Pet Peeve
- A Lake County sheriff's deputy was airlifted to a hospital Friday morning after accidentally shooting herself in the County Building parking garage.
Waukegan police investigated the scene and determined that the handgun's trigger was pulled by a hanger that was stuck in the trigger guard, said Waukegan police Cmdr. Wayne Walles.
"It's an accident. It could absolutely happen to anyone," Sheriff Mark Curran said. "We pray for her and we feel terrible for her."
While we agree with feeling terrible for the deputy, we have to disagree that it was an accident and could happen to anyone. A properly stored and secure handgun doesn't just "go off" and stories like these are constantly used by the anti-gun crowd to support their "think of the children" agenda and attempts to disarm everyone.
Proper handling, storage and transport of firearms is essential to firearm ownership and doubly so for law enforcement personnel who ought to inspire confidence in their families, neighbors and fellow citizens.
We wish the Deputy a speedy recovery, but the blame doesn't lie with a hanger in the trunk. We still remember that suburban incident a few years back where person cleaning the "unloaded" gun shot through his own window and struck a passerby. You are responsible for everything that happens when you are handling your gun.
Proper handling, storage and transport of firearms is essential to firearm ownership and doubly so for law enforcement personnel who ought to inspire confidence in their families, neighbors and fellow citizens.
We wish the Deputy a speedy recovery, but the blame doesn't lie with a hanger in the trunk. We still remember that suburban incident a few years back where person cleaning the "unloaded" gun shot through his own window and struck a passerby. You are responsible for everything that happens when you are handling your gun.
Labels: gun issues
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
32 Comments:
I think about the thousands of times that I handle my weapon. There but for the grace of God go I. I will keep this fraternal sister in my prayers.
It certainly helps if your related to a politician! Enjoy your medical pension office.
maybe if she didn't have so much junk in her trunk......
Got a good one for ya...there's a female Sheriff at one of the Cook Co. courthouses who has left her gun in the public bathroom stall more than once. Evidently, she takes it off to go p.p.
Luckily each time, building employees found the gun before a criminal or kid found it.
Wonder who she's related to.
People do stupid things. I saw a suburban officer pull the trigger on a shotgun, mounted horizontal on the prisoner cage in the car. It blew out the passenger window, dented the door frame and went into a wooden fence. These Glocks have a short trigger stroke to begin with and when its not secured in a holster, bad things can happen. Dropping one loose in a purse or pocket is asking for it...the safety is on the face of the trigger so you can imagine what can go wrong there....these guns demand a covered trigger guard holster at all times. You can see why the 1911 pistol is seldom approved for Dept. use, except for swat and other highly trained units. More civilians have the 1911 than police.
Why was the gun in the trunk? Because the liberal shithead judges do not want police to carry weapons in court. They intimidate the people and are dangerous. What is happening to our society?
Truth is you can become complacent when handling your duty weapon.
Remember what your were taught, and do it just like you did in the academy.
What an idiot. You have to question the intelligence of people that handle firearms negligently. People getting shot is never a good thing, but maybe it taught a valuable lesson that you have to respect a loaded gun? Who doesn't notice something caught in the trigger guard?
Unfortunately, this type of thing has happened before. There was a sherriff, I believe he was from Williamson County, who was removing his patrol rifle from his squad. The gun mount was broken and he was using a bungee cord to hold the rifle in place. The bungee cord entangled the trigger and the weapon fired, killing the deputy. It is sad, it is a freak accident, but it does happen. Don't rush to judge. There are many times we do things in haste and don't pay attention to where we lay our weapon, or how we are handling it. Lose your concentration for a minute and it is possible that it could cost you. Be smart, stay focused and stay safe.
"You are responsible for everything that happens when you are handling your gun."
So you support $1,000,000 liability insurance for gun owners in Illinois?
How about wearing the gun to work and having it immediately available if needed?
Sorry that a fellow LEO was hurt so bad due to her own carelessness. I hope this is a lesson to all. GUNS ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS.
Treat them like what they are: lethal weapons!!
