She heard a pop -- accidental Glock discharge ending in death

Glock handguns are very popular. They are reliable, easily maintained, and easy to shoot. That last attribute is also a dangerous shortcoming. With no manual safety and a light trigger pull the user needs to apply an additional gun safety rule: Carry the gun in a manner in which the trigger cannot be pulled unintentionally.

Apparently, that was the problem in the case in Fredricksburg, VA, described at WTVR.com:

The father, a 45-year-old Spotsylvania man, was in his minivan with his children waiting for his wife to return a DVD to the Redbox outside the Giant Food Store in Harrison Crossing when he was shot, said Captain Elizabeth Scott with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.

The wife said she heard a pop and when she ran back to the minivan, her husband told her he thought he'd shot himself, said Capt. Scott.

When a Spotsylania County Sheriff's Deputy arrived on scene minutes after the shooting, the man's wife and others in the Giant parking lot were trying to revive the man.

The deputy reported the man suffered significant blood loss and was already unconscious when he arrived. The man was later pronounced dead at Mary Washington Hospital, said Capt. Scott.

She said the initial investigation indicated when the man tried to unbuckle his seat belt, he hit the trigger of his .40 caliber glock and shot himself in the hip.

It is unclear whether the man carried his gun in a holster or his pocket. The family friend says it likely was loose in his pocket.

Such a tragedy. It cost him his life. But he gave a valuable lesson to others who might be tempted to carry a handgun without a manual safety loose in a pocket.

Update. It was probably in his waistband, not his pocket. See updated:

Investigators said Wednesday that the gun the victim was carrying was not housed in a holster and that they think the gun was simply tucked into the waistband of the man's pants.

The victim’s wife said she believes that when her husband went to adjust the gun, which had likely shifted and become uncomfortable, the gun accidentally discharged.

Kudos to the reporter who was able to provide the make of the handgun.

Comments

[Geo]

Testing comment feature.

[Joe Hathaway]

The Glock pistols have three different automatic safeties:

The Safe Action Trigger is an easily-defeated safety, but only one part of a system.

The Firing Pin Safety prevents the striker from physically impacting the cartridge primer unless the trigger is actually pulled.

And the Drop Safety absolutely prevents a drop or blow from any angle from causing an accidental discharge. Ever! Negligent discharges have been blamed on dropping the Glock pistol since day one, but usually are a result of pulling the trigger as part of pistol disassembly WITH A CARTRIDGE IN THE WEAPON! Negligent dischargers are quick to lie about drop fires!

The single most important cause of the death of the man in this instance was his carrying the loaded Glock WITH A CARTRIDGE IN THE CHAMBER. Trained police do so, in a holster designed to NOT allow the gun out unless done deliberately; citizens who do so, especially in a waistband, are known as potential ORGAN DONERS! If racking a cartridge into the chamber takes a lot longer than releasing external safeties, the owner should carry a large rock instead.

Please watch this video on the full Glock Safe Action System:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7sJrZB4r_Q

[Mike]

If this fella was carrying the pistol (with a round chambered) in his waistband while driving, that was certainly not a smart thing to do. Having said that, I'm guessing that many people have done this, thinking that the gun won't go off. And particularly if they have read all the Glock advertisements and hype telling people how safe the pistol is with its so-called 3 safeties.

But here's the problem, as I see it. Do this with any semi-automatic pistol having a manual safety (engaged) and this man goes home with his wife and kids and lives happily ever-after. Do this with a Glock, and there is a good chance that he will shoot off your nuts, or worse.

In my judgment, Glocks are unsafe to carry with a round in the chamber. I don't care how many guys will tell you that they have been carrying a Glock for years without incident, it only takes one mistake or momentary lapse of judgment where the user's finger or some object inadvertently makes contact with the trigger, and your kids can become orphans.

From the time that semi-automatic pistols first hit the market in the 1890's until Glock came along in the mid-1980's, virtually every manufacturer of semi-automatic pistols in the world incorporated a manual safety or grip safety, or both, in the designs of their pistols. For reasons that defy logic, Glock eliminated these essential features from the design of its pistol. As a result, there have been countless tragedies involving Glock pistols.

[Mike]

Sorry for the grammatical error. I meant to say "there is a good chance that he will shoot off his own nuts."

[Geo]

It takes time to release a manual safety, and that's probably the reason so many buyers prefer handguns like Glocks without the manual safety.

That, however, is just an admission of poor dexterity.

Dig up some of those videos of those old cowboy stars of the 50s and 60s doing a fast draw. They could draw a single action revolver, cock the hammer, and fire it in less time than someone could press the button on a stop watch twice.

[Breacher1]

This incident is simply due toto negligence, extremely poor gun handling skills and ignorance. There's also an extremely high level of ignorance from posters who have absolutely no idea how the Glock safeties operate. It CANNOT be fired by dropping the gun. I've been a cop for almost 20 years and carried Glocks for all of those years. I've worked at the largest Police department in my state and we are issued Glock pistols and I'm also a firearms instructor, trainer and master armorer
and it's impossible for the Glock to AD /when ND from a drop. Stop lying, man up and admit that you fu$&ed up.