I was tempted to make this a ‘Doofus Of The Day’ post, but because someone was killed, I figured that would be insensitive. Nevertheless – can you believe the stupidity of these two guys?
NEWAYGO, Mich. – A father and son’s discovery of a muzzleloader left near a trash bin has resulted in the bizarre accidental shooting death of the younger man.
Newaygo County sheriff’s deputies say 28-year-old Jason Mielke was shot in the abdomen just before noon Tuesday at his home in Big Prairie Township.
Investigators tell The Grand Rapids Press that Mielke and his father were trying to clean the muzzleloader at the time. Its breech plug became stuck and the weapon was placed in a vice.
A torch was then used to heat the barrel around the plug in an effort to help release it.
Deputies say the heat caused the weapon to fire the round that struck Mielke, who died at the scene.
I just don’t know what to say . . . and now a father has to mourn the death of his son.
Folks, if you find a gun which you suspect might be loaded – for Heaven’s sake, don’t apply heat!
Peter
You’re right on both counts – it merits a Doofus and yet the the death involved makes it inappropriate. Maybe a Darwin?
A beautiful, and very sad, example of why we have the Four Rules.
LittleRed1
“No gun is ever unloaded. Treat it as such…always.”
Mantra of my father, grandfather, great grandfather…etc.
Passed to me…and now to my son.
If you always treat a firearm as if it has a round chambered, you avoid situations like this.
It did not have a thirty round magazine or a pistol grip, how could it possibly be dangerous?
Good grief. This is as much a senseless waste of human life as I have ever heard of. Too bad the moron in the case wasn’t the one who got it, then it would have been a good Darwin nominee.
Jim