“A 67-year-old man was killed when his rifle accidentally discharged Saturday evening outside his Manheim Township home,” lancasteronline.com reports. “David R. Shenk, of 115 Petersburg Road, died soon after suffering a single gunshot to his head at around 7 p.m., Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni said after an autopsy this morning. ‘It was an accidental death,’ he said. ‘A rifle inside the decedent’s personal vehicle appears to have discharged when he was either placing or removing contents into or out of his vehicle. It was not suicide.'” Those contents will get you every time.
This unfortunate story has played out time and time again. A guy in high school I knew had this happen however he survived with a blown out ear drum. His truck suffered a nice new hole courtesy of his 12ga shotgun that was loaded and sitting on a then popular window rack.
Just goes to show that muzzle control is no joke.
Funny, the picture links to a news story about 15 assault rifles in an illegal alien’s car.
It wasn’t suicide. No, it was stupidcide.
I like that……stupidcide. Damn, that definition fits all of these.
Wife says…..”How did he die?”
Officer……….”Oh, it was stupidcide”
Wife…………..”nuff said”
Nice! I was about to say that it was suicide by negligence, but stupidicide says it much better.
Recently, I’ve watched several youtube historical documentaries on guns. One of the historians interviewed stated that a large percentage of the American pioneers and settlers that were killed by guns were from accidental discharges. Fears of Indians laying in wait behind every bush motivated some pioneers to carry their guns (which were far less safe than today’s models) fully loaded with a round in the chamber and often half-cocked — of course the details depended on the type of gun and era. People tripping, guns falling over, or being yanked out of the wagon sometimes ended up with the gun firing and a fatality. Another historian said that there was only one of two known incidents of men actually facing off against each other in the classic Hollywood style street draw. Hollywood has immortalized the lever action as the gun that won the West. The shotgun was actually the gun of choice and was the gun that settled the West.
All of these PCNDSOTD posts remind me of when I used to think that it was the Glock’s fault when police officers would shoot themselves on the draw.
Ouch…so negligent and stupid, it’s hard to believe it was accidental. RIP
Our condolences to the family. Hate to see these stories. The really sad thing too is he had probably been around firearms longer than some of us have been alive.
RIP.
You are so right! This guy more than likely had been around firearms decades yet these people here that have been around firearms for a whole 5 years or so call him stupid. Accidents happen. It is part of life. You can look back at just about any accident and find a way it could have been prevented.
I am sure the people on here that are quick to call him stupid have never had an accident. Or is it just a firearms accident that is stupid their minds?
Really, an incident such as this should illustrate to all of us that accidents can happen to anyone and not be used to call someone stupid with a smug attitude that it could never happen to me.
It is not an accident. To blow your own head off you have to violate all four rules, and egregiously at that.
2 points Jim B. First, you only get one chance to fvck up with a gun. Second, next year some grabber will be trying to restrict my rights by trying to convince some politician that society will be safer if guns are heavily regulated. One of his arguments will include the numbers of people killed every year with guns.
Our friend who suffered a stupidcide will be amongst those numbers. And part of the argument will of course be”If it’ll just save one life.”
Stupidcide stays.
Really, you only get one chance to mess up with a gun? I didn’t know that! I must be dead then because I can count three times people have had AD with me, one missing my head by an inch or so. I have had guns inadvertently pointed at me more times than I can count, often by people that should have know better.
Listen JWM, I work in an industry where there is a high rate of death and injury. Many people have died that I know including my best friend at the time. We are constantly drilled on safety and shown examples of how and why things went wrong, the point being to learn from the mistakes of others. However, I have never ever heard the victims called stupid. The reason is we all know something similar can happen to us. People get complacent doing or dealing with dangerous situations or things, guns for instance. It is human nature. The more you do it, the more you think it can’t happen to me. They bend the rules for efficiency or just because they become lazy.
However if you are absolutely certain you will never accidentally point a gun at someone or have an AD, then go right ahead and call a dead man stupid. I will use the example as a good reason to make certain that a gun is unloaded even if traveling a short distance. However if you are happy denigrating the man, well go right ahead. I suppose it makes you feel superior.
