Man kills girlfriend while showing her gun, charged with negligent homicide

[Cavalier Knight]

Man kills girlfriend while showing her gun, charged with negligent homicide
by Ramon Antonio Vargas,

The Times-Picayune
Tuesday August 19, 2008, 9:30 AM

A 23-year-old man's attempt to show his girlfriend a pistol ended in tragedy Monday night when the gun fired, killing her, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.

Averyell Davis, 23, was shot in the abdomen after the handgun her boyfriend was handling went off, said sheriff's spokesman Col. John Fortunato. Curtis C. Murray has been arrested and booked with one count of negligent homicide.

The couple were in the living room of their home in the 500 block of Behrman Highway in Gretna at about 10:15 p.m. when the gun discharged, Fortunato said. Authorities did not specify what caused the gun to fire.

Emergency responders arrived at the couple's home, where Davis' mother met them and told them that her daughter was shot inside the home.

In the living room, they found Davis lying on the floor with a wounded abdomen.

Responders transported her to Ochsner Medical Center, and on the way there, she told authorities that her boyfriend accidentally shot her, according to Fortunato.

Davis died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Lt. Don English, the homicide detective handling the case, later booked Murray with the criminal charge at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.

Even though the victim claimed it was an accident, "our investigation showed negligence on (Murray's) part, and that's why he was charged," Fortunato said.

Negligent homicide defendants can face up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both, according to state law.

Ramon Antonio Vargas can be reached at [email protected] or 504.826.3300.

ARTICLE

 

[SCKimberFan]

Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Elza]

Authorities did not specify what caused the gun to fire.

I’ll take a SWAG at it. His finger on the trigger perhaps??!!

 

[rbernie]

Stupid is as stupid does.

In this case, the girl died because of HIS stupidity and her ignorance of proper gun handling. Stupidity SHOULD be fatal, but ignorance should not. Here, the wrong person died.

This is a classic example of how teaching proper gun handling to folk would be A Good Thing.

 

[rugerman07]

This is an accident that shouldn't have happened. Common sense should tell you that.

 

[Eric F]

Man this is tough. All any one has to do is unload and show clear as the saying goes. Infact just unload it any way if it comes out of the holster for a non threat situation.

And yet I read this

I’ll take a SWAG at it. His finger on the trigger perhaps??!!

And I think(in poor taste) I will take a shot at itwhats wrong with me?

 

[elrod]

How many times have we read this story........and how do we prevent this type of tragedy without severely limiting the freedoms of everyone with a gun? Training? Drivers ed dosen't prevent car wrecks. Or is this collateral damage that is unavoidable, the price soceity pays to own a gun? It is my belief that we better come up with some tangible solutions before the government crams it down our throat.

 

[megatronrules]

This is tragic indeed I agree this was preventable and needless. However having said that we still need to remember that this is a tragedy and a young girl lost her life.was it stupid? yes but we should at least show compassion. also its like I've always been taught its the "unloaded" gun that kills you.

 

[Rustynuts]

Still sounds like murder to me, I think he intended to do it. "Here let me show you something, BAM! Oops, Sorry!"

 

[Treo]

I have a somewhat novel suggestion, Let's get some actual facts about what happened before we crucify the shooter.

 

[lacoochee]

In other news, over a hundred people died today across the US in traffic accidents, some because of stupid mistakes others because someone else made a stupid mistake.

Yes, it's tragic that this happened but in the end it's because it's so rare that it made the news at all.

As a side note, I wonder how many of these types of things are really "accidents"?

 

[Eric F]

Murder accidents negligence none of this really matters. What does matter is this

and how do we prevent this type of tragedy without severely limiting the freedoms of everyone with a gun? Training?

Friends the key to preventing any accident is education. Freel training classes, a gun safety class requirement before a gun purchase? Is that restricting gun ownership? Some would say yes, some would claim Brady tactics, would it save lives?(another brady tactic) yes. There must be a solution to gun education.

 

[Eric F]

I have a somewhat novel suggestion, Let's get some actual facts about what happened before we crucify the shooter.

Yeah right with this crowd of vultures not likely I have made this arguement many times and been gang keyboarded......good luck!

 

[Duke Junior]

when the gun fired, killing her,

Right.It just could not help itself and went off the deep end.
How many times have we read this stupidity?

