This one is especially epic. Another example of a well-regulated [non]-militia in America, courtesy of Portland's newspaper, the Oregonian. This gentleman, cleaning his rifle, managed to shoot a teenager next door:
"I was going to get the cleaning-rod kit. When I went to close the chamber, it fired. There was one shell in the rifle. It just went off,'' [Christopher] Morris said Thursday. "I didn't pull the trigger. It took me by surprise as much as anyone else."
[...]
It whizzed through the neighbor's brown couch on which 17-year-old Leilina Chipen was seated, with her 15-year-old sister, about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
[...]
Leilina Chipen lifted up the blanket that covered her legs. That's when she saw blood on her right leg.
Follow me below the orange bullet holes for more.
I won'y copy/paste more from the Oregonian on account of copyright, but it's the same sort of story we read about every day - careless gun owner does something ridiculous and outrageous, shooting someone, and then gives the media the standard "Well golly gee, I had no idea" line. For those who have time, the whole article is worth a read.
I think what outraged me enough to post here is his description of this as a "simple, stupid accident." No, Mr. Morris, a "simple, stupid accident" is when you step on a rake and break your glasses. I'd even give you "simple, stupid accident" if you drive into your neighbor's mailbox and damage it. But, Mr. Morris, I don't think that shooting your neighbor in the leg is "simple" nor merely an "accident," given the injuries - I think we've left the realm of "accident" and are a lot closer to "negligence."
As to "stupid?" Well, Mr. Morris, I'll give you that. There's a lot of "stupid" at work.
This is what happens when we give people deadly toys. Ironically, of course, we bar imports of unsafe lead-laden toys from China. But when it comes to adults' toys, toys that lead to one girl being shot in the leg, our society appears to encourage it; his Constitutional right to own weapons has yet again trumped an innocent high school student's right to not get a hole blown through her body.
I'm sure the NRA will be right on this problem, given their [broken] laser-like focus on gun safety. Right after they give Mr. Morris whatever prize that they give schmucks like him. Maybe they've got more lifetime memberships to give away if Mr. Morris is able to make a bullet-shaped croissant for them.
So, where are we on mandatory insurance for folks like Mr. Morris, huh?