It’s unlikely to be suicide if the bullet first passed through his arm and then through his head.
In most other cases, it’s not suicide because the life insurance doesn’t pay off.
My comment is not posting.
That’s because we are all mad at you. Why? I have no idea. Just your turn.
🙂 heehee
I tried it again and still no luck. It was just comments about abctube videos. Maybe thats the problem I should not write the y-word name in it.
Make sure the rifle is empty, action is open, and cased if possible when placing into a car.
Yeah it’s a PITA to follow the rules but a lot safer.
I really don’t know how it’s a PITA to follow the rules…pretty easy and second nature IMO.
one more time to see if I can beat the program and get my comment up.
Recently, I’ve watched several historical docs on guns. One of the historians interviewed stated that a large percentage of the American pioneers and settlers that were killed by guns were from accidental discharges. Fears of Indians laying in wait behind every bush motivated some pioneers to carry their guns (which were far less safe than today’s models) fully loaded with a round in the chamber and often half-cocked — of course the details depended on the type of gun and era. People tripping, guns falling over, or being yanked out of the wagon sometimes ended up with the gun firing and a fatality. Another historian said that there was only one of two known incidents of men actually facing off against each other in the classic Hollywood style street draw. Hollywood has immortalized the lever action as the gun that won the West. The shotgun was actually the gun of choice and was the gun that settled the West..
Can someone tell me who makes the rifle stock in the photo? That is a gorgeous piece of wood.
That is a beautiful stock. Although….
FYI for anyone interested in the butt pad on it. It is a John Mason and is only worth a crap if you want to extend the length of pull. I bought one for my Ruger 96/44 (same pad, fits both rifles) in the hopes that it would help recoil-wise and I can say with confidence it does absolutely nothing to mitigate recoil. With heavy 300gr. hand loads the thin factory plastic butt pad was kicking the crap out of me and the pictured butt pad made zero difference.
For all you jerks out there making inapropriate comments that was my dad and he was very responsible with guns. Accidents happen and if you think making jokes about it is funny you are wrong the hurt we feel is real and maybe you should not be making comments if you don’t know who you are talking about or possibly hurting with those comments!
So how can dragging that wounded girl to the middle of the basement and shooting her up through the head for a “good clean finishing shot” that went “under her chin up into the cranium” be in any way, shape of form an accident?
You may be bereaved but get real.
You are confused what I am talking about. Get the facts straight before you comment. My dad is the one who died from the gun accidentally going off!
Chris…my condolences and sympathy to you and your family!!!
Have faith in God and things will get easier in the long run.
I sincerely apologize. I thought I was on a different article and what I wrote has absolutely no bearing on this article.
Please accept my heartfelt apologies and condolences Mr. Shenk.
No problem I am a bit emotional right now.
Mr. Shenk, I truly appreciate your graciousness. I had way too many tabs opened in my browser for my pea brain to keep track of and really screwed the pooch on this one.
Again, my sincere condolences.
You’ll get detached, harsh opinions and truths on the internet. Must be hard to see/deal with.
Sorry to hear about your Dad Chris…seriously. A lesson to all that a lapse in judgement/diligence can result in death. Years of firearm use/handling can make one complacent (through a false sense of mastery). As we can see, it only takes one mistake. I had a great uncle that died while hunting, pulling a loaded rifle through a barbed wire fence. Tragic but he broke some of the cardinal rules of firearm safety as well (no use of safety), muzzle/aiming towards him, etc. It was hard for the family to accept, being lifelong hunters/riflemen, etc.
Similarly, it must be hard to deal with the loss of your Dad, let alone the truths about how your Dad went out. I guess it was just his time. I wish your father peace and your family healing. Regards.
Certainly a tragedy. It was written Mr. Shenk was packing to go deer hunting. It was a Saturday evening and the hunting season opened Monday. Not sure why he would load his gun two days before the hunt. Most hunters wait until they enter the woods to do so. Either he had a dangerous habit of doing that, or he thought it was NOT loaded.
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