The Inquisitr recently reported on three accidental gunshots at a show celebrating gun appreciation day. In that piece we detailed the events at the Dixie Gun and Knife Show at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, North Carolina. Now, two additional gun show related incidents have since been declared.
These incidents all happened on the first “National Gun Appreciation Day,” a promotional effort encouraging firearm enthusiasts to attend gun shows and visit local gun stores and firing ranges.
WKYC of Cleveland reported the first accident in Medina, Ohio. Around 3:30 pm an exhibitor shot his partner as he sat next to him. An unidentified man previously sold the firearm to the exhibitor during the gun show. While opening a box containing the firearm, the weapon discharged, striking the other man. He sustained non-life threatening injuries to the arm and leg and was taken by LifeFlight to MetroHealth Medical Center. Police are officially calling the shooting accidental.
State police report that in Indianapolis 54-year-old Emory L. Cozee was loading his .45 caliber semi-automatic gun when he shot himself in the hand. Cozee was hospitalized and will likely not face charges according to authorities. The victim was in the process of leaving the Indy 1500 Gun and Knife show at the state fairgrounds when the shooting occurred. Loaded personal weapons are not permitted at the show.
Firearms expert Greg A. Danas tells NBC News while it’s up to a gun show owner to determine safety rules, he recommends measures like inspecting guns and ensuring firing pins are disabled.
“Even people with the best intentions, screw up, and occasionally make mistakes.”
Reuters reported “Stop the Gun Grabbers” pro-gun rallies throughout the US today. Following the Connecticut massacre, a number of states have taken up aggressive talk on stricter gun control legislation, spurring debates on both sides.
[Photo Credit: gunappreciationday.com flyer]
