Man Accidentally Shoots Himself at Savannah Gun Show
- Posted on February 6, 2012 at 7:54am by
Billy Hallowell
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A Georgia man is likely feeling a great deal of pain — and probably a hint of embarrassment — this morning after the Savannah Morning News reported that he accidentally shot himself at a gun show on Sunday evening.
Police say that 26-year-old Charles Lake is recovering following the bizarre incident. Considering the more life-threatening danger that could have unfolded, Lake was lucky to sustain only minor injuries.
He was reportedly leaving the show when he inadvertently discharged a round and shot himself in the leg at the Savannah Civic Center around 5:10 p.m. The incident occurred as he was attempting to re-load his pistol in the civic center parking lot, as loaded guns weren’t allowed inside the show.
Lake, who had purchased the gun on Saturday, was back at the show on Sunday to purchase another. He was urgently taken to Memorial University Medical Center to treat his injuries. Savannah-Chatham police are continuing to investigate the incident.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (120)
Guitar Master
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:33pmzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
From THE REPORTER
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
What if this lunatic had been carrying a grenade? Yuk !
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 1:19pmHow do you “load” a grenade?. This guy sounds like Barney Fife.
Report Post »TeaPatGunOwner
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 1:24pmBe kinda hard to do since live grenades aren’t sold at gun shows ;). Regardless of what the liberal media and bloomberg try to tell us, LOL
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 3:53pmWow! and all that for only $10.00! Where else can you go and see the coolest guns and then watch some one shoot themselves! You suppose this is a one time only show? probably, huh?
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 4:31pmI got gun safety training when I was 9 years old – always treat any gun as loaded. My dad was cleaning his old 6 shooter – 22 cal. A friend of his was visiting and asked him if the gun was loaded and my dad, as he said no pointed the gun down and it discharged. The bullit just missed hi Knee cap and went thru just the fleshey material. We had to go to ER and then answer to the law enforcement. Needless to say we taught my 3 sons not even to point a toy gun at each other. They are now doing the same to my 4 grandsons.
Report Post »txn4justice
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:26pmThere’s always one in the crowd. Good grief!
Report Post »lamarlamar
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:52amPoor training. BIG RULE……Keep Your Finger Off The Fricken Trigger Till It’s Time To Shoot!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:26pmWhat an ultra maroon …
Report Post »TexasBlaze
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 1:46pmHey, MyHero… methinks you mean “moron”, not maroon. Hmmmm, i wonder who is the moron….?
Report Post »peccatumDei
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 2:03pm@TexasBlaze: I’m sure he meant ultra maroon. It’s a term used by Bugs Bunny in a 1952 cartoon titled “Bully for Bugs”.
Report Post »gotty
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 4:41pmI bet he was decocking…you load, you rack, you decock. must have had a weak thumb.
Report Post »RagingJudge
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 5:24pmStill shouldn’t point the thing at your damn toe while dropping to half-****!
Report Post »Proud Stray Dog
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 7:56pmHey, Lamar, my instructor phrased it different: :Keep your booger hook off the bang switch until you are on target.”
Report Post »Puppy
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:11pmwhy even put one in the chamber? Should have just put the magazine in and leave it at that. Only takes a second to charge the weapon when needed.
Report Post »markdido
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:51pm“Puppy
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:11pm
why even put one in the chamber? Should have just put the magazine in and leave it at that. Only takes a second to charge the weapon when needed.”
A 1500.00 Kimber Custom 1911 is just a big, shiny, expensive brick without a round in the chamber.
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:46amSorry, Gotty- if it was the M9 pictured, the hammer drops when the safety is put on so it didn’t go off unless his finger was on the trigger and the safety off.
Report Post »He was just ignorant of the first four rules of gun safety.
Tifn8r
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:37pm@ TexasBlaze – time to bone-up on your Looney-Tunes trivia.
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:43amAnd this is why it’s stupid to force people to unload their weapons before entering a gun show. No reason to do so other than law makers want to make it more onerous on the public to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.
Report Post »Maxim Crux
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:24pmNot everyone that goes to shows has common sense. I have witnessed a women…maybe you, after buying ammo, trying to load her automatic at the table. I had her thrown out. That is all you need is for some careless fool loading their gun or handling a loaded gun with hundreds of people standing around and accidentally discharging it, hurting or killing someone else. It is common sense and common courtesy of all gun owners at shows to leave their firearms unloaded. It is one reason why gun shows are one of the safest public events a person can go to and enjoy the American heritage of firearms.
Report Post »Buggs
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:24pmThere is no problem with the rule.
If you cannot even load a magazine safely then you probably are better off taking your chances not carrying a firearm at all.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 3:18pmSorry, folks, gotta agree with our resident lesbian on this one!
