Cowboy shootout gone bad in South Dakota

[kmitch200]

Police in South Dakota are trying to figure out how an Old West shootout that was supposed to be the entertainment at a fundraiser wound up putting three people in the hospital with apparent bullet wounds.

Two people remained hospitalized today after three spectators were injured Friday in Hill City, S.D., while attending an Old West shootout that was part of a charity event for the Children's Miracle Network.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/tourists-injured-west-shootout-wrong-dakota/story?id=13875855


BIG oops...

[MikeBjerum]

I saw this in the news last week, and it is still as clear as mud.  How they can not determine if it was a bullet or not I do not know.  This story is the first one where I read "blood was spraying everywhere."

My questions are if it was a bullet that fragmented when it bounced off the ground; was it a bullet that went straight through someone; was it burns from blanks; and was it a brass case that broke up when it was fired throwing brass slivers downrange?

Every source I have seen, heard or read is putting a very sketchy and negative spin on this.  Even the Chamber of Commerce representative is willing to throw the heritage of the area under the bus over this.

I'm not excusing accidents, but the full story is either not being released or is not being reported.  The anti's are using this to its fullest at this point, and I fear it will not straighten out soon.

[tombogan03884]

Many "blank" cartridges use a paper wad to keep the powder from leaking out the crimp.
I know for a fact that this wad will go through a steel can. That's part of the reason for the design of  "blank firing adapters" for military weapons.

[fightingquaker13]

Hell, they'll launch a three pound dummy for retriever training, or shoot a beer can way up in the air for skeet, and that's with .22 shorts.
FQ13

[MikeBjerum]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/travel/124197733.html

Still not an official statement, but it sounds like someone forgot to change out a cartridge with a bullet for a blank.

Sounds like this lady is willing to work things out on a friendly level, but we will see what happens with the ambulance chasers worker over and the city attorney and their insurance company stiff her.

[Sponsor]

[crusader rabbit]

This looks like the work of the Palixico Burres Gun Safety Production Team.  LOL

[twyacht]

I remember living in Wilmington, NC during the Brandon Lee filming of "The Crow". They needed a sequence when a real S&W .44 Magnum actually had rds. in the cylinder, but "supposedly" had the primers and powder removed.

When fired, for the sound guys to edit later, a live primer, with no powder, managed to lodge a squib .44 Magnum bullet halfway down the barrel.

Went back to the prop room, with no one checking and clearing the pistol. The next day, full power .44 Magnum blanks were loaded in the pistol.

When fired, the squib rd. hit Brandon Lee at 8 feet in the gut with a real .44 Magnum bullet. He died shortly thereafter.

An official review, will take time, but it I am interested in seeing what unfolds.

[fightingquaker13]

Thanks for that TW. I always wondered what happened to Lee and could never figure out why live ammo was on the set. That makes good sense. As to the SD situation, time will tell, but I hope we get a quick and accurate answer. The longer it takes, the worse it looks.
FQ13

[tt11758]

Official State Motto:  "South Dakota, where the men are men and the sheep are nervous."

[r_w]

Movies and these shootouts break the cardinal rule, that leaves ZERO room for error or Mr. Murphy.