What about that girl at midway who shot herself in the ass at the range then got D-2? Hello EM! And she still gets D-2 pay why don't everyone else who get the high rate of pay get the same job while everyone else makes D-1 the princess gets D-2? Maybe she should be put into a job that demands this such as an FTO position or give up the over pay?
Get well soon.
Ordinarily I would agree, but the Union sent out an email yesterday regarding smith and wesson.... apparently, there is a recall on some of their pistols- they are going off willy nilly.....
Goof
No guns in courtrooms became the rule after my hero, Hutchie Moore, took out a judge and lawyer!!! Google Hutchie Moore and learn what the system can do to you.
A 1911 pistol, "cocked and locked" and having the grip safety, would not have fired when given the "coat hanger test. An example of how the old is sometimes better than the new.
I'll bet it was one of those new fangled striker fired ones.....
I know I have posted this before and will post it again. SHE GET'S D-2 BECAUSE SHE WAS A P/O ASSIGNED AS A DISPATCHER 9155 THAT POSITION WAS IS NO LONGER BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THAT TITLE CODE WHEN RETARD RICHIE GOT RID OF PO'S AT COS (yes that is what it was called at 11th and State)SHE GETS TO KEEP THE D-2. So go sit in the corner and suck your thumb and before you say anything about someone else know your facts.
Bob Mangan FTO 5th watch 015
Its amazing how poorly trained police are when it comes to firearms.Many are sloppy and unsafe gun handlers.
I have been shooting IPSC for 25 years and the 1911 is KING.I have never seen unsafe gun handling and IPSC shooter have it all over police when it comes to skill sets.
" I am the only one certified to handle a Glock .40"
I'm not going to be a Monday morning quarter back. So I wish the Sheriff a speedy recovery and just remember troops train, train and more training. Always know what you are capable of doing with your weapon. Don't leave it up to the department to train you, take upon yourself to be the best you can be! Stay safe and arrest less...Shoot more!
You can see why the 1911 pistol is seldom approved for Dept. use, except for swat and other highly trained units. More civilians have the 1911 than police.
3/01/2009 08:05:00 AM
*****
What are you talking about? There's a grip safety above the backstrap that prevents AD. Plus it's single action so if the hammer's not back, it's not firing, unlike a lot of DA/SA pistols out there. Although even then, you have to wonder. The DA pull on my SIG 226 is 12lbs. SA is under 5lbs. The safety mechanism, whether it's a stiff trigger or a block safety or whathaveyou, is just that - a measure meant to lessen the likelihood of accidents. At the end of the day, it's the safety between the ears that makes sure no one gets hurt.
I do not support the $1,000,000 in insurance myself; that's an infringement meant to keep poor people from owning guns, and will do nothing to save lives or increase safety. Tell me you guys, since I'm not a cop, can you tell me how many gangbangers are going to insure their firearms and themselves against liability? What about FOID cards..do the thugs actually have them (seeing as though they have rap sheets a mile long and can't get them)?
I thought you got to choose your own duty firearms. If not, that's retarded. You should carry whatever you are comfortable with that is of sufficient defense caliber (as in not a .22LR). I do, when I carry concealed out of state where my permit applies (seeing as though my own state of residence doesn't see the need for me to be able to defend myself against criminals).
OK, lets review...
only law abiding citizens follow gun control laws.
law abiding citizens are not the problem.
criminals dissobey any law they feel like dissobeying.
with enough U.S. dollars one can obtaine ANYTHING in this world legal or otherwise.
any questions ?
Anonymous said...
I know I have posted this before and will post it again. SHE GET'S D-2 BECAUSE SHE WAS A P/O ASSIGNED AS A DISPATCHER 9155 THAT POSITION WAS IS NO LONGER BUT BECAUSE SHE WAS IN THAT TITLE CODE WHEN RETARD RICHIE GOT RID OF PO'S AT COS (yes that is what it was called at 11th and State)SHE GETS TO KEEP THE D-2. So go sit in the corner and suck your thumb and before you say anything about someone else know your facts.
