That headline though.
These are the stories that make me cringe, and make me wish that more people would respect the firearms that they decide to carry.
In this incident, a movie-goer –brand new to concealed carry– had a negligent discharge in a packed theater during a screening of “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” at the Central Mall in Salena, KS.
About halfway through the movie, there was a loud BOOM in the theater. Then, a man could be heard saying;
“Oh, my God! I just shot myself! I just got my concealed carry.”
Once people realized what was happening, aid was given to the permit holder. He had shot himself in the leg, and at least one person helped apply a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
“I feel really sorry that guy shot himself, but at least he didn’t shoot someone else,” [Movie-goer Heather] Myers said. “That would have been 10 times worse.”
Indeed it could have been much worse.
But what was the cause for the discharge? Could it have been a malfunction in equipment? Possibly, but not likely. What is more likely is the lack of proper safety. Remember those simple 4 rules?
If I had to guess, one of these two things happened:
1) The permit holder was messing around with his firearm
2) The permit holder was not using a proper holster or worse… no holster at all.
If the culprit was #1, that’s a simple fix. Once you holster your firearm, you shouldn’t be touching that firearm until either A) you’re back home and ready to put it away for the night or B) you have to draw in defense of yourself and/or others.
If the culprit was #2, that’s also a simple fix. If you’re going to carry a firearm, part of that responsibility is to have a proper concealed carry setup. This includes a sturdy belt to hold everything up and a holster with proper trigger protection and retention. Or, if pocket carrying, a suitable holster for such an occasion.
If you’re new to concealed carry, don’t rush things if you aren’t ready. This person clearly wasn’t yet, and that’s only something that you can determine. Use your brain to make that decision.
And if you have to think long and hard about whether you’re ready or not, I can tell you right now that you shouldn’t be carrying a firearm.