It is a STUPID LAW.
We have the RIGHT to have and to BEAR arms . . . EXCEPT at a
GUN show???? Our rights STOP where we go to participate in exercising our rights?
RIDICULOUS !
Accidents happen. He was trying to load in his CAR.
Normally, you would have a table or counter or something to use to load / unload.
But NOOooooOoOooo…
Due to knee-jerk politicians who don’t actually BELIEVE in The Constitution, our rights are ABRIDGED!
This accident NEVER would have happened if he had not been FORCED to unload !
Report Post »(by FORCING him to unload, he is forced to RELOAD to return to his prior chosen CONSTITUTIONALLY-PROTECTED state of being armed)
TomFerrari
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 3:45pmOh, @Maxim…
Report Post »Using your logic, we should all lock ourselves in saferooms prior to loading and unloading?
Kicking the family out of the house first?
Never teach each other how to handle weapons because others would have to be present?
RagingJudge
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 5:27pmEven in the safe room he woulda shot himself! :P
Still don’t need a table to load though, just the sense to keep an eye on your muzzle, trigger, and practice decocking with snap caps or with an unloaded weapon.
Report Post »Smith357
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 6:17pmIt’s not a law around here, but it is gun show policy. the reasoning is they don’t want some bozo whipping out his loaded CCW firearm every time he sees a holster in the $10 used holster box. It’s also why I carry a revolver. :)
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 7:14pmThe gun shows I go to, (a couple locations have some real crowds. Unloaded weapons and magazines, no loose ammo. I like it- ALOT! I would much rather be able to concentrate on what I am shopping for that what every person that is handling a weapon is doing. IF y’all think the no ammo rule is ridiculous- try this! Take your carry permit, your favorite pistol, walk into your bank- the branch you go to most, and when you get about half done with your business, take out your permit place it on the counter and then put the pistol next to it. There is NO LAW that says you can’t do that. Next- I would cancel any plans I had for the rest of the week!
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:39amSo, he wasn’t actually in the show…..he had actually left the show. I know this may be splitting hairs but I have been to a lot of Gun Shows and there is a very strict code on what is allowed and what is not allowed IN THE SHOW ! Just get the story right. He actually shot himself in the leg in a parking lot. That is minimal news at best…..
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:18amouch..
Report Post »caleejr
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:13amsafety 101 – never take a gun that has a closed chamber, and if it does – OPEN THE CHAMBER TO SEE IF THERE IS A ROUND IN IT. Even my 12 year old knows that.
Report Post »chfields62
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:22amOnly a moron accidentally shoots himself….Just how stupid do you have to be???? ALWAYS TREAT A GUN AS IF ITS LOADED!!!!
Report Post »Dan_o
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:20pmHe was in the process of loading it. I hope he was in his car and not just walking in the parking lot. Obviously, he wasn’t careful enough, but loading a gun in the open, I assume, would be against Georgia law, not to mention dumber than shooting yourself in the leg.
Report Post »David286 - FL
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 9:45am@Dan – Georgia law from what I have read allows for open carry if you have a CCW…not sure there is anything specific to loading and unloading in public.
Report Post »ZeroOff4impact
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:27amWhoops .. Lesson learned. Negligent discharge, everyone use the example as a reminder. You are not immune from this no matter how Rambo you are. Now get out and go shooting.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:41amBingo! YooTube is chock full of videos where a guy thought he was immune because he practices the 4 gun handling rules, then shot himself in the thigh anyway.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 2:46pmRight on!! There are many well trained firearm owners that let their guard down for a plit second. Lets learn from this and apply this lesson
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:26amMmm mm! I hate it when that happens.
Report Post »Osogrande
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:53amAs PRO gun as I am, some people are too stupid to own a firearm.
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:07amStay OFF the freakin’ trigger unless you are ON the target…..Goes without sayin’
Report Post »David286 - FL
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:07amExactly BigJay!
Report Post »ares338
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:44amThe argument that pele make mistakes works in most cases but here. I mean he shoots himself loading his weapon? I have been around guns for almost 50 years and you have to almost try purposely to do this unless there is a malfunction. It’s safety, safety, safety when you handle firearms. It’s lame brains like this who get the liberal gun grabbers going all over again.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:39amOops, embarrassing moment.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:27amI’ve always considered the requirement to unload a firearm at a gun show idiotic. I do understand why, the insurance issuing agency requires it, but it leads to things like this.
Report Post »SoupSandwich
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:01amThat, and concealed is concealed. Unless they are frisking or wanding at the door…no reason to download and upload. Darwin at work. Fun place to be in mid March.
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:21amThe man is dangerous with a loaded handgun. How many like him would you want to be with inside the show location?
