Burlington shooting highlights gun safety concerns

[jpak]

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110604/NEWS02/110604020/Burlington-shooting-highlights-gun-safety-concerns-?odyssey=nav%7Chead

Burlington police are declining to provide additional information about an incident Thursday in the city that left a man near death with what authorities are calling an accidental gunshot wound to the head.

James O'Neal Jr., 26, remained in critical condition Friday at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington and was not expected to survive, police have said.

Meanwhile, gun-safety experts said the incident highlights the need for people to be extremely careful with firearms.

Police said O'Neal was handling a handgun recklessly when he accidentally shot himself in the head. Several people were present in the home near the corner of North Champlain and Sherman streets when the 1 p.m. Thursday shooting occurred, police said.

<more>

[sharesunited]

1. Today's 2nd Amendment poster boy. I am very sorry for guns and ammo in the hands of the public.

[lawodevolution]

10. yes, it's much better over in gun free Nigeria.

Or gun free Jamaica. Or gun free Haiti.

[mwb970]

2. You would think it would be different if the gun person kills only himself.

Yet, I find this just as tragic as those endless "the young boys passed the gun around until it went off, killing one of them" stories.

On edit: Like this one.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x424560

[TheWraith]

14. Hardly endless.

The number of accidental firearms deaths in the US, every year, is about 600. That's about the same number as how many people die in the US from tuberculosis. And one thirteenth the number as die from infectious intestinal diseases.

[SteveM]

19. Tragedy comes from lack of instruction in safe gun handling...

Do you have any suggestions as to how this can be remedied? Please keep in mind that the long-term trend for "accidental" deaths by firearms is down, even as the number of firearms in public hands has gone up by tens of millions.

The drop off in gun accidents may be explained by increased use of gun safes, and instruction of young people in the proper and safe use of firearms.

http://www.nssf.org/share/BP2/2006/060506.htm?AoI=media

If I may, were you even aware of this data? It has been posted here numerous times over the years.

[iverglas]

23. are you actually not aware of ALL the data?

Or do you really only get your stuff from gunhead sites? Don't even read what's on this board?

A post right in this forum this very week gives the figures for the RISE in gunshot INJURIES in recent years in the US. How come your link doesn't mention that?

Gosh, could it be because it's one of those, how does that go, biased sources?

At least they're honest about one thing, though:

As NSSF-member companies and conservationists laud the latest sales numbers, their applause coincides with more good news about American society in general.

I'd say that's representative of all firearms-related companies and a small fraction of conservationists, myself.

The drop off in gun accidents may be explained by increased use of gun safes, and instruction of young people in the proper and safe use of firearms.

What drop-off in gun accidents? Do your figures support that assertion? Nope.

There has been no decline in accidental gunshot injuries in the US; in fact, those numbers continue to rise.

The decline in accidental firearms fatalities is most likely brought about mainly by

- a decline in hunting
- concerted efforts to increase compliance with and raise awareness of hunting safety rules
- improved treatment of gunshot victims at hospitals

[hack89]

26. WISQARS shows a decline in accidental gun injuries from 2000 to 2008

from 17,696 to 17,215. Every year in between there was a decline. There was an increase in 2009 to 18,610 - we will have to wait until the 2010 data is posted to see if that shows an upward trend or is an outlier. Even then, the 2009 figure still represents a decline in the rate per 100,000 from 6.21 to 6.06.

[Glassunion]

27. I get the same results when I tried.

[russ1943]

29. Every year except..............

There is at least some accuracy in #19’s comment “the long-term trend for "accidental" deaths by firearms is down.”
If, as you say WISQARS shows there was a decline in Unintentional Firearm Gunshot Nonfatal Injuries every year from 2000 to 2008 then the decline per year is trivial. 17,696 from to 17,215 over 8 years isn’t enough to be considered statistically significant.

