Man Walks Up To Officer And Casually Confesses To Negligently Shooting And Killing Female Friend

A man named Brian Mason, a 58-year-old Ohio man, walked up to a police officer in late March to make a confession; he had ‘accidentally’ shot and killed a woman the previous night while showing her how to use a firearm “that she was needing.” This is all according to Mason, who told the officer that the gun accidentally went off and shot the woman in the chest, killing her.

“I had an accident last night,” Mason told the officer. “I was showing an old friend of mine how to use this gun … and it went off and shot her in the chest.”

Video of the encounter can be viewed below.

Police went to the home where he told them it all went down, and found 57-year-old Michelle Elliot, who appeared to have suffered a fatal gunshot wound.

“Upon detectives concluding the interview with Mason he was taken into custody and transported to the Miami County Jail, where he was incarcerated on a charge of murder,” police said.

Mason pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide.

Homeless, Mason said he panicked after the incident and covered her body with a blanket, and then took off in his truck.

If everything that Mason has stated is true, his first move should have been to call 911 immediately, and wait for police to arrive to the scene. Next, Mason should have talked to a lawyer before talking with police.

While Mason calls the incident an accident, it’s actually pure negligence.

A negligent discharge occurs when a firearm is discharged unintentionally, often due to the improper handling or storage of the firearm. Here are some tips to avoid a negligent discharge:

1. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot: This is the most important rule when handling firearms. Only place your finger on the trigger when you are ready to shoot.
2. Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction: Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction at all times, even when the firearm is unloaded.
3. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded: Always assume that a firearm is loaded, even if you think it is not. Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.
4. Use appropriate storage: Store firearms in a secure location, such as a gun safe, and ensure that they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
5. Always follow the four basic firearm safety rules: treat every firearm as if it is loaded, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot, always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, and be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

By following these safety rules, you can reduce the risk of a negligent discharge and ensure safe handling of firearms.