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:41am@Lel
You probably don’t understand. Everytime you load/unload a gun, you run the risk of accidental discharge. This is basic stuff, anybody familiar with firearms is aware of this. And I’d prefer that every man be armed and have the occasional accident, rather than all be disarmed.
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:23amAccidents do happen and this is just another case. However, I wonder why this idiot was reloading his gun in a PARKING LOT? I was taught that you never travel with a live round in the chamber because you might accidentally shoot yourself getting in or out of your vehicle. Never mind! Had he attended the Gun Safety and Concealed weapons class at the show? Probably not.
Report Post »jkwinters64
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:38amI always carry one in the pipe. I carry a KelTec P11, DAO with a 9lb trigger pull. My finger stays OFF the trigger unless the gun is on target, The gun is in a Fobus holster. My gun is never going to accidentally go off. I would have to fail on several levels for that to happen. In the event I need to draw my weapon for protection of myself or another I don’t need to add the extra time of racking one in, I need to be able to get on target fast and ready to fire. You can carry Condition 3 if you want, but I’m in Condition 1 at all times.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:47amWhomever taught you that is going to get you killed if you follow that advice.
If you conceal carry, you carry with a round in the chamber. Life isn’t television, and in a real life or death situation you don’t have time to “jack the slide” in a cool fashion like they do in the movies/television. Every CCW class in the nation, to my knowledges, advises to have a round in the chamber when carrying.
Report Post »David286 - FL
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:14amHere’s a little demo on how much of a difference carrying with one in the chamber can make
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syxrpLbaEuY
Personal preference, but it could mean the difference between life and death.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:47amJeffersopn, you’re handing our wrong and dangerous info. No, every CCW class doers not recommend C1 – in fact, few even get into that aspect. It’s a personal choice.
Also, you said: “If you conceal carry, you carry with a round in the chamber. Life isn’t television, and in a real life or death situation you don’t have time to “jack the slide” in a cool fashion like they do in the movies/television. Every CCW class in the nation, to my knowledges, advises to have a round in the chamber when carrying.”
You told you that? It not only defies common sense, it defies statistics that say you’ll likely go your whole life and never have to draw your gun. The chances of you actually having to shoot, and then needing C1 to save your bacon, is roughly equivalent to winning the lottery.
Practice good SA and stop being a Rambo wannabe.
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:56pmI don’t fault you for carrying your gun loaded with one in the pipe. You sound like you are educated with your weapon. However, this idiot apparently isn’t! I just feel safer with the chamber empty, not for any other reason than I was taught to travel that way. In my home, or at my destination my weapon is ready to go. Didn’t mean to ruffle any feathers. I just think this guy sounds a little ill prepared to be carrying a loaded weapon. Thus, a new hole in his shoe/foot. At least it wasn‘t in his head or somebody else’s.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:17amBan all guns immediately……and parking lots !
Report Post »Uechi
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:17amNo such thing as an accidental discharge unless the firearm fails mechinically. This negligent discharge was caused by recklessness or ignorance. I”ve been handling and loading firearms for over 40 years and have never had such an incident, The man is a moron.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:27amHumans make mistakes. That’s what we do. If you think you’re beyond a lapse in jusgement, or being distracted, then congrats are in order because you’re perfect. C1 buys you a mere 1/2 second, but puts everyone around you at risk.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:31amIf you’re willing to put others at risk for a flimsy once-in-3-lifetimes chance that you’ll need that extra 1/2 second, that makes you selfish, not prepared.
When we gun owners stop making ignorant statements like “A C3 gun is as useless as a brick” then maybe the non-gun public will stop viewing us as reckless and stupid.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:51am@Harry
No, it doesn’t “put everybody at risk”. Do you keep a chamber empty on your revolvers? Probably not, right? Why? Because it has an intercept bar built into it. Semi autos have their own safety systems that prevent accidental discharge as well (but they don’t stop intentional stupidity, but then, nothing does).
Report Post »EdGunz
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 10:11am@Harry
I am an NRA Instructor, I teach “Basic Pistol” and “Personal Protection in the Home” (required course in Michigan for the CPL/CCW application) I am also a former Marine with Pistol qualification. I have carried for almost 15 years daily, always locked and loaded. If you have ever seen a real encounter that deadly force was required, you would want one in the chamber. Your statements here are ignorant. Look up the Tuller drill here http://yamaneko.ca/articles/hidden-lesson-tueller-drill if you don’t have one in the chamber, you shouldn’t even draw your pistol. that half second is plenty of time for you to receive a fatal shot to the chest from your attacker. Please have your local NRA instructor teach you the proper way to carry your pistol, and stop spreading bad information here that could cost someone their lives if they follow it.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:52amEdgunz, it’s pretty darn easy to get your NRA cert. It implies an understanding of rules/laws and a very basic competency with them, as well as teaching competency. It does NOT imply any level of advanced understanding of combat strategies. None! None whatsoever.
