Posted on 03/03/2016 9:17:13 AM PST by Gamecock
His girlfriend told police he thought the gun wasn’t loaded
At least 27 people died in “selfie-related” incidents around the world last year
It wasn’t the first photo the 43-year-old Concrete, Washington, resident had taken with his gun.
But it would be the last.
The Skagit Valley Herald reported Wednesday that the man, who officials did not name, fatally shot himself in the face while attempting to take a selfie with what he thought was an unloaded gun.
The man’s girlfriend, who was with him when the gun went off, told authorities that the pair had taken several selfies with the gun throughout the day.
The man unloaded the gun before each photo session, then replaced the bullets when they were done.
But before the final photograph, he left one bullet inside the gun.
The man’s girlfriend was with him when he died, Skagit County Sheriff's Office Chief of Patrol Chad Clark told the Skagit Valley Herald. Police are investigating his death as accidental.
The Washington man is not the first to accidentally shoot himself while taking a selfie, or even the first to die doing so.
Last fall, a 19-year-old from Houston died while taking pictures of himself with a gun and posting them on Instagram. He also thought the gun was unloaded when he held it to his head for a photo, police told KPRC.
It’s been reported that more people die while attempting to take selfies than in shark attacks.
At least 27 people died in “selfie-related” incidents around the world last year, the Washingon Post has reported.
The problem seems to be worse in India than anywhere else: the country was home to half of those 27 deaths. To confront the apparently growing public health hazard, the Indian government decided to ban some selfies outright.
No-selfie zones have been established around some large religious gatherings (where organizers fear that selfie-induced bottlenecks could lead to a stampede), beaches, ledges and other treacherous spots where selfies might turn deadly.
In Russia, where a woman almost died after inadvertently shooting herself while posing for a photo with a gun she found, Russia's ministry of internal affairs published a brochure instructing residents on safe selfie habits.
“A selfie with guns kills,"” read the warning next to an image of a stick figure holding a camera and a gun, slashed out by a red line.
“Along with all the advantages of the modern world there appear new threats,” Russian official Yelena Alekseyeva said at a press conference, according to CNN. “We would like to remind the citizens that the chase for 'likes' in social networks can lead to the road of death."
Can’t be sure, but I assume beer was involved.
There is a reason antique dealers advise customers to never talk on the phone while holding a piece of porcelain in the other hand. Evidently that advice should include firearms, too.
Real men don’t do selfies, anyway.
Here’s your sign...
Darwin approves.
I believe we call this a “snuffie” . . .
2016 Darwin Award.
Game over!
A Darwinian masterpiece for sure.
I had a student that was obama’s son, droopy pants, hat on backwards, bling, and a no-kidding wanna-be rapper. . .he was taking selfies to enhance his street credibility and shot himself in the leg.
I was wondering why he missed all classes except for the first class and a couple of students knew him from high school (they are all freshmen). They told me all about this guy (trouble-maker, fighting all the time, thinking he was the next Big Rapper), and they told me about him shooting himself in the leg.
A Darwin Award candidate for sure.
Jeff Cooper’s 4 rules of Gun Safety
Rule 1: All guns are always loaded.
Rule 2: Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
Rule 3: Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you are ready to fire.
Rule 4: Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
Huh. Pointing loaded guns at yourself and pulling the trigger is not a good idea? Who knew?
Jeff Cooper knew the score - his columns in Guns and Ammo were required reading.
That gave me a good belly laugh!
So where is the selfie? TTIWWP
Ed
More people are killed with unloaded guns than loaded.
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