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Thread: RO Fatally Shot at NY USPSA Match

  1. #1
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014

    RO Fatally Shot at NY USPSA Match

    Anyone local have the details on this?

    https://13wham.com/news/local/man-di...shooting-range

    A 67-year-old male was struck by a projectile and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.

    The man involved was a certified range officer serving as a safety officer in a United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) competition when he was struck by accidental discharge from a competitor’s firearm, according to the Genesee Conservation League.


    My thoughts and prayers to out to everyone involved. What a tragedy.
    Last edited by RJ; 11-09-2020 at 07:27 AM.

  2. #2
    This is very tragic. Prayers and condolences.

  3. #3
    Member Zincwarrior's Avatar
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    Oct 2016
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    Central Texas
    From the Brian Enos site:
    I’m from Western New York and for now the word is that the competitor was reloading during the stage, dropped his gun which went off and killed the RO. I just shot a match with the RO and his son a couple of weeks ago. Tragic.

  4. #4
    Goddamn. RIP.
    #RESIST

  5. #5
    Tragic event, I think a second fatal event in North American competitive events in several years that I know of.

    I am going to hazard a guess that 60-70%, if not more, USPSA guns don't have drop safeties. All 1911/2011s of Open, Limited and SS, plus many-many CZs. Many, if not most, also have extended firing pins and reduced power springs. Having dropped a gun during a stage run (it's final resting position was with a muzzle squarely up range), can't say I am too surprised that this has happened.
    Doesn't read posts longer than two paragraphs.

  6. #6
    Member Zincwarrior's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by YVK View Post
    Tragic event, I think a second fatal event in North American competitive events in several years that I know of.

    I am going to hazard a guess that 60-70%, if not more, USPSA guns don't have drop safeties. All 1911/2011s of Open, Limited and SS, plus many-many CZs. Many, if not most, also have extended firing pins and reduced power springs. Having dropped a gun during a stage run (it's final resting position was with a muzzle squarely up range), can't say I am too surprised that this has happened.
    In class we were advised to tell new shooters never to try to grab a falling gun as they might snare the trigger, but that a gun will not go off if dropped. This puts some doubt to that.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by YVK View Post
    Tragic event, I think a second fatal event in North American competitive events in several years that I know of.

    I am going to hazard a guess that 60-70%, if not more, USPSA guns don't have drop safeties. All 1911/2011s of Open, Limited and SS, plus many-many CZs. Many, if not most, also have extended firing pins and reduced power springs. Having dropped a gun during a stage run (it's final resting position was with a muzzle squarely up range), can't say I am too surprised that this has happened.
    It would be beneficial to know the gun and modifications. We can make others aware, and possibly put in place steps to prevent this.

    There are a lot of 1911 / 2011 with unsafe trigger jobs out there. Sometimes they come from "reputable" smiths as well. I'm not talking about being too light, either. Check your half cock notches. Put the gun in the half cock notch, then pull the trigger. If you can drop the hammer from half cock by pulling the trigger, please get this fixed. Actually, they test safeties at the chrono stage, I think they should add this test.

    Of course, I have no idea if this has anything to do with this particular event, but we need to prevent future events as best as possible.

    Another case in point, a competitor at a USPSA match did a quick draw on his GLOCK and it went off. The bullet went through and through.... his pants. Miraculously, he was unharmed. The match director was there and saw that he did not touch the trigger. This competitor went so crazy on his trigger job that he had disabled all the safeties on the gun. Inspection of the gun proved that. I'm am certain this gun would have discharged if dropped. He was allowed back to shoot, but for several months he had to submit his gun for inspection before competing.

    As I said earlier, my heart goes out to those involved. Very tragic.

  8. #8
    Chasing the Horizon RJ's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Some additional context from TTAG:

    https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/ny...a-competition/

    We need to find out more about why this tragic incident happened, so it never happens again.

  9. #9
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    Erie County, NY
    It's not that far from me. I've not shot in the local USPSA as I'm just getting my handguns out of FFL storage. I used to shoot IDPA but it's not in Erie County but Rochester area. There is indoor USPSA here. However, I'm a little concerned that the USPSA guns can be unsafe. I've seen guys do dangerous things in matches. In one IDPA match, a guy decided to run so fast (USPSA style) that he fell flat on his face. Got up and tried to run again, another flop. I would have DQ'ed him for safety. Got some flack for that opinion. But if a fall impact sets of a gun - I'm sticking to that opinion.

    I did have a guy almost shoot my foot with a 1911 when told to load, make ready, holster. Idiot, no safety on and finger on the trigger.

    I feel the lawyers circling. The club, the shooter, the gun company if it was not drop safe, gun smith, whomever they could get to.

  10. #10
    We just had an ND at a match about a month back (I happened to skip the match, but the news went out via social). Older guy shooting USPSA for the first time Glock legged himself holstering for make ready. Enough folks on scene were trained and had IFAKs/TQs that it was controlled, and as far as I've heard he'll be fine, but it certainly makes you think about gear choices. This tragedy only furthers that train of thought.

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