“Gun Appreciation Day” could’ve gone off without a hitch, but that wasn’t the case. Instead of attempting to show that guns can be used as a safety precaution, five people were shot in three separate incidents, proving the exact opposite theory.
The shootings occurred in North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana, and most of the victims were shot at gun shows.
A 12-gauge shotgun discharged hitting three people when the owner unzipped its case at the Dixie Gun Show in Raleigh, N.C. The owner, Gary Lynn Wilson, brought the weapon to the show in hopes of finding a private buyer.
Two of the victims were taken to a local hospital, while the third—who happened to be a retired sheriff deputy—walked away with a minor hand injury.
Wilson, 36, is in fear of being charged for the incident even though it was accidental.
Meanwhile, in Ohio, a gun dealer was looking over a semiautomatic handgun that he purchased the same day, and mistakenly pulled the trigger hitting his friend. Although the gun’s magazine was removed, one round remained in the chamber.
The victim was airlifted to a Cleveland hospital.
According to Police Chief Pat Berarducci, the bullet from the gun ricocheted off the floor striking the victim in the arm and leg.
Over in Indianapolis, 54-year-old Emory L. Cozee accidentally shot himself in the hand while loading his .45 caliber semi-automatic weapon, as he was leaving the indy 500 Gun and Knight show.
Cozee learned the hard way why loaded weapons are not allowed in the show, and was hospitalized. He will not face any charges for the act.
What turned out to be a day showing “appreciation” for citizens’ ability to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms also fell on a day where more than a dozen people were injured or killed in shootings. As pointed out by Gawker.com, pretty much all across the nation victims were shot on Saturday, including a 5-year-old boy in Florida who was shot by a 7-year-old boy who found a gun in his 22-year-old relative’s room.
Earlier in the month, pro-gun advocate Larry Ward appeared on CNN to promote “Gun Appreciation Day.” During the segment he explained that Black people would have never been slaves, had they had access to firearms.
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Photo: AP
