Virginia lawmaker's gun "accidentally" fires in statehouse while removing "clip"

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Virginia lawmaker's gun "accidentally" fires in statehouse while removing "clip" (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 1/26/2006 3:54:49 PM EDT

DAMNED GLOCKS!
--------------
Virginia lawmaker's gun accidentally fires in statehouse
RICHMOND, VA. A close call at the Richmond, Virginia, statehouse.

Delegate Jack Reid says he was unloading his handgun in his legislative office when the weapon went off by accident.

Reid apologized to fellow lawmakers in a brief floor statement. He says the gun discharged while he was removing the clip, and the bullet struck a bulletproof vest hanging in the office.

Reid has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Such permits are commonplace in Virginia, where even visitors with permits can carry firearms inside legislative buildings.

Posted: 1/26/2006 3:57:05 PM EDT

[#1]

Imagine if a peon had done that.

Posted: 1/26/2006 3:57:58 PM EDT

[#2]

Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:00:28 PM EDT

[#3]

Interesting........ I kinda want to say "raise the flag" -

Doesn't exactly sound like an accident.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:05:31 PM EDT

[#4]

Funny how every time something like this happens nobody ever says where the trigger finger was at the time of the discharge.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:07:36 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Funny how every time something like this happens nobody ever says where the trigger finger was at the time of the discharge.

I bet a donut he was practicing dry firing at the vest. He dropped the mag, but forgot to remove the bullet down the throat.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:07:45 PM EDT

[#6]

Methinks he was wanting to test the effectiveness of said vest. Dumbass. Also, if you don't know the difference between a magazine and a clip, then you have no business owning or carrying a gun.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:08:32 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

Some people load and unload into a bullet resistant target.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:08:42 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

+1.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:08:51 PM EDT

[#9]

he prolly got a wild hare up his ass and decided to see if the vest would work.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:09:17 PM EDT

[#10]

Anyone hear what type of pistol it was?

Here's a pic of the fine gentleman...

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:10:35 PM EDT

[#11]

It's all these stories about guns "just going off" that makes me wish every firearms manufacture would be in multiple safeties on every gun. If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...then maybe we could work towards correcting the myth that a gun "just goes off". So many people that I talk to that have never shot a gun are afraid of it "just going off" when with todays guns that is not very likely. Since the sheep think guns are so dangerous they accidentally go off all the time anyone that is negligent just blames the gun and no one questions it.

It doesn't help that the media also blames the gun all the time. They say things like "Gun shots ring out and a man dies" or "Boy playing killed by a gun". WTF, when a drunk driver hits someone do they report "Car revs engine and man dies" or "Car crossed the center line killing a boy", no they properly blame the drunk driver.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:10:54 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

What? You don't "clear" your weapon while pointed in a safe direction? What could be safer than a kevlar vest?

My guess is he had a Billy-Bob moment and failed to consider how loud his Glock was gonna be in his office....

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:10:56 PM EDT

[#13]

I'm suprised that he wasn't "cleaning it". That always seems to be the excuse when somebody does something stupid with a gun.

I always have images in my mind of a cleaning rod being shot right ahead of a 158gr. .38 slug into the ceiling whenever I hear that crap.

We've all either had or will have an AD. It's just manlier to admit it when you screw up.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:11:30 PM EDT

[#14]

"Jack you don't have a hair on your a** to shoot that vest"

*BANG!*

"ummm.... I will talk to you later buddy"

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:12:52 PM EDT

[#15]

......oops

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:13:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

Some people load and unload into a bullet resistant target.

+1

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:14:43 PM EDT

[#17]

Give the guy a break. At least it was pointing in a safe direction when he did it.

Besides, whadaya wanna bet he's a pro-gun lawmaker?

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:15:39 PM EDT

[#18]

So is he going to get busted for discharging a firearm and all that shit that would get slapped on most of us?

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:18:52 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:20:16 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Accidently fired...And hit a vest? How convenient! Sounds like alot of the story is not being told.

Some people load and unload into a bullet resistant target.

'Zactly....A good practice if one has to unload a weapon in a hotel, office building, apartment complex, etc.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:22:54 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...

www.springfield-armory.com/images/xd-pistol/XDacp.jpg

Too bad they just don't feel right to me

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:27:55 PM EDT

[#22]

. . . and when the gun went off, it startled me so badly that I knocked over an open bottle of Canadian Lord Calvert sitting on a corner of my desk, spilling half the contents into a wastebasket which I subsequently emptied into the mop sink down the hall. <hic>

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:32:46 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...

www.springfield-armory.com/images/xd-pistol/XDacp.jpg

I've been wanting to get one of those ever since they came out. Now if every gun had those safety features built in then there is no way someone could claim it "just went off" because you would have to be holding it and have your finger on the trigger.

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:33:51 PM EDT

[#24]

I think I read it was a KelTec double action only. .380, IIRC

Posted: 1/26/2006 4:48:09 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
It's all these stories about guns "just going off" that makes me wish every firearms manufacture would be in multiple safeties on every gun. If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...then maybe we could work towards correcting the myth that a gun "just goes off".

its called a springfield XD, ive got two. it also has a loaded chamber indicator

however, any amount/combination of saftey devices still isnt going to keep the dumb ones from accidental fires. whats rule #1?

