Passenger accidentally fires pistol in airport

[Drizzt]

Passenger accidentally fires pistol in airport

RAPID CITY — Police responded to an accidental shooting Saturday at Rapid City Regional Airport when a gun was fired near the baggage check-in counter. No one was injured, and no charges are being filed.

“A retired Philadelphia police officer was here on a hunting trip and was checking his luggage when the airline people advised him he had to place his Glock 9 mm handgun into a hard case,” Sgt. Elias Diaz of the Rapid City Police Department said Sunday.

“He was unloading it and disassembling the weapon, and he removed the magazine,” Diaz said. “Part of disassembling a Glock is that after clearing it by removing the rounds, you need to pull the trigger. He pulled the trigger and had not adequately cleared the chamber.”

Diaz said a Glock, unlike most handguns, will fire without a magazine if there is still a bullet in the chamber.

The bullet passed through the man’s suitcase, dented the scale platform where bags are weighed and ricocheted into a nearby electronic machine.

“Nobody was hurt — just a little nervous,” Diaz said.

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2005/11/07/news/local/news04.txt

 

[Janitor]

he had not adequately cleared the chamber

"not adequately"????

Is that just another way to say "didn't bother"?

“Nobody was hurt — just a little ...

... nervous, and just a little negligent."


"Except for me, nobody in this airport is professional enough to ..."

-

 

[Tory]

Anyone OTHER than a cop

would have been charged for having a loaded gun on them in an airport.

Further, disassembly is NOT a standard requirement; a locked case IS.

A COP too stupid to clear a gun before stripping it AND too stupid to know whether his gun has a mag safety (and not all that many DO, MSM drivel notwithstanding)?? Pair him with the cretin cop who discharged her Glock in the classroom full of schoolkids......

Was it a "Fo'ty wit Da Switch?"

 

[wallysparx]

what do you suppose he's gonna hunt with a 9 anyways?

 

[Live Free Or Die]

I'm glad nobody was hurt, and that the report wasn't reactionary. But for pete's sake what we see in this case is gross negligence, plain and simple. Perhaps the retired officer was given a pass because...he's a retired officer?

And as Janitor pointed out, I'd like to know exactly what constitutes "adequately" clearing the chamber, other than actually clearing the chamber.

 

[Taipei Personality]

Diaz said a Glock, unlike most handguns, will fire without a magazine if there is still a bullet in the chamber.

I'd be interested to see the actual ratio on this.

 

[armoredman]

I certainly hope the same charges that would be filed on Joe ordinary, are indeed fled in this case. Even though I can benefit from "professional courtesy", I despise it. We should be held to HIGHER standards, not lower...

 

[kage genin]

Diaz said a Glock, unlike most handguns, will fire without a magazine if there is still a bullet in the chamber.

Uh, I have yet to handle or see a handgun that would NOT fire with a round chambered, magazine or no. This isn't California post 2007 yet, is it?

 

[Janitor]

I hate drawing this complete a blank, but I can't name models/makes.

But there *are* pistols that have a magazine interlock.

I'll bet about anything that Ruger is one of them.

 

[Omni04]

Kage,

My Smith and Wesson Model 41 has a magazine saftey on it. it won't fire with just a round in the chamber. Keep in mind a Smith and Wesson Model 41 isn't what most people would consider a prime CCW

 

[hso]

Browning Hi Power

 

[SRYnidan]

Browing High Power
Bersa 380
Any S&W auto I have ever seen except the 1911

 

[Rob1035]

There is no excuse for this. Absolutely none.

Of course, they blame the gun, like it fired itself. Big shocker there....

 

[Frandy]

........................

 

[HankB]

Browning Hi Power

No, not mine . . . anymore.

Aside from the official response by the authorities to the careless retired cop, I wonder how the news media would report the story if it had been John Q. Public who'd done something so dangerously dumb.

Nah . . . no need to wonder. The entire tone of the story would be completely different.

 

[petro]

Walther

My Walther p-22 has a mag interlock. Won't fire, loaded or not, without a mag inserted. Now, my 2000 model, all german-made P-99 will fire, everytime, everywhere, magazine or no, on a loaded chamber.

IIRC, the NEW P-99s, and the SW99's will not fire without a mag. Just don't remember...hmmm

 

[Taipei Personality]

Don't some of the CZs have mag safeties?

 

[Shorts]

I hate drawing this complete a blank, but I can't name models/makes.

But there *are* pistols that have a magazine interlock.

I'll bet about anything that Ruger is one of them.

My Beretta 86 has got that. I imagine the rest of the Cheetah line, maybe.

 

[Taipei Personality]

Just remembered, my Seecamp has a mag safety.

 

[DelayedReaction]

My Ruger Mark III has a magazine disconnect. It makes cleaning the stupid thing an even bigger pain the in the butt.

 

[twoblink]

Reading something like this is like seeing Hillary in the buff..

It's just not a pretty sight..

They should take away my guns because people like this will protect me.. Ok...

 

[Joejojoba111]

You know, it's not so much the guy's negligence that causes anger, it's the apologist media coverage. That's AGGRAVATING.

It's not the officer's fault that the media is so gentle on him.

But yea, the fact is if a civilian did this the newspaper would report it quite differently. It's almost like there's an undeclared war on civilian firearm ownership...

 

[Old Dog]

Well, comes now the usual posts clearly demonstrating that, in the eyes of many THR members, law enforcement and the media just can't win ... Y'all complain about the overreaction of law enforcement agencies everywhere when responding to any incident, no matter how minor, involving firearms ... y'all complain about every story the media prints on any incident, no matter how minor, involving firearms.

Now we have a case where local LE didn't file charges (evidently the man was in legal possession of his firearms) and the responding agency was satisfied that the negligent discharge was, in fact, an accident -- so common sense was applied and no repercussions (except public humilation) for the retired LEO.

The media matter-of-factly (well, only minor inaccuracies) reports the story. No apologism there, c'mon.

Yet, still everyone bitches.

the fact is if a civilian did this the newspaper would report it quite differently. It's almost like there's an undeclared war on civilian firearm ownership...

Now, this is simply not true. Do your research. There are plenty of occurances of average gun-owning civilians having negligent discharges or otherwise stupid incidents/accidents involving firearms where law enforcement response is quite reasonable -- and -- gasp -- there is often zero press coverage (because of the very fact it's an average citizen and the incident is not newsworthy). Not to mention the fact that quite often, on this very board, news stories are posted about Joe Sixpack and a firearms incident where -- can you believe it? -- no charges are filed.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Uh, I have yet to handle or see a handgun that would NOT fire with a round chambered, magazine or no. This isn't California post 2007 yet, is it?

Lets see most if not all S&W autos,Browning Hi-Power,Bersa Thunder 380. Bauer 25 auto, Baby Browings 25 auto. and many many others.

I agree Mr Retired Policeman should face same charges as Mr. Regular Citizen would because thats what he is a regular citizen. However Since He's a trained pro. maybe his fines and any Jail time should be double Sort of like speeding in construction Zone. He endangered peoples lives.

 

[foghornl]

Hmmmm

Most "1911's" don't have a mag disconnect, IIRC. Haven't tried it, but I think my MKII Ruger would fire without a mag.

Been a while since I had one, but IIRC, the Model 59 Smith would NOT fire withou a mag.