Sheriff's & Gun Shoots GunStoreEmployee
One injured in accidental shooting in sporting goods store
Saturday, February 09, 2008 Grand Junction Colorado
The victim of an accidental shooting in a sporting goods store Saturday morning was in serious condition Saturday night after afternoon surgery at St. Mary's Hospital, according to Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Heather Benjamin.
Kenny Franklin, who works at Jerry's Outdoor Sports at 507 Road 30 in Grand Junction, was shot in the abdomen, according to family and friends at the scene.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Department said the wound was caused by a .243-caliber rifle. A customer brought the rifle into the store, and it was being examined by an employee and the customer when it discharged, Mesa County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Heather Benjamin said.
"There was a bullet in the chamber he forgot about," Benjamin said. "An employee walked past the counter at the moment he dislodged the bullet. He took a bullet to the abdomen. I don't know that they knew there was a bullet in the chamber until it actually went off."
Deputies took one man in for questioning and were interviewing six people inside the store after the incident, Benjamin said.
Family members of the wounded employee were embracing outside the store an hour after the incident. They said they did not want to comment to the media.
Store co-owner Jerry Stehman said the store's policy is "every gun should be checked before it's worked on, and it is checked." Jerry's Outdoor Sports has been in business for 22 1/2 years, he said.
"This is truly an accident," Stehman said. "There is absolutely no bad intentions or malice intended. I've just been through so many emotions; it's just been devastating to me that it happened."
Stehman said he expects Franklin, who is in his 50s, will make a full recovery.
Business owners in the area said the gun may have been brought to the store in pieces.
"They were servicing or cleaning it," said Felipe Leon, owner of Leon's Taqueria Restaurant, a business next door to Jerry's Outdoor Sports. "I heard they closed the gun, and it shot him right in the side."
Leon said he saw Franklin being put in an ambulance.
"It's crazy, just a freak accident, something you wouldn't think would happen," said Debbie Birely, manager at nearby Cornerstone Thrift Store.
Jerry's Outdoor Sports was closed during the investigation.
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moreFormer Delta County police chief named as weekend accidental shooter
The Mesa County Sheriff's Department has released a few more details about the accidental shooting that happened over the weekend at Jerry's Outdoor Sports store in Grand Junction, and a former area police chief and police officer was named as the accidental shooter.
Richard Bacher, 56, of Grand Junction was apparently working on a .243-caliber rifle brought to the shop by a Loma man, when the gun discharged. A single bullet struck Kenny Franklin, 53, of Grand Junction, in the abdomen. Franklin was walking past the gun at the time of the accident.
Franklin remains in St. Mary's Hospital after weekend surgery.
Investigators say an investigation into the incident is ongoing, and they expect to complete it within a couple of weeks.
Bacher served as police chief with the Delta police department for a little more than a year, resigning from the job in September. Bacher also worked on patrol with the Grand Junction Police Department from October 1976 through September 2002.
Saturday, February 09, 2008 Grand Junction Colorado
The victim of an accidental shooting in a sporting goods store Saturday morning was in serious condition Saturday night after afternoon surgery at St. Mary's Hospital, according to Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Heather Benjamin.
Kenny Franklin, who works at Jerry's Outdoor Sports at 507 Road 30 in Grand Junction, was shot in the abdomen, according to family and friends at the scene.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Department said the wound was caused by a .243-caliber rifle. A customer brought the rifle into the store, and it was being examined by an employee and the customer when it discharged, Mesa County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Heather Benjamin said.
"There was a bullet in the chamber he forgot about," Benjamin said. "An employee walked past the counter at the moment he dislodged the bullet. He took a bullet to the abdomen. I don't know that they knew there was a bullet in the chamber until it actually went off."
Deputies took one man in for questioning and were interviewing six people inside the store after the incident, Benjamin said.
Family members of the wounded employee were embracing outside the store an hour after the incident. They said they did not want to comment to the media.
Store co-owner Jerry Stehman said the store's policy is "every gun should be checked before it's worked on, and it is checked." Jerry's Outdoor Sports has been in business for 22 1/2 years, he said.
"This is truly an accident," Stehman said. "There is absolutely no bad intentions or malice intended. I've just been through so many emotions; it's just been devastating to me that it happened."
Stehman said he expects Franklin, who is in his 50s, will make a full recovery.
Business owners in the area said the gun may have been brought to the store in pieces.
"They were servicing or cleaning it," said Felipe Leon, owner of Leon's Taqueria Restaurant, a business next door to Jerry's Outdoor Sports. "I heard they closed the gun, and it shot him right in the side."
