Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

[Cougfan2]

ELZER, S.C. --
A 17-year-old was killed when he was shot during target practice, police in Pelzer said.

Melvin Dean Chadwick was shot in the head behind his house in the 100 block of McClellion Drive on Friday.

Police said the teenager was with family and somehow ended up standing behind the target board when someone fired and he was hit.

The shooting is still under investigation by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Anderson County Coroner’s Office.

Deputies said it appears to be accidental.

Chadwick died at Greenville Memorial Hospital at 12:40 p.m. An autopsy is set for Monday.

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[rdb241]

They learned that from this guy

Funny Pictures of Soldier Holding Target

 

[rufus]

What was he doing standing behind the target? Can't imagine the circumstances.

 

[Cougfan2]

I have no evidence, but it wouldn't surprise me if a significant amount of alcohol wasn't involved in this.

 

[rufus]

That sure would explain things. Tragic in any case.

 

[Outrider]

These types of things depend on what type of course of fire you set up and what your range safety techniques are.

If you set up multiple targets and you're moving and shooting with a fellow shooter, it's easy to engage a target, move past it, and then be completely obscured by it so your fellow shooter cannot see that you're behind it. -The issue can come up if you use shoot houses with a teammate. Some of the techniques to deal with it are 1) Shooter to the front has priority 2) after engaging the target, shooter knocks over target so a following shooter does not engage it and 3) never take up position behind previous target to engage a new target.

There are other things to consider as well, but the point is that it's very easy to make a mistake so if you're shooting with a group of people you need to start with some sort of plan and safety briefing so everyone knows what the deal is.

 

[terrylf72]

2 words.... ( RANGE SAFETY) ... Clear the target area!!!

You cant fix stupid.

 

[CEF1959]

Things like this make it harder to make the case that law-abiding gun owners can be trusted to bear arms responsibly. Combines chew people up sometimes; cars back over people. But you don't hear calls for bans on combines or cars.

The politics of gun ownership means that the antis will use this as anecdotal evidence that allowing gun owners to possess and use firearms without restrictions is a big mistake. Every gun owner should act as though he or she is a role model for responsible gun ownership.

 

[Redcap]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

[MountainBear]

Four basic rules of gun safety. Break one, and you may get a ticket and you'll feel like an ***. Violate more than one, and, like in this case, someone gets killed. Granted, the guy should not have been behind the target, but what ever happened to "know your target AND what's beyond it. Never point your gun at something you are not willing to destroy.

Very sad...

 

[willseeker]

Accidents happen...but this is over the top negligent. Regardless of the circumstances, my sympathies to their family.



Will

 

[Seabee Patriot]

My sympathy to the family but I also have to wonder about alcohol/narcotic use. That would at least explain the negligence to a point. If they were stone cold sober then I don't really know what to say.....

 

[Tiffany Thomas]

For anyone's information about this shooting that took place on July 23rd,2010 that resulted in my 17 year old brother being shot in the head while target practice with some of our family members.....stupid,stupid,stupid! Whoever made that made that was stupid! wanna know the truth.... so nosey you cant help but talking crap about a grieving family... i hope it makes you sleep good when you lay down at night and knowing that your family is safe and you don't have to worry about a funeral to take care off!


My brother was born April 11th 1993... at 5 years old the doctor diagnosed him with tumor system cancer. My mom and dad got a divorce after my dad became violent toward my mother as well as us kids. Only a few years after that my brother Melvin Dean Chadwick was again had medical condition's call HDHD. During the time of my brother growing up he has had many surgery's having to do with his cancer going into his brain, he was then diagnosed as being autistic. He was put on full disabilty when he was about 11

My uncle Lee who was a gun shooter in this accident has also been fully disabled since he was very young, the other gun holder was my step brother who was 18 at the time and suffers from anger issues as well as had been in a special needs class. If you would have known any of these people you would never had know that anything was wrong with these 3 guys, they don't do drugs! none of them, and never have! None of them are or were old enough to drink excerpt my uncle who was not under the influence at the time of this accident. My uncle would never hurt my brother, my brother looked up to him as a father figure because after my mom and dad divorced my dad didn't see much at all of us. My step brother and my brother dean were close in age and got along fairly well with him. My brother has overcome a lot of tragedy in his lifetime.

