Fla. Deputy Shoots Self Showing Off Gun

AP ^ | 9/30/06 | n/a

[kiriath_jearim]

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- A sheriff's deputy showing a handgun to friends at his birthday party accidentally shot himself in the face, killing himself, authorities said Saturday.

Matt Barnes, 26, told guests at the Friday night celebration his .45-caliber revolver was not loaded, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. He pulled the trigger around 10:30 p.m., authorities said, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Barnes, who had been a deputy for two years, was off duty at the time of the accident. The sheriff's office said alcohol was believed to have been involved.

Barnes' fiancee witnessed the shooting, authorities said.

"It is a tragic, tragic story," Sheriff David Shoar told The St. Augustine Record for Sunday's edition. "He was there with seven or eight friends. Sometime during the evening, he picked up the handgun and was showing it around when it accidentally discharged, killing him."

The shooting remained under investigation.

Grief counselors were helping deputies cope with the loss, Shoar said.

[livius]

Yes. I live in Florida and I felt bad for him, but he obviously never learned the most crucial rule of all. There are no unloaded weapons.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Just glad that, if it had to happen, he only shot himself!
This is my local sheriff's department. When it comes to self defense, thank you, I'd rather do it myself!

[Eaker]

This is a clear case of "hold my beer!"

So you think it is a joke?

A man made a big mistake, the biggest of all and you think it is a joke.

[Joe Brower]

There are some mistakes that you simply just don't make. This is one of them.

And let us not forget that these are the very same "professionals" that all the anti-gun zealots would have us believe are the only people *trained enough* and *qualified* to possess and handle firearms.

I feel sorry for the guy, and even sorrier for those he left behind. Nature doesn't treat carelessness very kindly. It is one thing to die -- it is another to die stupidly. This guy died stupidly.

[verity]

The Sheriff should not have allowed him to take that single bullet home with him.

[from occupied ga]

The sheriff's office said alcohol was believed to have been involved.

No more need be said. Were his last words "hey , y'all watch this?"

[Caramelgal]

My Dad, a highly decorated WWII Infantry vet, always taught my brother and me that guns were not toys. In fact he wouldn’t even let my brother or me play with toy guns (water pistols yes, but not realistic toy guns). This probably came from him seeing so much real life death real up close and personal like.

But he also taught us not to be afraid of guns either and respect them and their very necessary purpose and I learned pretty early in life basic gun safety watching Dad clean his revolver and rifle.

Dad said;

“Always, always, assume any gun is loaded until you are ABSOLUTLY sure it isn’t.”
“Never point a gun at anyone unless you intend to kill”.
"Shoot to kill, because just wounding them just makes them madder"
“Shoot for the chest; it’s the biggest target. If you’re a real good shot, aim for the head for good measure”.
”You don’t have to be a good aim if you use a shotgun with a wide spread and just the sound of the pumping will deter most bad guys. But it’s better to learn to shoot well and a revolver is better for ladies – easier to handle and keep in the nightstand.”
And finally…
“Alcohol and guns never mix!”.

I really miss my Dad!

[shekkian]

This just shows that you can never trust your life to a cop.

[Caramelgal]

It's not a joke. It is a personal tragedy for this poor fellow, his family and the people who had to witness his stupidly. I can’t imagine how his friends feel after seeing this guy blow his head off at a party.

But this was not a mistake! He was being stupid to an extreme. He broke a cardinal rule of gun safety and as a law enforcement officer, he, more than anyone, should have known better. And alcohol is no excuse.

I’m sorry to be so harsh but it’s probably better he was removed from the gene pool now before his total lack of common sense and judgment took out some other person’s life.

[jdege]

Guns don't accidentally discharge.

Guns in proper repair don't accidentally discharge. I have seen guns that would fire on their own, due to work or broken sears, etc.

But I agree with your point. If a gun goes off because someone pulled the trigger, it wasn't an accident. (And if a gun with a worn sear goes off because someone who knew the sear was worn put ammunition into it, it wasn't an accident.)

Accidental discharges are possible, but they're extremely rare. Most so-called accidental discharges are better described as negligent discharges. And this incident is most definitely one that should be referred to by the latter term.

