Suicide at Public Range

[LittleRed]

A man rented a gun and committed suicide at a local range that I frequent. It rattled my cage a bit since I had the day off and I was planning on going there to take a friend shooting for the first time. Our plans fell through—thankfully as that is not the way I want to introduce someone to shooting.

Here is the news story:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-shooting-range-suicide-20101015,0,1664963.story

And perhaps more detail from another forum:

As heard from witnesses who were inside the range at the time:

Man came in and seemed really nervous. Was asking a lot of question about guns and rented a few of them. Went to his lane and shot a few down range. He was asking for help with them and some of the witnesses helped him.. One told me that everybody thought there was something wrong with this guy. Just jittery and sweating. After putting a few down range with a .357 magnum he put the gun under his chin and pulled the trigger. He left a several page note in his car out front which the investigators retrieved.

In the quote above someone mentioned some clear warning signs—in hindsight! I tend to think we ALL see warning signs after the fact. But the truth is, they weren't enough to trigger a response.

I do most all of my shooting at public ranges. Rarely do I know the individuals shooting next to me. I don't know their level of proficiency/safety or their state of mind.

I am looking for and hope to start some discussion regarding awareness, safety, etc. while at ranges with strangers.

Do you introduce yourself? Strike up conversations? I've met some people on the range who do more talking than shooting, then there are those that prefer to be in the zone and stoically fire to some internal cadence. Do you keep looking over your shoulder?

[TAB]

I honestly try to stay as far away from people I don't know at ranges.


If I see something mildly wrong I will help out.  if I see something very wrong, I pack up and leave.

[twyacht]

I shoot at the Arizona Range from time to time!!! I shot the Gunman 1911 targets there 3 weeks ago. It is an unsupervised range, except for a camera. The "safety" lesson for those not trained lasts about 30 seconds.

Many of us here at DRTV have posted some really "scary stories" at our local ranges. Especially those that rent firearms. Rookies, completely uninstructed folks, those that simply can't shoot, those that don't know the rules, etc,...Pick a pistol, and go right on in.

FWIW, I am always putting eyes in the back of my head at ranges, even my private range Pop's Gun Club. It can happen so fast, that it's hard to figure out.

Thankfully, albeit tragically, he took his life only. At least he didn't want to take "a few with him'...

Glad to know you were not there LittleRed, when it happened. Check out Pop's Gun Club, off Hwy 27.  just south of Holiday Park.

I'll send you a direct link, to the R.O. it's inexpensive, supervised by NRA Certified folks, and much more relaxing to shoot at.

Plus, it's outdoor, to 100yds, easy to join, has IDPA, and other weekly events. "Shoot me a PM" for the info.

Take Care.

tw

[m25operator]

Unfortunately, this has happened several times, at our local indoor range, always with rented pistols, makes a kind of sick since, if you don't own a firearm, spend your last 20 bucks to take your own life. I hate to imagine anyone that was there and witnessed it.

Now to public or private ranges, as a long time range officer, always be aware, just like life, My cop friends call it being, Fat, Dumb and happy, avoid that, keep your wits at all times, public ranges are dangerous, private ranges are less as general rule, but are no guaranty, watch those around you, if you get unconfortable, leave, don't pass go, don't collect 200$, just leave and carry on another day, I have seen sane people do dangerous things, due to lack of training, but endanger those around them. Many times.

[philw]

has happened twice in the last few years here at a supervised indoor range 

there is a coroners inquiry going on at the moment

[Sponsor]

[ratcatcher55]

Sadly very common.

Happen twice in one week at a new range when I lived in PA and once on the range where I worked part time after I left.
We had SOP's to deal with but I'm quite happy it happen after I left.

Why can't these dumb asses mess up their own home?  No sympathy from yours truly.

[r_w]

Why can't these dumb asses mess up their own home?  No sympathy from yours truly.

My guess is they can't pass a NICS or live in a communist state. 

[Pathfinder]

I've posted before about events at the open, public range near my house, mostly people doing Youtube stupid stuff.

This event happened at a private range where I was the Range Safety Officer. Guy comes in, puts his kit on the tables at the back of the firing maybe 20 feet from the shooting positions. He starts unloading his gun case on the table - a range no-no - and I immediately intervene. I tell him to recase his firearm and move the case to the shooting line, that the rules are just as I stated. His response? He picks the effing gun up and swings it toward me to show that it is empty and locked back. I put my hand down to block the gun and immediately use my cop voice to order him to put the weapon back in the case and move the case to the firing line. He says OK, then puts the firearm under his bicep and clamps it to his body - sweeping me in the process - and goes to pick up his case with both hands to take it to the firing line.

I put my hand on his arm and ordered him to stop, and case his weapon. He gets defensive and starts whining about how he's a new member and didn't know the rules - after I had just told him the rules. He did case the weapon and move to the firing line, at which point I went to get one of the other RSOs to assist me with ejecting this guy. The other RSO said he knew the guy, the guy had been shooting at the range before, and that he would talk with the guy. No backup, and the guy got to shoot.

I wonder how many others he pulled the "I'm new and don't know the rules" crap on? And I am rewriting the SOP so now the RSO will have clear authority to eject someone on the spot with no wiggle room.

[fightingquaker13]

If they can't, they might as well not be there. Downside? You might get an Ahole RSO, but a complaint to management should fix that. It beats an unsafe shooter every time.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

I've posted before about events at the open, public range near my house, mostly people doing Youtube stupid stuff.

This event happened at a private range where I was the Range Safety Officer. Guy comes in, puts his kit on the tables at the back of the firing maybe 20 feet from the shooting positions. He starts unloading his gun case on the table - a range no-no - and I immediately intervene. I tell him to recase his firearm and move the case to the shooting line, that the rules are just as I stated. His response? He picks the effing gun up and swings it toward me to show that it is empty and locked back. I put my hand down to block the gun and immediately use my cop voice to order him to put the weapon back in the case and move the case to the firing line. He says OK, then puts the firearm under his bicep and clamps it to his body - sweeping me in the process - and goes to pick up his case with both hands to take it to the firing line.

I put my hand on his arm and ordered him to stop, and case his weapon. He gets defensive and starts whining about how he's a new member and didn't know the rules - after I had just told him the rules. He did case the weapon and move to the firing line, at which point I went to get one of the other RSOs to assist me with ejecting this guy. The other RSO said he knew the guy, the guy had been shooting at the range before, and that he would talk with the guy. No backup, and the guy got to shoot.

I wonder how many others he pulled the "I'm new and don't know the rules" crap on? And I am rewriting the SOP so now the RSO will have clear authority to eject someone on the spot with no wiggle room.

Zero tolerance ?  

My guess is they can't pass a NICS or live in a communist state.  

Most likely liberals who never owned a gun, but don't have the guts for poison or slitting their wrists.

Actually, I would not have been suspicious, renting several guns, asking questions etc. I would have figured he was a rank beginner, nervous around unfamiliar tools.

But it boils down to one basic fact, f*cked up people do f*cked up things. accept it and try not to be part of the collateral damage.
There is no other option, in Japan, where guns are illegal, and the suicide rate is double ours, they commit suicide with chemical fumes, sometimes they get it wrong and blow up or gas an entire building.