or cleaning. :rolleyes:
 
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9x45

New member
Investigators believe the 29-year-old man was intoxicated After he fumbled with the gun, it accidentally fired, hitting the 40-year-old woman in the shoulder.

He should be charged with involuntary attempt manslaughter, gross negligent willful discharge, illegal conceal carry, and drunk in public. Why would anyone "play" with their gun in a holster anyway? And to boot, I hope the victim takes this guy to civil court and is awarded everything he currently owns and wages for the rest of his life.
 
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NINEX19

New member
He should be charged with involuntary attempt manslaughter, gross negligent willful discharge, illegal conceal carry, and drunk in public. Why would anyone "play" with their gun in a holster anyway? And to boot, I hope the victim takes this guy to civil court and is awarded everything he currently owns and wages for the rest of his life.
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I will not defend this man, but I think you should also not be so quick to pass judgement on what happened based on an incomplete investigation.

Yes, he should be charged with negligent discharge (willful?) and assault. Involuntary attempted manslaughter might be a bit much, but I am not an attorney.

Authorities have not come out and said for sure if he was intoxicated or not, just that the think he was. Did they not run a sobriety test or blood test to say for sure? He could also have a medical condition or had a medical episode that contributed to his actions. If he was drunk, that is another story. I will not defend any intoxication in public, but my point is that we really don't know all the facts yet.

There is also no indication that he was "playing" with his gun. He could have be readjusting it or something of that aspect. The article says "fumbling" not "playing". Two different images. There has been many times that I have had to reach back and change the position of my holstered gun because of sitting positions. Not sure why he had to take it out, but I was not there.

Having a concealed carry gun (with a CPL) in a theater is not illegal in this state. No charge for that. We do not even know if he had a CPL or not, so charges could depend on this if he did not have a valid license.

He turned himself in and it is being described as an accident. Yes, he needs to give restitution for his actions. I hope you never are in this situation where an unintentional accident (gun or otherwise) on your part could completely ruin your life. Perhaps you have information I have not read.
 
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NoSecondBest

New member
Not everyone should be allowed to have a gun. I've met a lot of people over the years who simply shouldn't be allowed to own guns, power tools, use electricity, drive cars, or any other device that could injure them or others. Some have personalty disorders, low IQs, or a Rambo complex. Guns just aren't for everybody. Oh yeah, a lot of them lack any common sense what-so-ever. I think that applies here.
 
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9x45

New member
There is no such thing as unintentional or accidental. He pulled the trigger, period. Too bad he didn't point it at himself....

So add leaving the scene of a crime. After the shooting, the man reportedly left the theater and briefly went into a nearby restaurant, where he dropped the gun and picked it back up, according to a witness and police.

Toxicology takes several days, but if he had a valid CCW, he won't have one now. And how could he have received a permit with a mental or medical problem to start with?

Why would anyone defend this idiot? What if it were your wife or daughter, or what if the moron shot you, and you had your CCW gun on?
 
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MurBob

New member
I will not defend this man, but I think you should also not be so quick to pass judgement on what happened based on an incomplete investigation.

Yes, he should be charged with negligent discharge (willful?) and assault. Involuntary attempted manslaughter might be a bit much, but I am not an attorney.

Authorities have not come out and said for sure if he was intoxicated or not, just that the think he was. Did they not run a sobriety test or blood test to say for sure? He could also have a medical condition or had a medical episode that contributed to his actions. If he was drunk, that is another story. I will not defend any intoxication in public, but my point is that we really don't know all the facts yet.

There is also no indication that he was "playing" with his gun. He could have be readjusting it or something of that aspect. The article says "fumbling" not "playing". Two different images. There has been many times that I have had to reach back and change the position of my holstered gun because of sitting positions. Not sure why he had to take it out, but I was not there.

Having a concealed carry gun (with a CPL) in a theater is not illegal in this state. No charge for that. We do not even know if he had a CPL or not, so charges could depend on this if he did not have a valid license.

He turned himself in and it is being described as an accident. Yes, he needs to give restitution for his actions. I hope you never are in this situation where an unintentional accident (gun or otherwise) on your part could completely ruin your life. Perhaps you have information I have not read.
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Ya.. what he said.
Lets wait to see what defense attorneys and prosecutors say. What the media says is usually nothing more then agenda based sensationalism, and frequently inaccurate at that.
 
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NINEX19

New member
Toxicology takes several days, but if he had a valid CCW, he won't have one now. And how could he have received a permit with a mental or medical problem to start with?

Why would anyone defend this idiot?
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Don't mistake not rushing to judgement as defending. I am just saying we don't have the full facts.

Breathalyzers don't take days.
As a former Medic, I have seen many stroke (TIA) patients as well as diabetic emergencies that easily can be mistaken for intoxication or drug influence. People do strange things when having medical emergencies that often are mistaken for intoxication. I have had many, many patients that were called into 911 as a drunk person, acting strange or passed out, that end up being medical emergencies such as hypoglycemia or stroke or other issues.