Posted: 1/26/2006 7:21:51 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Quoted:
If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...

www.springfield-armory.com/images/xd-pistol/XDacp.jpg

Doesn't matter. Guns go BANG when fingers pull triggers.

And fingers pulling triggers is precisely why we have so-called "accidental" negligent discharges.

Posted: 1/26/2006 7:25:30 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

We've all either had or will have an AD. It's just manlier to admit it when you screw up.

Bullshit.

Posted: 1/27/2006 12:20:41 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Quoted:
It's all these stories about guns "just going off" that makes me wish every firearms manufacture would be in multiple safeties on every gun. If every gun had a trigger safety like the Glock and a grip safety like the 1911s and had the firing pin blocked until both were pressed so it would be resistant to firing if dropped...then maybe we could work towards correcting the myth that a gun "just goes off".

its called a springfield XD, ive got two. it also has a loaded chamber indicator

however, any amount/combination of saftey devices still isnt going to keep the dumb ones from accidental fires. whats rule #1?

Don't talk about fight club.

Posted: 1/27/2006 12:37:18 AM EDT

[#29]

My guess is he had a Billy-Bob moment and failed to consider how loud his Glock was gonna be in his office....

That's exactly what I thought when I heard the news report.

Posted: 1/27/2006 12:43:25 AM EDT

[#30]

Posted: 1/27/2006 12:55:35 AM EDT

[#31]

Old news folks, and a dupe as well.

First post is here

Posted: 1/27/2006 1:00:46 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Old news folks, and a dupe as well.

First post is here

It is a dupe of an HTF thread, so it don't count. And it was old news by a couple hours which hardly makes it old, and on top of that there is nothing in the first thread's title that would come up if one were to search for what one would search for when looking for when posting a thread about a virginia lawmaker. I think you are stretching this one pretty thin.

Posted: 1/27/2006 1:19:43 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Old news folks, and a dupe as well.

First post is here

It is a dupe of an HTF thread, so it don't count. And it was old news by a couple hours which hardly makes it old, and on top of that there is nothing in the first thread's title that would come up if one were to search for what one would search for when looking for when posting a thread about a virginia lawmaker. I think you are stretching this one pretty thin.

Not stretching a thing, just old news.

Posted: 1/27/2006 2:04:35 AM EDT

[#34]

Negligent Discharge is the better term.

Max

Posted: 1/27/2006 3:29:25 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
Negligent Discharge is the better term.

Max

+1

Also, although a ND is never excusable, there is a saying that there are two kinds of shooters: those that have had a ND, and those that are going to have them. Lighten up. It's embarassing, but it sounds like he did everything else right.

or would you rather he had a barrel of sand in his office? (Perhaps to bury his head in?)

Posted: 1/27/2006 3:43:01 AM EDT

[#36]

Local paper said that it was a .380 so it probably was not a Glock. I am sure tha tthe VCDL will investigate and get the correct info out soon.

Posted: 1/27/2006 3:57:46 AM EDT

[#37]

Well, THAT isn't going to help us push some much needed gun legislation through the General Assembly this year.....

Damn.

I just hope this doesn't turn into some gigantic mess. The antis might try to make hay about this.

FWIW, those of us who go armed to the capitol building usually leave our weapons in the holster.

Posted: 1/27/2006 3:58:55 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Well, THAT isn't going to help us push some much needed gun legislation through the General Assembly this year.....

Damn.

I just hope this doesn't turn into some gigantic mess. The antis might try to make hay about this.

FWIW, those of us who go armed to the capitol building usually leave our weapons in the holster.

+1 That is what I was thinking. I am hoping that they remove the Resturant ban and allow college students with CCW permits to cary on campus.

Posted: 1/27/2006 4:40:07 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
+1 That is what I was thinking. I am hoping that they remove the Resturant ban and allow college students with CCW permits to cary on campus.

Yikes. No carrying in a damn restaurant?!

Posted: 1/27/2006 5:00:43 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Quoted:
+1 That is what I was thinking. I am hoping that they remove the Resturant ban and allow college students with CCW permits to cary on campus.

Yikes. No carrying in a damn restaurant?!

If they serve alcohol you can't carry concealed but can carry open, the anti's call it "weapons in bars" we just want to be able to lawfully carry at Outback and other sitdown resturants.

Posted: 1/27/2006 5:02:58 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
Quoted:
+1 That is what I was thinking. I am hoping that they remove the Resturant ban and allow college students with CCW permits to cary on campus.

Yikes. No carrying in a damn restaurant?!

Restaurants that have licenses to serve alcohol.

Which is almost all of them, as restaurants make most of their money off of alcohol sales.

If we want to go somewhere like Applebees, we have to either expose our weapon (which is, ironically, perfectly legal) and cause a ruckus, or leave our gun in the car.

So to clarify the current state of the law: Untucked shirt with gun out of sight in Outback, ILLEGAL. Tucked shirt with gun in plain sight in Outback, LEGAL.

