Man Dies After When Rifle Discharges After Hunting Trip
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 1 month ago
HELENA, Mont. (AP) – A 48–year–old physician died when his rifle discharged after he returned to Helena from a hunting trip.
Lewis and Clark County Coroner Bryan Backeberg tells the Independent Record that Eugene “Buzz” Walton was retrieving the rifle from the back of a pickup truck in the old Kmart parking lot at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday when it went off.
Lt. Brett Petty says officers responded to a report of shots fired, found Walton outside the truck and began giving him medical aid. He died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
Folks, unload your guns after a trip to the range or hunting. We want our readers around for the long haul. I’m sure the gun didn’t “go off” by accident or spuriously. No offense is intended. I feel sure he grabbed the trigger.
On October 23, 2018 at 12:50 am, Dan said:
Loaded rifles laying amongst a pile of outdoor camping/ hunting equipment is a recipe for disaster. Even if the trigger isn’t touched by a human merely moving the rifle can cause the trigger to be hooked on
some piece of gear discharging the weapon. Long guns in vehicles need to be kept in a case unloaded except for those that might need to be used for self defense. And defensive weapons need to be holstered or stored in a DEDICATED mounting rack….and for long guns without a round in the chamber (which is the LAW in the vast majority of states). This was a death that could have and should have been avoided.
On October 23, 2018 at 11:58 am, Chris Mallory said:
“and for long guns without a round in the chamber (which is the LAW in the vast majority of states).”
Thank God I live in a free state where a group of thugs of such suspect morals and low character that they became government employees don’t pretend to tell me if I can have my weapons loaded or not.
But even if they did, some laws are made to be broken.