Woman Shot, Killed While Cleaning Handgun

[majormadmax]

My Dad was a doctor and a county coroner. They use that "killed while cleaning a gun" statement to clear suicide records. Insurance companies will refuse to pay off if it's a suicide.

Churches prohibited burial of a suicide on Holy ground so that is less desirable, too.

There is probably more to the story.

Flash

Most private insurance policies have a two-year suicide exclusion period. After that, the policy must pay the benefit regardless of manner of death.

I am beginning to this this was an accident, as zembonez stated was being reported. I don't know if that makes it any better, as it is so easily avoidable. I am a fanatic when it comes to clearing firearms, I double, triple and quadruple-check the weapon after I clear it. I finger-check it, visually confirm and then dry-fire it (if it doesn't hurt the gun) by pointing the barrel in a safe direction. As someone told me a long, long time ago, you can never be too safe, too rich or too good looking!

My condolences to the woman's family.

Cheers! M2


http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_your_...nce_benefits_after_your_suicide#ixzz16mgil6SU​

 

[Texasjack]

Roger4314 is right - it's very rare that a gun goes off while cleaning and hits the person working on it. It's just a way of keeping "suicide" out of the paper - and maybe collecting on insurance.

 

[Buster Charlie]

Well not to be morbid, but how often do people commit suicide and 'cleaning accident' is a euphemism to keep the family from being embarrassed?

Now I know women do not historically use this method of suicide, but whenever I hear about a 'cleaning accident' I really do wonder how much these numbers are inflated by suicides.

 

[zembonez]

Well not to be morbid, but how often do people commit suicide and 'cleaning accident' is a euphemism to keep the family from being embarrassed?

Now I know women do not historically use this method of suicide, but whenever I hear about a 'cleaning accident' I really do wonder how much these numbers are inflated by suicides.

Entirely possible.

 

[Texas1911]

Now I know women do not historically use this method of suicide, but whenever I hear about a 'cleaning accident' I really do wonder how much these numbers are inflated by suicides.

I can attest to one successful and one failed attempt of suicide at my workplace in the past 2 years, by women with handguns.

 

[SiscoKid]

Got in late on this thread and it is a great topic. Have a story that relates to this. ....

I have an old Marine buddy that used to shoot with me frequently at the range. Now even back in the Corps this guy was "hazardous". Over the years since he has shot up his mattress at home while cleaning a weapon, put a shotgun round through the roof of a pickup truck while rabbit hunting, and very nearly shot my head off while duck hunting in a boat. I quit hunting with him over 30 years ago.

About 8-10 years ago we were at the Rifle Range, I shot first, an 03 then a Garand, he manning the target. Cleared them and set them in the back of my vehicle. We switched places, he had only his Garand to shoot. After 4-5 rounds he radioed me that his rifle was jamming. I told him to get my Garand and finish up his ammo, to get in his shooting. When finished I came up to the line, my Garand was sitting on his mat, I set it in the back of my vehicle and we left.

Upon arriving home, the way I clean multiple guns is to set them in front of my back patio doors on a large towel, good light to see there. Put everything up, then sat down to do the cleaning. Grabbing the Garand, LUCKILY the first thing I did is pull the bolt back and out popped a LIVE ROUND. It had been locked, loaded, the safety OFF (he never uses them). If I had pulled the trigger ....... well we just don't know. I was so mad I was shaking.

Bottom line, never, never, never ASSUME a gun is empty. It was MY FAULT for not triple checking this guy.

 

[London]

If it is a news story then all of the facts are up for scrutiny IMO. I've seen to many stories firsthand to later see reporters messing up even the most basic of details.

I haven't heard of someone killing themselves while cleaning their weapon in a long time. This is probably due to the increasing quality and safety of modern firearms design as well as a general awareness of gun safety principles amongst shooters today. I'd bet percentage-wise, more people did this fifty years ago than today.

My condolences to her family and friends.

 

[ROGER4314]

Just to toss a few more logs in the fire.........

For statistical purposes, suicides using firearms are lumped in with violent crimes using firearms by the anti gun bunch.

There are some who maintain that many of the one car fatal car crashes are suicides. I suppose we'll never really know the truth about that.

Flash

 

[ZX9RCAM]

My girlfriends (ex) Brother in law shot himself in the head as he drove his car into a concrete barrier......I wonder how that would be classified?

 

[Clockwork]

For Pete's sake, doesn't everyone know to make absolutely, positively sure that a gun is unloaded before cleaning it?!?

It just goes to show.

This wouldn't have happened if she had been in the kitchen where she belongs. Baking.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

it just goes to show.

This wouldn't have happened if she had been in the kitchen where she belongs. Baking.

dooooooooooh!!!


EDIT:
For the record those were all capital letters, but the program made them small.....not quite as effective, lol.....

EDIT 2: But edit stays capitals.............DOOOOOOOOOOOOH!.



I give up!

 

[yardlet]

Please make sure you just Emphasis (May)....


This was my mother a Cardiac Transport Nurse of 35 years. She did clean her gun but only once in a while. She had that gun in a storage facility and was moving to take a position in your great state to help save lives. My grandmother and Brother were each one only six inches to the right and left of her when the gun went off. I know she was in experienced and should have taken a training class or two. I myself am a carry permit holder in the state of TN. My mother loved her country and her life. She believed in the right to bear arms. IN NO WAY DID SHE COMMIT SUICIDE AND PLEASE KNOW THIS FOR A FACT.