Accidental Shooting at Omaha Eatery

[FarmerRick]

http://www.kmtv.com/global/story.asp?s=11879710

Accidental Shooting at Omaha Eatery

Omaha, NE - Police are investigating an accidental shooting at a local eatery.  Police responded to Bergan Mercy Hospital on Monday night and learned a victim had been injured in a shooting at the Buffalo Company.  Action 3 News contacted the Buffalo Company at 96-th and " L"  and spoke with the owner who confirms there was a shooting. 

The owner says a group of about ten people was gathered at a table.  One of the customers had a gun on him.  The gun went off sending a bullet into the floor.  Three people went to the hospital.  Investigators say no one was struck by the bullet but they suffered injuries from either shrapnel or cement from the floor.  Police say charges are pending.

[OnTheFly]

Hmmm.  How to react to this one?  On the one hand, this person had to be irresponsible in the handling, including improper retention (i.e., not in a holster), of the firearm.  On the other hand, I'm guessing NDs have happened to Omaha police officers in the past.  Though I doubt they were brought up on charges AND they were likely back on the street beat carrying a firearm after some remedial training.

We don't need this kind of negative publicity.  Thank goodness no one was seriously injured.

Fly

[marksz71]

Amen to that...this is the kind of news the media tends to like to run with...not in OUR favor. 

[FarmerRick]

It's not looking good....  

Update from WOWT in Omaha:
http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/82656157.html?storySection=story

Update: Gunman Cited For Accidentally Firing Inside Restaurant
Three people injured

An Omaha man was cited and released for accidentally firing his gun inside a restaurant Monday night.

It happened just before 9 p.m. at the Buffalo Wing Company near 96th and L streets. The gun was legally registered to 48-year-old Mark Collins, ticketed for discharging a firearm within the city. It's not clear why he had the gun out.

Three people suffered minor injuries as a result of the shooting. Police say they were hit by fragments from either the bullet or from cement.

The gun was confiscated as evidence.


And from the reader's comment section:

I was at the table when Mark's gun slipped while he was clearing it.It happens more often than you people think. Yes he has a CC permit. All of you who are calling him an idiot and that if all guns should be taken away, only the criminals would have them. If you don't know the whole story you have no business posting derogatory comments. There will be no lawsuits filed. We love Mark and know accidents happen. That's why they are called accidents. We thank God all the injuries were superficial. Why don't you back off, please. He feels bad enough as it is. Why try to make him suicidal? Mark, I love you.

[Mike M.]

Rick I read your comment on WOWT and you hit ti right on the head.Too bad our instructors cant instill in these people that this was not the place to show off.

[FarmerRick]

Yeah, the anti-gunners are coming out of the woodwork there.  I almost don't blame them.  The guy did something nearly fatally stupid and will no doubt loose his permit for doing so.

[tferguson714]

I'm trying to think of a reason a guy would clear a gun while sitting at a table of 10 at a restaurant.






Still thinking...

[RLMoeller]

A reason. . .    do you mean a VALID reason?  Because I can think of a couple STUPID reasons. 

[Jesse T]

Could be a victim of "hey check this out" syndrome.  That would explain why the report says "reason unclear" too. Basically there was no reason to have it out.

[OnTheFly]

Reminds me of the six most dangerous words in Nebraska aviation.  Years ago a pilot and check airman died in a crash.  Some of the last words on the voice recorder were "That was cool, now watch this".  If you have your hands on a potentially deadly object (gun, airplane, etc.), it probably is not the time to be showing off.

Fly

[rugermanx]

I'm trying to think of a reason a guy would clear a gun while sitting at a table of 10 at a restaurant.






Still thinking...

EXACTLY my thoughts.

[justsomeguy]

It may have been unwise but can they get a conviction if he did not intentionally discharge the firearm?

And how much of a pain in the a$$ will it be to have the firearm returned to him?

[rugermanx]

I don't think he will get it back, its omaha, MAYBE if it happened in Lincoln (also highly unlikely that he would get the gun back but slightly less unlikely than omaha). And as far as the conviction, I bet they say that it shouldn't have been out of the holster, so it would be a Negligent discharge. Regardless of the reason. Again refer to the fact that it is omaha, and I highly doubt that it will result in anything less than a conviction followed by destruction of the gun, and most likely revocation of the ccw permit.

[Dan W]

Lets agree that this man made a big mistake in handling a firearm in a negligent manner, and people were injured.

He may well pay a very high price for this mistake. Unfortunately , the NFOA may share in that also, undeservedly so.

But, I don't want to see any personal attacks like I read in those comments on this forum. So far this thread has been pretty fair in that regard. Let's keep it that way.

[jetdrvr46]

A former neighbor of mine, who is an OPD SWAT team member, had an ND while cleaning his gun and the bullet ended up in the neighbors house. Luckily it lodged in a stud just below the window frame. The neighbors house that it went in to is a good friend of mine. He  was very apologetic, go figure, and told her "you can report me if you want". She never did.

Point being, ND's can happen to anyone. Even a highly trained professional. I just hate to see these kinds of things happen to citizens that are CCWing. It hurts our cause.

The officer that this happened to is, was a total jack**s by the way. Not that it makes a difference. Once I found out noone was hurt I had a  little chuckle. True story.