Here is the story of the tragic day, July 23,2010 my mom had went to the store and to get something to drink and to get my sister from work, when my mom got back, 3 guys went into the house to get some soda and to use the restroom and etc. My uncle and stepbrother as well as everyone else in the house thought that my little brother was still in the restroom so the other 2 guys went out called around just in case and started to take turns shooting the 22clb, not thinking of my brothers deaf right ear that were facing the road that the others where shooting from. They went to check the targets after taking turns, it was then that the two of them saw my brother laying on the ground in a ball shacking and trying to stand up blood every where but no sign of where he had been shot, chocking on his blood and trying to stand he kept falling to the ground. My step brother went for help as my uncle was trying to help my brother anyway he could, but he knew he was watching him take his last few breaths.

Dispatch on the 911 call dispatched my mom to Greenville and after they finally dispatched her to Anderson 911. All they wanted to know was were he was shot. My sister then got on the phone with a friend of the family who's husband is a manager at the local EMS, that's the only way we could get someone to come help with my brother. As soon as the EMS got there my brother was what they call tubed and taken out of the woods asap,he was put on life support until July 25,2010 when the doctors pronounced my brother brain dead.

He was a organ donor by his own choice. He saved 7 peoples life by losing his own. My mom has always told me things happen for a reason. I guess she was right. My brother has changed lives of people that have never had a chance to live a normal life since birth. Things happen for a reason and that my friend is not STUPID!

 

[marty8587]

Welcome to the Forum Tiffany.

 

[Trlsmn]

First I would like to express my condolences to your family for this tragedy.

my uncle and stepbrother as well as everybody else in the house thought that my little brother was still in the restroom so the other 2 guys went out called around just incase and started to take turns shooting the 22clb... not thinking of my brothers deaf right ear thats was facing the road that the others where shooting from...they went to check the targets after taking turns...it was then that the two of them saw my brother laying on the ground in a ball shacking and trying to stand up blood every where but no sign of where he had been shot chocking on his blood and tryin to stand he kept falling to the ground

Now there the problem, you never assume anything with firearms. It wasn't up to your brother to be responsible it was up to the person firing the gun to be responsible and they failed in the worst possible way. The person who fired the fatal shot should have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

There is plenty of stupidity in this story, none of which can be blamed on your brother.

 

[glockguy]

First I would like to express my condolences to your family for this tragedy.



Now there the problem, you never assume anything with firearms. It wasn't up to your brother to be responsible it was up to the person firing the gun to be responsible and they failed in the worst possible way. The person who fired the fatal shot should have been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

There is plenty of stupidity in this story, none of which can be blamed on your brother.

I also didn't read anywhere in the comments for anyone blaming your "brother" of anything.... like Trlsmn said... its the shooters responsibility to be sure of their surroundings, who ever took the shot should suffer consequences.

 

[Cougfan2]

I also didn't read anywhere in the comments for anyone blaming your "brother" of anything.... like Trlsmn said... its the shooters responsibility to be sure of their surroundings, who ever took the shot should suffer consequences.

Tiffany, first let me say that I am sorry for your loss. I started this thread. The reason we post threads like this on this forum is to remind ourselves and others that you can never take safety for granted when dealing with firearms. My remark speculating that alcohol or drugs may have been involved was strictly that; speculation, because with accidents like this, that is often the case. My apologies if I offended you.

That being said, what Trlsmn posted is correct. Your brother's death rests solely in the hands of the person who fired the round without making 100% sure that they had a proper backstop and no one was down range. I know that does nothing to help you or to assuage your grief, but those are the facts at least as far as reported.

I will say a prayer for your brother and hope that time will heal your family's wounds and bring you some measure of peace.

Once again, I apologize if I have offended you.

 

[i8asquirrel]

Tiffany, sorry for your loss. . .

EVERYONE ELSE Be sure of your targets and what is beyond.. enough said

 

[jgeist]

stupid,stupid,stupid! Whoever made that made that was stupid! wanna know the truth.... so nosey you cant help but talking crap about a grieving family... Things happen for a reason and that my friend is not STUPID!

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! does not infer that your brother was Stupid, what it does say is that the needless loss of a another humans life is Stupid and that Stupid mistakes can make for tragic results. Any time a firearm is involved there is no room for assumptions and as painful as it is for you, this does not make the shooter less responsible for their actions and the following consequences.. I am truly sorry for your loss and your frustration at this post, but if this post serves as a reminder to even 1 person then it has served it purpose for not letting another life being take needlessly.... Prayers are with you and your family...

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

I am sorry for your loss as well.

Not trying to be D-bag, How did he end up post on here?