Leon said he saw Franklin being put in an ambulance.
"It's crazy, just a freak accident, something you wouldn't think would happen," said Debbie Birely, manager at nearby Cornerstone Thrift Store.
Jerry's Outdoor Sports was closed during the investigation.
===============================================================
moreFormer Delta County police chief named as weekend accidental shooter
The Mesa County Sheriff's Department has released a few more details about the accidental shooting that happened over the weekend at Jerry's Outdoor Sports store in Grand Junction, and a former area police chief and police officer was named as the accidental shooter.
Richard Bacher, 56, of Grand Junction was apparently working on a .243-caliber rifle brought to the shop by a Loma man, when the gun discharged. A single bullet struck Kenny Franklin, 53, of Grand Junction, in the abdomen. Franklin was walking past the gun at the time of the accident.
Franklin remains in St. Mary's Hospital after weekend surgery.
Investigators say an investigation into the incident is ongoing, and they expect to complete it within a couple of weeks.
Bacher served as police chief with the Delta police department for a little more than a year, resigning from the job in September. Bacher also worked on patrol with the Grand Junction Police Department from October 1976 through September 2002.
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Now there's a vivid reminder to always check your guns whenever you touch them. I'm getting really anal-renentive about checking all my firearms to see if they're loaded. To the point that a friend of mine once said "Dude. You just checked that one." I don't care.
And knowing where the muzzle is at all time can never be overstated, either.
A .243 in the guts is nothing you're gonna shrug off.0 -
If another employee was handling it, I think he should be fired cause of rule no. 1. All firearm are load, even when there is no ammo in the mag or chamber. Then rule no. 2 was braken as while, point the muzzle in an safe direction.
Even if someone open the action and check to make sure it was unload, I still check it.
Spec.40 -
Now maybe we understand the signs at Bass Pro, Cabelas, Gander and all others that state all firearms are to be checked and tagged at the front counter.
If I take one of my rifles into my dealer to have work done or to consider a trade, the action is either open or the bolt is removed.
Sounds like the employee forgot Rule #1.0 -
I treat my guns like a pet rattlesnake. He might be my friend in this relationship, but I ALWAYS remember he is designed and made a perfect killing machine. (there really is no such thing as a PET rattlesnake) Therefore, when I touch it (him), I use extreme caution until I have once again confirmed it's current/actual/existing state or condition, loaded, unloaded, chambered, cocked, etc. I do that as a matter of practice, absolutely EVERY time I touch any gun. When I walk in with one for service or sale, it is opened, magazine removed and I make sure the first person I greet also confirms what I already know. There is then no mistake about my intentions with this gun or it's condition in respect to their policies.
I know this analogy is going to stimulate some of you guys on this site but my point is, I NEVER touch my gun (for the first time) without confirming what I believe it's current state to be at THAT time. I also like the indicators on my XD that give me the ability to feel in the holster if it's cocked and chambered without drawing it. IF I'm just wanting to reassure myself as my alertness increases and therefore my reaction conditions, I can very discretely touch the top of that gun and know (all things being functional) if I'm ready for a fight.
I'm concerned every time there is an AD (accidental discharge) because that means someone was negligent and negligence is always going to be a negative force working against gun owners.
Not to forget, I certainly pray this victim has a full and speedy recovery.0 -
oy vey!
"Assume every weapon is lodaed until proven otherwise",
the "unloaded" gun shoots the loudest0 -
We have aholes bring in guns all the time to the shop for repair or trade in that are LOADED !! We ripped the last guy a new one. He hasnt been back. [V] 0 -
thread title sounds like it was composed by the brady bunch....an employee or customer shot the other not the GUN....how PC creeps in 0 -
some cleaning. he must have forgot to clean the bore.[8] 0 -
Dear Spasem,
The news story did not indicate who shot it, the gun may have even been disassembled.
I am hardly in the brady bunch.
This is a store where I buy, and really enjoy the 3 person staff. The salient point is that the gun was unknowingly loaded. We made a choice that afternoon to do wife-shopping first, so we did not go in, but passed the closed store later.0 -
"Family members of the wounded employee were embracing outside the store an hour after the accident......"
Were they doing surgery in the store or did the guy go to a hospital for treatment?0 -
I'm very redundant about checking guns too. I check them every time I bring them out even though I was the last person to lock them up.
I unload them when leaving the range and check them again after I'm home before cleaning.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MBK
Stehman said he expects Franklin, who is in his 50s, will make a full recovery.
Sure hope so.
I had a friend that was shot in the stomach (bar bouncer) took him a LONG time to recover. Never was quite the same.