But wait, I see that 17,696 isn’t from 2000 but is from 2001. Could our poster have “mistakenly” made any other errors of fact. No that’s not possible poster #27 implies they have checked the statistics and agrees with post#26.

#26 stated; “Every year in between there was a decline.”(referring to accidental gun injuries from 2000 to 2008) WISQARS labels that category as;
Unintentional Firearm Gunshot Nonfatal Injuries.
YEAR UNINTENTIONAL FIREARM GUNSHOT INJURIES
2006 14,678
2007 15,698 THAT’S AN INCREASE
2008 17,215 ANOTHER INCREASE
2009 18,610 ANOTHER INCREASE
A 26.7% increase from 2006 to the most recent year available 2009.

To post "there were increases each and every year" from 2000 to 2008 is an error of demonstrable fact.
I do find it bizarre that while one routinely posts errors of fact the zeal of gun enthusiasts actually allows another to check and corroborate.

[PavePusher]

3. So, what laws would have prevented this? n/t

[sharesunited]

4. The one which shuts down manufacture, importation and sale would be a good start.

Start to make 'em scarce.

[eqfan592]

7. Yes, because such laws have worked so well in other parts of the world...

...oh, wait a minute....

[lawodevolution]

11. How well did this work in Mexico?

[ergot]

12. The Volstead Act shut down the manufacture, importation and sale of alcoholic beverages

except it failed abysmally to actually do so. The supply didn't decrease, it just shifted from legitimate businesses to organized crime. I can't believe you don't know this basic stuff. Wait, check that...I absolutely believe it.

[SteveM]

20. Just how many forms of prohibition do you support? A simple list will do. nt

[oneshooter]

21. If you will look, Shares got Tombstoned a while ago.

Hard to ge an answer from there.

[SteveM]

22. God. It's the joke that keeps on giving. nt

[BOHICA12]

5. Let's review the THREE RULES OF GUN SAFETY

1. All Guns are loaded - All the Time.
Until you see an empty chamber/cylinder - the gun is loaded
Any gun handed to you is loaded
If you hand a gun to someone - do not insult them an say "It's unloaded!"
When they hand it back - IT IS LOADED - until you check and make sure it is not.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger
Guns do not "go off" - a trigger has to be pulled
3. Don't let the muzzle cover anything you go not want to KILL.
If your buddies like to point at things they should not - LEAVE - someone is going to die.

[iverglas]

24. let's speak English

All Guns are loaded - All the Time.

is not a RULE. It is an assertion of fact. And it's false. Ditto for most of the corollaries you offer.

If you want a rule, it would be: Treat all guns as if they are loaded.

Garble annoys me.

[PavePusher]

28. Pedantry annoys the rest of us. n/t

[iverglas]

30. obnoxious improper use of English annoys more than me

As I said, "The gun is loaded" is not a RULE.

Simple fact, no pedantry involved.

Letting you people here get away with calling that assertion of fact (which is often simply false) a rule means that you get away with saying someone broke a rule.

Nip it in the bud, I say.

[ileus]

25. Well said....

[spin]

6. Firearm safety should be taught in high school ...

and should be a mandatory class.

[petronius]

8. It wouldn't even have to be a class, exactly - just a couple segments

in Health class, or PE...

[spin]

9. That would work. (n/t)

[ileus]

13. Safety first...shooting yourself in the head later.

[jmanningvt]

15. james o'neal

i want to tell everyone James o neal was my best friend and was like my brother this whole thing happend in my home and was very hard to see i told him to stop messing with gun and when he put it to his head i told him to stop but it was to late i miss him everyday and wish he was still with me


i miss and Love you Guinea

[pipoman]

18. Sorry for your loss

Just so you know, this is a political policy site. The exchanges are impersonal and can be harsh for someone who is personally involved. Best to you and all involved.

[safeinOhio]

17. Once again those famous last words

"Hey, hold my beer and watch this"

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Sounds like the gun worked as designed. :shrug:

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.