A teenager was killed and a young man was seriously injured today by rounds fired from guns that were believed to be unloaded.   As always, this raises the question of why guns are manufactured without prominent loaded chamber indicators. Although safety protocols should always include checking the chamber for a  live rounds, many gun users do not, and unnecessary tragedies result. 

In Manor, Texas, a 17-year old was killed when a gun went off while he was at the home of one of his friends. According to the authorities, the teenagers did not believe the gun was loaded; nor was the gun intentionally pointed at the victim.  “A young man lost his life. It’s tragic for the friends that had to witness that and tragic for the family of the victim,” said the Manor Police Chief.

In Jackson, Michigan, a 23-year old shot himself in the head while messing around with a gun in a car.  His girlfriend had told him to put the gun away, yet he, trying to establish for her that the gun was unloaded, put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. He is in critical condition at the hospital. 

Sources:

Daniel Gravois, Jennifer Sanders, “Police: Teen Dies in Accidental Shooting in Manor,” kxan.com (December 15, 2021).

Mitchell Kukulka, “Jackson Man in Critical Condition After Gunshot to the Head, Police Say,” mlive.com (December 14, 2021).