Man killed in initiation ceremony
The initiation rite [into the Masonic Lodge] was aimed at scaring the new member.
According to Fitzgerald, the Masons sat James in a chair and placed cans on a platform around his head. Eid, standing about 20 feet away, was supposed to fire a blank gun, and a man holding a stick was supposed to knock the cans over to make James think they had been hit by bullets.
Eid had two guns a .22-caliber pistol loaded with blanks and a .38-caliber with real bullets and apparently pulled the wrong one out of his pocket, the lieutenant said. He said the weapons are about the same size.
Eid had a permit for the gun. Police said it was not clear why he took it to the ceremony.
Thank God for the 2nd amendment.