[Oberon]

"...he picked up the handgun and was showing it around when it accidentally discharged..."

Let's rephrase that a bit for accuracy, shall we?

"...he picked up the handgun and was showing it around when he negligently caused it to discharge..."

There. That's better. I hate it when the press attributes animation to inanimate objects.

[Eaker]

It's not a joke.

I did not think that it was. The poster that I addressed seemed to think it was a joke.

But this was not a mistake!

Like hell it wasn't! It was a really big honking mistake.

And alcohol is no excuse.

No, but it certainly was part of the reason that he made this mistake.

I’m sorry to be so harsh but it’s probably better he was removed from the gene pool now

Very Christian of you.

[Blue Jays]

Hi Caramelgal-

Sorry to break this news to you about shotguns...racking the slide to "frighten" a criminal is urban legend and is amateurish firearm handling. If one doesn't store the shotgun with a round already chambered, it should be quietly loaded without providing additional warning to the criminal that could draw incoming fire. One can choose to "challenge" the criminal if desired, or they can wisely opt to shoot them where they stand. A person who enters a home in the middle of the night via the back window isn't visiting to have tea and butterscotch krimpets.

Secondly, the "spread" of a shotgun shell at household ranges is no bigger than the size of a paper picnic plate. One can't simply hold the shotgun in the general direction, close their eyes, and pull the trigger. It must be aimed.

Other than that, your father provided generally solid information. His service to our country during World War II is sincerely appreciated by a grateful nation.

~ Blue Jays ~

[Caramelgal]

"I did not think that it was. The poster that I addressed seemed to think it was a joke."

I was saying I wasn't making a joke of it. I agree, it’s very sad. Stupid and funny in a tragic sort of way. Perhaps he can be a lesson to others so some good may come of his folly.

Like hell it wasn't! It was a really big honking mistake.

While it was a "mistake", it was a thoughtless and careless mistake and total lack of judgment that ended his life. Thank goodness his "mistake" only took his own life.

No, but it (alcohol certainly was part of the reason that he made this mistake.

So I guess the drunk driver who kills a family just made a mistake and shouldn't be accountable for his actions? “Opps, sorry bad me, made a mistake?”

Very Christian of you.

What does religion have to do with it? Did I say he should go to Hell? And why do you assume that to have any sense of morality, I have to be a Christian?

[Eaker]

So I guess the drunk driver who kills a family just made a mistake and shouldn't be accountable for his actions? “Opps, sorry bad me, made a mistake?”

Is English your first language? I said that it contributed to the mistake. NOTHING was mentioned about accountability, you made this up out of whole cloth.

And why do you assume that to have any sense of morality

Your callus remark makes it pretty clear that you think that it is better that he is dead. I don't give a damn what religion you are that is a terrible thing to say.

[Caramelgal]

One time my brother was woke up in the middle of the night when some drunken guy was trying to get into his apartment. He was so drunk he thought he was trying to get into his own place a few doors down. Bro answered the door with his shotgun while racking the slide. He wasn’t trying to frighten him because he didn’t know who it was or what he wanted. But the sound instantly sobered the guy up and after much begging and apologizing; he went on his way presumably to his own place. Happy ending – no harm – no foul.

The other downside to a shotgun is if you live in a townhouse or apartment, you could blast through the wall, inadvertently take out your neighbor – not a good thing.

And I agree, a shotgun has to be aimed and can’t be shot with “eyes closed” but it does have a bit more forgiveness than a revolver or rifle. The thing my dad tried to impress on us was, learn to shoot, learn to aim no matter the firearm of choice.

[Sloth]

Did he preface it with the words "I'm the only one in this room, that I know of, professional enough to carry this gun"?

[Sloth]

The other downside to a shotgun is if you live in a townhouse or apartment, you could blast through the wall, inadvertently take out your neighbor – not a good thing.

Need a lighter load in that situation.

[Blue Jays]

Hi Sloth-

That was classic, classic video coverage of the Glock .40 S&W incident!

~ Blue Jays ~

[ZULU]

Law-enforcement officers and firearms apparently don't mix well.