In Washington State, there is no medical test you need to go through to get a CPL. Medical emergencies happen all the time when you least expect it. By definition, that is what makes it an emergency.
 
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A pause for the COZ

New member
I was going to leave a comment on the news site. but though better of it. No way i want those leftist having my information at all.

Simple enough issue. Since he already broke a boat load of laws. just hold him accountable for what he did. Simple.
 
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9x45

New member
Toxicology takes days, it's just not looking for alcohol. The DA will, at the very least, charge him with gross negligence resulting in great bodily injury. He could have just as easily killed her, then what do you say? She could have medical issues for the rest of here life with a round to the shoulder. And who knows what else the investigation/back round will turn up, outstanding warrants, priors, etc. This guy pulled the trigger, and he owns everything that happened because of that, even if he was sober, had a valid permit, and no priors, or should he just say "I'm sorry"....

If the guy had a TIA, how could he pull the trigger? That would require removing it from the holster, a deliberate act.
 
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buck460XVR

New member
Several reports indicate he appeared to be intoxicated. Nothing said about mental or medical problems.
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Ever try to fire an alcoholic? Extremely hard to do it 'cause supposedly it's a disease and you have to give them a chance to go to treatment first.:rolleyes:

Anyway, yes, the guy is an idiot.
 
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NINEX19

New member
I have heard remarks all day today from liberal, anti-gun coworkers about this story. Perhaps I am a bit on the defensive.

However, coming out of the gate with a lot of presuppositions and wanting to string him up without a trial, gets to me a bit, especially when it could be any of us. This is called "armchair quarterbacking" These are the same tactics used by ill informed anti-gun people to push their agenda.

I find it a bit ironic that over in the "cop shoots himself by mistake" thread http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=571880
people are not so eager to point the finger and come up with all types of "excuses" when these could be similar circumstances.

Yes, he needs to own up to his mistakes (like it appears he is doing) and suffer the due penalty for those. Yes, he needed to keep his finger off the trigger, if that was even the cause. Again, I am not defending his actions, I am just waiting for the more complete story before I decide on my verdict. I would hate to have some of you on my jury, seeing that you have already decided on guilt and punishment without having a trial and all evidence given. I believe in innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 
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buck460XVR

New member
I am just waiting for the more complete story before I decide on my verdict. I would hate to have some of you on my jury, seeing that you have already decided on guilt and punishment without having a trial and all evidence given. I believe in innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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The guy was fooling with a loaded gun in a crowded movie theater and then walked away as if nothing happened after he seriously wounded a woman. He's an idiot. Period.
 
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rickyrick

New member
Somehow I missed this.... I watch news every morning and night. I must've been making coffee at the time it played.
 
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kilimanjaro

New member
I'm one of those people who think if you are caught fumbling with your cell phone while driving a car, your car should be confiscated and you lose your right to drive, and even to own another car.

After all, those are the kind of people giving us car owners a bad name, aren't they?

See where this kind of silly logic takes you? Let's wait for the trial and verdict. We gave up stoning and crucifying people based on popular delusions and emotion centuries ago.
 
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Kosh75287

New member
I think that clown's TRUE crime is "attempted CAPITAL stupidity". I think the first responding LEO should have "reholstered" the dumb@$$'s weapon in an orifice which will go unspecified in the polite & august company (terms which I use in all sincerity and without sarcasm) in which I write this.
 
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SSA

New member
Drunk drivers who put people in the hospital lose their licenses and get locked up. Drunk shooters who put innocent people in the hospital should lose their permits and get locked up.
Of course the legal process has to run its course.
The woman was minding her own business, sitting in a movie theater. The guy shot her. Now she is in intensive care at Harborview. There is no excuse.
 
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Double Naught Spy

New member
I will not defend this man, but I think you should also not be so quick to pass judgement on what happened based on an incomplete investigation.
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Well, he did manage to shoot somebody unintentionally.


Authorities have not come out and said for sure if he was intoxicated or not, just that the think he was.
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Well, he admit that he had been drinking. That, combined with the police believing he was intoxicated is a pretty good clue.
http://www.king5.com/story/news/loc...nding-shooting-renton-movie-theater/79152338/

There is also no indication that he was "playing" with his gun.

He could have be readjusting it or something of that aspect. The article says "fumbling" not "playing". Two different images. There has been many times that I have had to reach back and change the position of my holstered gun because of sitting positions. Not sure why he had to take it out, but I was not there.
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Well, he did take it out, fumbled the gun (his admission) and the result was shooting another person in the shoulder.

Having a concealed carry gun (with a CPL) in a theater is not illegal in this state. No charge for that. We do not even know if he had a CPL or not, so charges could depend on this if he did not have a valid license.
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He DOES have a carry permit.

He turned himself in and it is being described as an accident.
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AFTER his father called 911 to report what his son had done.
 
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NINEX19

New member
OK. Like I said, I never defended any of his actions. None of that information was available in the initial reports that I read nor released early on today. This is all newly released information. What can I say, he is an idiot that just set back the image of CPL holders in this state. We all need to take a lesson away from this incident.
 
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