How many actual shootings have you been involved in where C1 saved the day? None? That’s what I thought. What then makes you an expert on the subject is beyond me.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 12:00pmBad info being disseminated here by Rambo wannabes. An airline captain with 40,000 hours has a lot of competence…in flying the airplane. Suggesting that his experience also makes him an expert on crashing an airplane is just “plane” goofy.
The internet is rife with gun “experts,” all of them quick to list their resume of military experience, PD experience, etc. If they want to proclaim to be an expert at trigger control, combat accurancy, great. They’r experts at that. But they typically then go off the reservation and proclaim superior knowledge of an aspect they have ZERO experience with, i.e., situations where C1 made any difference or not. They list all; kinds of fantasies about “Your hand might be injured, your gun might jam, you may need 1 hand to block your opponent, etc., etc.” ad infinitum.
It really is embarassing to hear these guys preach. I’m no gun noob, that much is certain, but I don’t need to list my credentials here because I can admit to myself that they mean nothing in the C1 vs C3 debate.
Report Post »jsjdjn
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:06amIf hes a danger to himself! What about the public?
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:15ammaybe Holder can buy Obama a gun
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:06amGlock-osis! A common ailment when the uninformed utilize a weapon with a passive safety. It’s a “right of passage”. Anybody that buys one, has to let one round go- – just to feel your butt pucker!
Report Post »rabblechat
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:20amHow do you know what kind of pistol he had? the article doesn’t specify.
Report Post »rabblechat
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:22amHow do you know the type of pistol he had? It doesn’t specify in the article.
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 6:58pmCZ, Taurus, S&W, Colt Glock. Of the 5 manufactures I own, the Glock has the worst (I know its just opinion) safety. The Glock 19 safety is in the trigger mech and easily overwhelmed. Another thing that I discovered is that the same pistol, when fired and reloaded rapidly will discharge when the slide is released. I have not seen that with the other manufactures.
Report Post »BTW, for you carry in the tube guys. Maybe your training and experience allow you to do so. I’ll carry with an empty tube and a couple extra mags.
Steelhead
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:06amthank heaven for University hospitals and the urgent care the man received . lol
Report Post »mccracken
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:06amTingle up the leg!
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:06am.
Charlie said, Here Scooter hold my beer, I got to get my Bullet out my pocket. See you put it in like this, and pull this thing back like this BANG!!!!!!!!!
Gimmie back my beer………..
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:05amCarrying Condition One is always safe if you’re careful…yeah, right. :-)
Report Post »harley3
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:40amCarrying condition one is very safe with the right weapon. I ALWAYS carry condition one with my custom 1911 or my XDm, but I am also always very anal about being overly safe with my 1911 or XDm because I know it is at condition one. The guy made a very stupid mistake and thank God no one was fatally injured.
Report Post »Dirty Harry
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:18amYeah, the 1911 and XDs are both safe C1. Problem is, people carry Glocks the same way. C1 is defined as 1 in the pipe and manual safety on – Glocks have no manual safety.
But they’ve herd the “keep your booger hook off the bang switch” so many times, and think it sounds macho, and they think every gun is safe C1. The scary part is they think they’re immune to a mistake, simply because they’re being careful. Look, every year some high time fighter pilots make mistakes and make a smoking hole in the ground – very competent people make mistakes. We’re human.
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 9:20amHarely…
Kimber or Colt? My next pistol purchase is a 1911.
Thanks!
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 1:10pmI just want to thank you for your common sense. The whole point that I was trying to make earlier was that with proper training it is his choice if he wants to carry his gun loaded in C1 or C3. I still don‘t think that he went through a CCW class or he wouldn’t have a new hole in his shoe. I do not transport my weapon very often except to go to the range and you are not allowed to walk in with a loaded weapon. In my home it stays loaded and ready to use. I am 56 yrs young and have owned weapons since I was 6 yrs of age. ( I know, maybe a little too young, but I killed my first squirrel at six and my first deer at 7. My father hunted till the day he died). However, I would have to know this guy to judge if he should have been carrying a loaded gun, but he does have a hole in his shoe.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:04amHe shot his shoe…It was black. he is therefore a racist.
Report Post »The Jewish Avenger
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:18am*Suppressed laughter* My screen would like the coffee removed now please
Report Post »Viper1
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 1:18pmThe patterns on the targets at the range are black. Maybe he was confused and thought his shoe was a target down range. At least he hit the target. Maybe?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 8:00amTake Barney’s bullet away Andy.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 7:59amnaturally this one small incident will make front page news for the anti-2nd Amendment morons.
Report Post »