PLEASE- Don't Be "THAT GUY"...

It is unfortunate that this news is in the headlines in the firearms community today. This young man will not only be recovering from a painful wound, he will now never be forgotten for his poor decision making ability. 

Gunshot wound. Image from Concealed Nation article.

We are human. We all make mistakes. It is safe to say this young man learned a very valuable lesson- that utilizing a proper holster will save you grief. Sadly he will learn the lesson as he pays off large medical expenses, and watches his name and information become center stage for a while on the world wide interwebz.

We may all have our chance at fifteen minutes of fame. Rather than make a sensational splash such as a negligent discharge that turns your carry gun into a pocket rocket, strive to make a positive impact. From this young man's painful lesson, let us take away one of our own- that of safety. We've spoken often on here about proper holsters, fingers (and other objects) being kept away from triggers, muzzles being kept in safe directions, and avoiding the killer complacency. 

Stop and think for a moment of what could have happened here:
- His gun could have been in a proper holster, making carrying a non-event and saving him grief, money, time and from becoming a statistic.
- Or, going with the no holster theme, he could have shot his femoral artery.
- He could have shot the person beside him or in front of him.
- The result of a shot striking the person in front of or next to him could have been a fatality. 

Playing the woulda-shoulda-coulda game is not going to change the outcome of this regrettable decision that will undoubtedly haunt this fellow for the rest of his life. (Chicks may dig scars, but I'm not so sure admitting a colossal lapse in good judgement is going to work well in his favor.)

But WE can learn from it.
*WE can learn that the Four Rules of Gun Safety exist for a reason.
*WE can learn to always use a proper holster for whatever method we opt to carry.
*WE can learn to not adjust our gun in an improper setting, putting ourselves and others at risk.
*We can learn that treating gun shot wounds is painful not to mention expensive, and that there is now a permanent record of this incident (and not in a good way.) 
*We can learn that if (or WHEN) we screw up, own it. Don't blame the gun, don't blame the gear- own that we screwed the pooch and drive on. 

Be safe. Be smart. Avoid complacency. Utilize the proper gear for the situation. Keep your finger (and other objects) away from the trigger. Make your decisions count!

~Shannon