Loaded gun, left in Tillamook theater, found by seventh-graders

[civilian75]

Tillamook movie theater Wednesday morning and heard a "plink," he thought a part of the seat might have fallen out. Then the boy heard his friend say, "Dude, there's a gun."

A loaded Beretta 9mm semi-automatic handgun, that is. One bullet in the chamber. The safety off.

But authorities said the dangerous encounter turned out OK in no small part because the two boys did exactly as they should have. They stayed away from the gun and called for a teacher, who in turn called police to Tillamook's Coliseum Theatre.

"I went through a hunter's safety course, and I was expecting the worst, like the safety would be off or something," McKinney said. "I was kind of scared that it might have went off."

And it very well could have, said Tillamook Sheriff Andy Long. "If they had picked that gun up and decided it was a play gun, with all those kids in the Coliseum, it could have been very tragic," Long said.

He commended the boys for using their wits. "One of them said, 'Well, you always consider it loaded,'" Long said. "And that's really, really smart."

The boys were among three busloads of seventh-graders who struck out on a field trip to see "The Hobbit" at the downtown Tillamook theater Wednesday. The field trip was a reward for passing all of their fall classes, said Tillamook schools superintendent Randy Schild.

After McKinney and his friend alerted the teacher, the students were evacuated while Long and his deputies and Tillamook city police searched the theater. Once they found there were no other threats, they let the students back in to enjoy the film.

"They left an officer there just to make people feel good," Schild said. "The kids did get their reward. But it could have been bad. In light of recent events, our sense of awareness is certainly heightened. Loaded handguns aren't supposed to be laying around."

On Wednesday evening, Gary Quackenbush, 61, turned up at the theater seeking his missing gun, "like it would be in the lost and found with lost eyeglasses and other things," said Long.

"He has a concealed handgun license," Long said. "That will be revoked tonight. The law says if you are a danger to yourself or the public, it can be revoked."

A man answering a phone number listed for Quackenbush laughed and told a reporter, "Get a life."

Authorities are holding onto the firearm until their investigation into the matter is complete.

-- Lori Tobias

Loaded gun, left in Tillamook theater, found by seventh-graders | OregonLive.com
* More ammunition for the gun grabbers
* One cannot stress enough the importance of CC-ing with a proper holster!!
* Thanks to the parent/relatives of this seventh grader who taught his kid about firearm safety.

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[bolus]

Its a fear of mine to have it fall out and forget it somewhere. It would be unlikely with an IWB holster and a shirt tucked over it. it would have to somehow slip out and run down the inside of my pants without noticing it. Still, I'm paranoid about it

 

[accessbob]

And this is another reason why EDUCATING kids, ALL KIDS, about safe firearm handling is important. But "educators" have the mistaken belief that educating kids about firearms would lead to more, rather than less, incidents. If they'd just take the mystery away, the odds are much greater that kids wouldn't bring guns to school, accidentally (or purposefully) shoot their classmates, etc. But again, the "educators" have the same delusions about Gun Free Zones.

 

[just dan]

i doubt it'll get more than a passing mention in the news; no gore? no maiming? no death and destruction? pffft, that's not good for ratings! nobody harmed.

the kids; good job! "there's a gun. let's turn it in." their parents did a good job.

now, the guy who dropped his pistol and didn't realize it; carrying a weapon is a responsibility.

 

[dieselben47]

Im glad that the kids that found it were responsible and did the right thing! On a side note why cant i ever just find a gun under my seat?

 

[civilian75]

i doubt it'll get more than a passing mention in the news; no gore? no maiming? no death and destruction? pffft, that's not good for ratings! nobody harmed.

A month ago, maybe. Now, don't think so. I actually, caught it on Oregonian's front page. Me thinks any bad press helps the Gun Grabber agenda.

Me thinks it is good to be "discretely" paranoid about your gun's whereabouts at all times.

 

[cueball1214]

I think it is very important to tech kids if you find one, leave it. There are many times police chase criminals and they toss a gun on the side or the road. Don't touch it and get a parent or adult!. Nice job to the parents for teaching them.... could have turned out much worse!
What i want to know is how long it took this guy to figure out his gun was gone... the first thing he should have done was call and tell the movie theater. Second... don't wait all day to go down there. the kids found it wed morning so he must have lost it the night before or even earlier then that!

 

[just dan]

A month ago, maybe. Now, don't think so. I actually, caught it on Oregonian's front page. Me thinks any bad press helps the Gun Grabber agenda.

Me thinks it is good to be "discretely" paranoid about your gun's whereabouts at all times.

hopefully it doesn't make national coverage... damnit.

i find it easy to be discretely aware of where mine is... jabbing me in the kidney to some level of discomfort

 

[nwdrifter]

just saw it on CNN but they said nothing about it was a CCW just that they were looking for the owner.

 

[cueball1214]

 

[civilian75]

I'd say over-confident. The main learning here is to make sure we CC our firearm in a holster with good retention. I suspect the 61 year old former CHL carried on his coat pocket. Probably worked for him for many years, that is, until yesterday. Now he won't be able to get to try good options; not legally, that is.

 

[Grunwald]

A life is like a box of chocolates

 

[SturgeonSlayer]

they just came out with a news flash a 61 year old man came forward to claim it was his. now back to my Blazer game !

 

[Cheesemaker]

Yeah, I know Gary Quakenbush, and he's a little odd. And for the worst part is that he is a licensed gun dealer!!

 

[IheartGUNS]

Just saw on the news and he got his ccw revoked...

 

[M67]

Just sayin, I could make a looong list of police officers who have lost a firearm in a restroom, etc..

 

[RB87]

Just sayin, I could make a looong list of police officers who have lost a firearm in a restroom, etc..

Indeed, it reminded me of this:

Oregon State Police detective loses gun at Emanuel hospital in Portland | OregonLive.com

 

[FarmerTed1971]

Hate to say it but the guy should have called the cops.

 

[accessbob]

Just sayin, I could make a looong list of police officers who have lost a firearm in a restroom, etc..

No, that can't be possible since they are way more trustworthy that us ordinary citizens and are the only ones who should have guns. <sarcasm off>

 

[Adam12]

Lost his chl? Good. Charges? I'm just not feelin it.