Posted: 1/27/2006 5:06:04 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
+1 That is what I was thinking. I am hoping that they remove the Resturant ban and allow college students with CCW permits to cary on campus.

Yikes. No carrying in a damn restaurant?!

Restaurants that have licenses to serve alcohol.

Which is almost all of them, as restaurants make most of their money off of alcohol sales.

If we want to go somewhere like Applebees, we have to either expose our weapon (which is, ironically, perfectly legal) and cause a ruckus, or leave our gun in the car.

So to clarify the current state of the law: Untucked shirt with gun out of sight in Outback, ILLEGAL. Tucked shirt with gun in plain sight in Outback, LEGAL.

I always hate being out shopping with the better half and have her want to pop in for a bite at a nice restrurant as I always have the gun on. 3X this month I have had the gun concealed while eating.

NOt only is it a dumb law it is very inconvienent.

Posted: 1/27/2006 8:17:23 AM EDT

[#43]

No guns in government buildings, A Boy Scout could get shot

See below

Luckily lawmaker had bulletproof vest in his office(1/27/06 - RICHMOND, VA) - A state lawmaker's handgun accidentally discharged in his office Thursday as he tried to unload it, sending a bullet zinging across the room.

It was stopped by a bulletproof vest hanging on the door.

"That absorbed the entire thing," said Del. John S. "Jack" Reid, a 63-year-old Republican who was both shaken and embarrassed by the incident.

He later took the rare step of apologizing to both the Democratic and Republican caucuses before Thursday's floor session, and then made another apology on the House floor.

Reid said he had taken the tiny automatic handgun out of the breast pocket of his jacket and was ejecting the ammunition clip when it discharged.

He said it was fortunate that the vest was hanging where it was because the .380-caliber bullet could have passed through the door and possibly hit someone. Reid received the vest last year as a gag gift from the sheriff of Henrico County, the Richmond suburb where he lives.

The lawmaker said he obtained a permit to carry a concealed weapon two years ago after becoming concerned about his security. He declined to elaborate on the threat.

"I think all of us occasionally get some phone calls that concern us, so during the session I've been carrying it," he said.

Virginia's gun laws are among the nation's least restrictive. So revered are gun rights that the General Assembly allows permit holders to bring firearms into buildings on Capitol Square, including the Capitol itself. Several legislators carry firearms.

Thursday's incident reprised the debate over allowing firearms inside the buildings at the seat of state government.

"It does raise a safety question," Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said. "You've got Boy Scout groups and pages and all kinds of folks walking around in the halls, so I think it's something the Legislature needs to look at."

House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith, a Republican and key gun-rights supporter, said the accidental discharge of Reid's gun is no reason to consider tightening rules.

"The truth is you're more likely to get hurt in a car accident than by a gun," he said. "So why restrict people's freedoms?"

Posted: 1/27/2006 8:25:22 AM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:
Funny how every time something like this happens nobody ever says where the trigger finger was at the time of the discharge.

The gun "fired" by it self

Posted: 1/27/2006 9:37:15 AM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
I always hate being out shopping with the better half and have her want to pop in for a bite at a nice restrurant as I always have the gun on. 3X this month I have had the gun concealed while eating. NOt only is it a dumb law it is very inconvienent.

Personally, I don't sweat it. If I see cop cars anywhere around, I uncover. If I see cops coming into the place, I uncover. If not, I don't worry about it.

Posted: 1/27/2006 9:39:09 AM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
"It does raise a safety question," Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said. "You've got Boy Scout groups and pages and all kinds of folks walking around in the halls, so I think it's something the Legislature needs to look at."

And right there, ladies and gentlemen, is why I NEVER TRUSTED WARNER OR KAINE. They go to great lengths to be portrayed as "pro" gun, but the MINUTE something happens Kaine is out there talking about having the legislature "look" at it.

ONCE ANTI-GUN, ALWAYS ANTI-GUN.

Posted: 1/27/2006 9:43:26 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
DAMNED GLOCKS!
--------------
Virginia lawmaker's gun accidentally fires in statehouse
RICHMOND, VA. A close call at the Richmond, Virginia, statehouse.

Delegate Jack Reid says he was unloading his handgun in his legislative office when the weapon went off by accident.

Reid apologized to fellow lawmakers in a brief floor statement. He says the gun discharged while he was removing the clip, and the bullet struck a bulletproof vest hanging in the office.

Reid has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Such permits are commonplace in Virginia, where even visitors with permits can carry firearms inside legislative buildings.

It wasn't a Glock.

It was a Kel-Tec .38

Posted: 1/27/2006 12:34:06 PM EDT

[#48]

Glock's safety on the trigger... I just don't get it.

Sorry, I have been around firearms all of my life, and I just don't understand the concept of the safety on the trigger. Why not just skip it? A safety on the trigger is no safety at all.

Revolvers don't have safety's (well, there are a few rare exceptions). Glock could have just done without that extra piece of useless plastic.

Is the trigger safety some kind of joke?

And yes, I have handled and shot Glocks.

Still, I just don't get it.