I feel sorry for Franklin, friends, and family. Tragic. [V]0 -
That is an unfortunate accident that should have never happened.
I am sure the salesman will be the biggest promoter of treating every gun as if it is loaded from now on.0 -
mbk... sir...not dumping on you but just hate these type of headings because out there bob bozo reads things like this and wails "told ya so, them things should be banned"....this accident will receive more media attention than one hundred auto accidents 0 -
I'm glad the shot fellow will be okay. I hope that isn't too controversial. [B)] 0 -
I wonder why owner of rifle didn't have bolt opened when he entered the establishment? I was in a gun store yesterday and there were customers asking to handle pistols and long guns and just sweeping the muzzles across other customers and ME. At least all the employees at this store have control of the place and the people that sweep muzzles and do other unsafe stuff only do so once. 0 -
Guns don't shoot people, people shoot people. 0 -
i see it all the time in the shop i frequent, people bring in loaded guns, or a gun without a case {in il thats a no no}
a few months back a guy walks in with a shotgun over his shoulder loaded, the owner stopped him, and nicely warned him not to bring it in, he snapped "but i'm a police officer" thats when all hell broke loose because so is the owner, and the two employees, it started off with "then you should know better"0 -
i know all my guns will fire when disASSembled[B)]quote:Originally posted by MBK
Dear Spasem,
The news story did not indicate who shot it, the gun may have even been disassembled.
I am hardly in the brady bunch.
This is a store where I buy, and really enjoy the 3 person staff. The salient point is that the gun was unknowingly loaded. We made a choice that afternoon to do wife-shopping first, so we did not go in, but passed the closed store later.0 -
Yep, Those "unloaded" guns will get ya. 0 -
a habit that my dad taught my brother and I when we were young and getting started in the shooting sports.
"anytime someone hands you a weapon, check it. If you hand a weapon to someone, clear it before you hand it to them. once that weapon leaves your hands, automatically assume it is loaded. when the person you handed it to hands it back to you. check it."
this may seem redundant, but i believe it is good practice, and it is a practice i have passed on down to my kids. i've had potential buyers at a gun show actually get mad at me. i had a M1A i was selling. a potential buyer approached me, and asked to look at it. i opened the bolt, looked in the chamber, locked the bolt back, and handed it to him. he looked at it, cycled the action a few times, and handed it back to me with the bolt closed. first thing i did when it hit my hands was to open the bolt, and look in the chamber. he said, "whaddya do that for; you know it's not loaded." i replied, "when you handed it to me, the bolt was closed, and i assumed the rifle was loaded until proven otherwise." he stormed off and called me a dumba[:(!][:(!] .Call it overkill if you will, but AD's can be unforgiving, and i do not want that on my conscience.0 -
INSANE!! I treat my firearms as if loaded,even when disassembled. 0 -
You know that all else being equal if you check the gun every time ya touch it ya ain't gonna git shot wit it. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by wsfiredude
a habit that my dad taught my brother and I when we were young and getting started in the shooting sports.
"anytime someone hands you a weapon, check it. If you hand a weapon to someone, clear it before you hand it to them. once that weapon leaves your hands, automatically assume it is loaded. when the person you handed it to hands it back to you. check it."
this may seem redundant, but i believe it is good practice, and it is a practice i have passed on down to my kids. i've had potential buyers at a gun show actually get mad at me. i had a M1A i was selling. a potential buyer approached me, and asked to look at it. i opened the bolt, looked in the chamber, locked the bolt back, and handed it to him. he looked at it, cycled the action a few times, and handed it back to me with the bolt closed. first thing i did when it hit my hands was to open the bolt, and look in the chamber. he said, "whaddya do that for; you know it's not loaded." i replied, "when you handed it to me, the bolt was closed, and i assumed the rifle was loaded until proven otherwise." he stormed off and called me a dumba[:(!][:(!] .Call it overkill if you will, but AD's can be unforgiving, and i do not want that on my conscience.
not over kill at all, i do the same thing, way to many people have been killed with "unloaded" guns0 -
I know Kenny (I doubt he remembers me) and hope all works out for him. I have sold and purchased from Jerry's for many years....Great store. Will be interesting to hear how this all went down first hand. Kind of hard to imagine how it happened based on the story in the paper...Kenny has been there as long as I can remember..Great guy.. 0 -
Update...Kenny (Franklin) had some serious infection last Wed. but is doing fine now and the prognosis is good. Anyone that would like to donate or send a card can send it to the store...Jerry's Outdoor Sports/ 507 30 Rd. Grand Junction, CO. 81501
Of course any prayers appreciated.0
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