http://enquirer.com/editions/2001/11/16/loc_targets_triggered.html

NEWPORT — Exploding targets are the focus of a federal investigation after a box of the devices apparently caused an explosion that destroyed a military surplus store, sending four people to the hospital.

       “Our agency will look at this case from an explosives industry standpoint to see if exploding targets need to be regulated,” said Christopher J. Tardio, resident agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

       He said evidence gathered by the Cincinnati field office will be sent to the agency's Washington, D.C., lab for analysis.

       A gun discharged accidentally Wednesday afternoon inside the Land, Air & Sea military surplus store at 1733 Monmouth St., and the bullet struck a box of 300 exploding targets sitting on the floor behind a display case.

       Newport Police Lt. Phil Liles said one target exploded, causing a chain reaction. The resulting blast and fire nearly leveled the cinder-block building.

       Mr. Tardio said Washington officials would make the final decision on whether to place further restrictions on the target-practice devices. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates the packaging and transfer of explosives, would be a partner in any decision, Mr. Tardio said. He couldn't say how long the investigation might take.

       Exploding targets, which are about the size of a match box, are used for target practice. Mr. Tardio said the small blast each target makes allows shooters to know from a distance if they hit their target.

       The targets are a Class C explosive, Mr. Tardio said, and are not regulated by the ATF. Firecrackers are another example of Class C explosives.

       Possible regulations could involve storage, transportation and packaging of the targets.

       Darrel Johnson, the owner of the gun that accidentally discharged, and store owner Karen Embs were released Thursday from St. Luke Hospital East, a nursing supervisor said.

       Two other men in the store Wednesday, Khader and Basem Sbeih, were treated for injuries at St. Luke East and sent home to recover, according to a nursing supervisor. The two men own the Covington Deli-Mart store at 12th and Lee streets, where police say one of the men killed a would-be robber who started shooting at them Monday night.

       The Sbeihs' had gone to the Newport surplus store to buy another gun because Covington police had taken their weapon as evidence after Monday's shooting.

       Police said the men wanted to purchase another gun for their own protection before reopening the store.
       


Like regulation would have prevented the accidental discharge that started the explosion...

 Well of all the crap they can pester themselves with,,this will give them something to do.  And they did blow up a store,,,,,,that is a saftey problem.

Now c'mon guys we all know the potential for criminal missuse. You just have to think like a moron for a minute. In Democrat mode I can come up with the following...

1. Several hundered could be carted in by bank robbers and used to blow the safe.

2. Criminals could put them in your pockets while robbing you and threaten to shoot them thereby causing injury.

3. Poachers could use them to kill deer by taping them to the animal and shooting them.

4. You could illegally fish by throwing them in the water and shooting them. Known in criminal circles as "hand grenade" fishing.

5. You could tape one to a police bullet proof vest, shoot it and kill him. These are "cop killer" targets.

These are in actuality FUNCTIONAL grenades that only need to be shot instead of pulling a pin. There is no reason for a "sport" shooter to own grenades. The founding fathers never anticipated this sort of advanced armament. There is NO lawful reason to own them. We must "do it for the children."

I wonder if the BATF will ever figure out that propane cyl's and half full cans of gas can present a slight explosive danger at times...?

Hey Steyr, you sound like Imbroglio.

I wonder if anybody was near the gun when this happened?

I live in Cincinnati and drove past the store while it was still burning with rounds popping in the heat. It was a mad mad scene. That place is TOASTED. It is really too bad because the lady who owned the shop is really nice and always had hi quality stuff for cheap.

The store is(was) right across the river in Newport, KY. KY has CCW law and from what I understand, some goofball customer had his personal firearm out in the store and managed to jam in the chamer. DONT ASK ME WHY THIS HAPPENED... but apparently in the process of clearing the gun discharged and hit a case of the reactive targets.

BOOM!

Nobody was seriously injured but they evacuated the Bob Evans next door for fear of stray ammo popping through the window... which is the stupidest thing I ever heard since a round just pops w/o being in a chamber.

Apparantly it was a funny scene seeing a bunch of old people hobbling for cover while the ammo was going up.

Anyway... BATF all over the place. Now they want to make (more) SWEEPING CHANGES of the regulations for military surplus stores. stupid asses.

Hay I give the paper credit they at least told you that the guys used a gun in self defense. But then again the cops took it from them anyway. Just another reason to own many guns. Cop takes one as "evidence" slide another in the holster.

There is a greater danger than the exploding targets- primers. Each of these devices contains a significant amount of lead azide, which is the same component contained in the military explosives used in Afghanistan. Anyone wanting to possess such dangerous items are domestic terrorists just waiting to happen.

All the more reason for the passage of the Demilitarization Bill.