A gun dealer at a Pennsylvania gun show demonstrated drawing a gun from a holster when - oops, a really big oops – the pistol went off, wounding a woman in her thigh
There was a little bit of excitement Saturday at the fairgrounds in Bloomsburg, Pa. A woman got shot by a gun dealer at the Eagle Arms Gun Show which was taking place at the fairgrounds.
Geoffrey Hawk, 44, of Warminster, Pa., was demonstrating how to draw a gun from one of the holsters he was attempting to sell. When he drew the gun out of the holster – kapow – it went off. Unfortunately for Krista Gearhart, 25, she got shot in the thigh. Fortunately for Krista, the bullet missed her arteries and thigh bone. Unfortunately for Geoffrey, he is facing a reckless endangerment charge for which he could receive a maximum sentence of two years and a $5,000 fine. .
Bloomsburg police Officer Brad Sharrow accused Hawk of displaying "gross negligence." Hawk, a licensed firearms instructor, claims he has held the same demonstration about 20 times without mishap. He thought that, unbeknownst to him, someone loaded the gun after he had set it aside unloaded while he ran background checks on several gun buyers.
Krista was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released. She says she feels sorry for Hawk and is disappointed that, because of the shooting, she was unable to purchase a Ruger she wanted.
As a firearms instructor, Geoffrey gets a flunking grade. He forgot the cardinal rule of gun safety: All guns are always loaded!
1 comment:
There is a legitimate difference between an accidental discharge and a negligent discharge. That was a negligent discharge.
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