 

[1911Tuner]

Very tragic, and entirely preventable.
I know someone who this same thing happened to to about 30 years ago. The younger brother of a friend was playing with a .22 pistol...a Colt Woodsman...and shot his girlfriend in the eye. She died where she fell. The pistol belonged to her father. The last I heard...about 5 years ago...he still hasn't gotten over it, and has destroyed himself with alcohol. His brother said that he still wakes up screaming about 2 nights a week.

 

[TStorm]

Quote:
I have a somewhat novel suggestion, Let's get some actual facts about what happened before we crucify the shooter.

Yeah right with this crowd of vultures not likely I have made this arguement many times and been gang keyboarded......good luck!

I'll cede you the point, but the crowd is full of safety hawks and not vultures.

The gun is always loaded. There are no accidental discharges, only negligent ones. Firearm + Cartridge + Finger on trigger, the firearm operates as designed. As for the spirit of the safety hawks, we all understand that these incidents are preventable, and that the many suffer for the actions of the few.

 

[B.D. Turner]

There is no excuse for shootings like this.

 

[myrockfight]

The last I heard...about 5 years ago...he still hasn't gotten over it, and has destroyed himself with alcohol. His brother said that he still wakes up screaming about 2 nights a week.

I don't know how anyone could get over something like that. While he was negligent, I still feel bad for him. He took someone else's life. So I guess it is fair that someone should take his (through punishment in jail). Sad situation all the way around. I feel the most for her family. Prayers sent.

 

[1911Tuner]

I don't know how anyone could get over something like that. While he was negligent, I still feel bad for him.

I don't either...and according to reports...he hasn't. He was kid when it happened. 17 years old. If they only hadn't skipped school that day...

 

[Starship1st]

What a tradgedy, and the bf failed to use any of the basic firearm safety. The negligent charge is right IMO.

 

[SCKimberFan]

There is a common thread in so many of these posts of people being killed or injured. That thread is that so many of these NDs are just a failure to follow the 4 rules of gun safety. At least 2 were not followed in this case, maybe all 4.

They will continue to happen (unfortunately) until folks have these rules engrained into their brains.

 

[Rustynuts]

I have a somewhat novel suggestion, Let's get some actual facts about what happened before we crucify the shooter.

The article states the girlfriend says he shot her. Whether it is murder (OK, lets say homicide technically), or simple ND, the idiot deserves to be crucified!!

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Why just the other day I was at the range, I accidentally shot some targets. I loaded the gun, took the safety off, aimed, and pulled the trigger, and the gun just fired for no reason.
This happened about ten times, then I put in a fresh magazine, and it happened again! I am shocked, needless to say!

How to handle a gun, this can't be posted enough:
Rule #1:: Always treat all guns as if they are loaded, always!

Rule#2: Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, so if it were to fire, noone will get shot. This also means no shooting when people are forward of the barrel, no matter how good a shot you are.

Rule#3:keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot, even if they don't in the movies or on TV.

RUle#4 Always know your target and what's behind it. Make sure Jonny isn't behind that sillhoute.

If it truly was an accident, I feel bad for this guy. Maybe we should distribute the 4 rules in public school, along with those don't pollute signs and the like that they normally put up.

 

[maestro pistolero]

Very sad, no matter what the reason. This kind of thing highlights the lack of gun socialization early in life.

We still have the right, thank God, and the SCOTUS, but too many of us didn't grow up learning to intuitively keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

I see it in gun shops here in Vegas. I can't count the times a sales person has crossed me with their muzzle in this town. It happened with an AR last week. I literally batted the muzzle to my left and said ***? The response: "it's not loaded". Remarkable, eh?

 

[Artiz]

I agree with you, always keep the muzzle in a safe direction, and always keep your finger off the trigger.
I play paintball, recball/mil-sim, and you will never see my finger on the trigger, you will never see my M16 SPR (Tippmann A5 upped to have a realistic look, like an M16 SPR) pointed to someone's way (you will see me pointing someone elses gun down alot though, stupid kids, I got shot in the safe 2 weeks ago, damn stupid imatures), maybe just their feets, if a teammate walks in front of me, I instinctively point down my gun.
It is just paintball, but it is still weapons, the injuries cannot be fatal, but we start the day with two eyes, I always expect to have both at the end of the day.