Bob Mangan FTO 5th watch 015
3/01/2009 08:43:00 PM
And you left the airport why?
For those of you that don't have enough time on the job to remember, the reason we aren't allowed to carry a 1911 or a BHP is because when we WERE allowed to carry them ,alot of the guys that carried them, bought them and never trained with them. I saw more than one AD when an Officer tried to holster a 1911 or BHP which was cocked and unlocked. I saw guys that were afraid to carry them cocked and locked so they carried them with a round in the chamber, hammer down which is a no,no or carried it chamber empty, hammer down with the idea that if they needed it, they would simply rack the slide back, another no,no. The 1911 or BHP are probably the two best guns out there but you have to train with them and understand them before you carry one. That eliminates about 2/3's of the guys on the job who won't spend the time or money to do either. The Glocks,S&W MP's, the XD's while all fine guns, were designed to make the transition over from revolver to semi-automatic as easy as possible. No external safeties, just point aim. Me, while I carry a Sig DAK now, when I go I'll carry my 1911 just like I did 25 years ago.
To the civilian at 10:49, you are right about the million dollar insurance law except for one thing. It is not designed to keep guns out of the hands of the poor, it is designed to keep guns out of the hands of EVERYBODY! It is just another attempt by the elitest, left wingers who comprise the Democraptic Party to take guns out of the hands of otherwise law abiding citizens whose only desire is self protection. It is another ploy by the party that either doesn't care or understand the Constitution of the United States. They refuse to hold the person who commits a crime accountable as it's easier to hold an inate object accountable. That will never change until you get rid of the king on the fifth floor who is actually the President of the Republic of Illinois. If it's any consolation, I would venture to say that most Police Officers here who understand the Constitution and support it, who understand the cause and effect of crime and who do not believe the drivel that the leftists shovel to the masses about the massive escalation of crime in areas where CCW is allowed, support the right of every citizen to defend themselves and welcome CCW.
As far as what we can carry, we can only carry guns that are on an approved list which is S&W, Ruger, Sig, Glock and S/A. All semi-auto's must be DAO or striker fired such as the Glock, S&W MP or the S/A XD. We must qualify with each gun we own once a year on a course that is so easy Helen Keller could pass. It's actually embarrassing to say the least. But then again, so are some of the people we have been hiring recently.
Guns that do not have a seperate safety have the problem of being able to be discharged solely by pulling the trigger. If something gets caught in the trigger other than a finger, it can discharge.
I feel bad for the cop but have to wonder how the trigger was exposed to something in the first place. If its in the holster, it is covered and the chances of such an incident happening is very low.
If it was not in the holster, one has to wonder why.
And just how did the thing manage to be pointed in an unsafe direction at the same instant the trigegr gets unintentionally pulled.
The three rules are there as backup to each other. Those of us who own guns have an obligation to handle them in a safe manner.
Hopefully the copper will recover.
I left the airport because I was bored. I was there for three years and I wanted to do something else. I became an FTO and I'm damn good at my job and if you know me you know three years is about as long as I stay anywhere. With the exception of Mass Transit and if you know me you know why I left there. If not ask around someone will tell you or stop into 15 I work 6p-4a and I'm in DOG 7.
Bob Mangan
My gun went off once too.
Now I only get 1/2 a paycheck.
Why was the gun in the trunk? Because the liberal shithead judges do not want police to carry weapons in court. They intimidate the people and are dangerous. What is happening to our society?
--------------------------------
Doesn't matter why it was in the trunk. Firearms need to be handled safely all the time.
As for why judges may not want police carrying guns in their courtrooms, perhaps there is an element of intimidation felt by people in court. If it makes them feel better not to have other witnesses involved in the case be armed, thats understandable. Just the way things are these days.
Anonymous said...
I'll bet it was one of those new fangled striker fired ones.....
3/01/2009 08:40:00 PM
LCSO issues SIG P229 .40 s&w DA/SA,so the first trigger pull would have been 10-12 lbs.
1911 style weapons are just fine.Its the people handling them that are the problem.Many many people on this job who should not.Many people also think they are good firearm trainers and are not.
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