It is official. After watching a news segment on a gun safety demonstration gone wrong, it appears blatantly obvious that people (even police officers) don't know jack about safely handling firearms. Contrary to popular belief, guns are no more inherently dangerous than a parked car or nuclear weapon sitting safely in its silo. Like any mechanism designed for a specific task, usually something needs to be done to start the mechanical process (i.e. pull the trigger, turn on the ignition, or press a launch button). Unfortunately, dumbshits are just as capable of pulling the trigger as more rational, commonsense type folks.
In this particular instance, you have a police officer giving a safety talk to a classroom of young (approx. 3rd grade) children. He's doing a bang up job of making sure the kids know not to touch or handle any guns they find and to tell an adult right away. The kids are paying rapt attention to this massive man wearing a police shirt and seem to understand that guns are dangerous unless you know what you are doing.
The police officer made his first mistake when he shot himself in the foot with his own gun.
Yes, and even more funny (sad) than this was just before he pulled his gun out and told everyone that it was loaded, he said, "I am the only person in this room qualified to safely handle this loaded weapon". He then went to put the gun back in his holster and shot himself in the foot, literally. No one other than Tweedledum was hurt.
Now, a gun is incapable of pulling its own trigger and in this case, the gun was not dropped. So, he had to have not only had his finger on the trigger (a big NO NO), he had to pull that trigger also. Immediately after he shoots himself, he makes sure everyone is ok and then says, "Alright, accidents happen, accidents happen". Wouldn't it have been cool if he just kind of coyly transitioned into a first-aid demonstration? No, unfortunately this genius is just too smart for that so instead, while the kids are still trying to answer the question WTF?, he continues his demonstration by pulling out a massive sniper rifle that just oozes death and destruction. I mean seriously, you just shot your credibility AND your foot and now you expect the teachers to allow you to pull out the single most effective instrument of death man has ever created? Please.
Common sense and guns should never be mutually exclusive. If you are unfamiliar with guns, please do the world a favor and don't ever pick one up unless under the supervision of someone who knows what is going on. Here are some basic tips on how to safely handle a firearm:
1. Make sure the gun is unloaded. This is the cardinal rule of safety. There is NO reason whatsoever to have a loaded weapon when you don't intend to shoot anything. No matter who just handed you the gun, always check the chamber to make sure that it is unloaded.
2. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. This means at the ground or towards the sky (never at another person, even if the gun is unloaded) but be careful when you are indoors as an accidental discharge could send a bullet through the ceiling and into upper floors.
3. Always use the safety. This does not mean always count on the safety because no mechanical safety is 100% effective but if it isn't being used, chances for an accident go up.
4. Do not put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to pull it. I can't say how many times I have seen people just rest their finger on the trigger as if it's the safest thing in the world.
5. Always know your target AND what is beyond it. Bullets go very fast and very far (sometimes up to 5 miles) and can still be dangerous unless adequate backstop material is in place.
