Man accidently shot by own gun

"A Guernsey County man was taken to surgery at Southeastern Med on Saturday evening after he was accidentally shot by his own handgun. A hospital spokesperson said he was later transferred to another facility.

At 9 p.m., he was being evaluated at Grant Medical Center, said a nursing supervisor at the Columbus facility.

The 65-year-old Sugar Grove Road man was at the Cambridge Crossing Shopping Center at about 5:30 p.m., to post mail in the box near the site of the former Mattress USA. As he was attempting to do so, the handgun he was carrying fell from his holster, Sgt Phil Hall said.

The handgun, a Lorcin 380 (sic) semi-automatic, struck the sidewalk and discharged, Hall said. The round reportedly struck the victim in the hip and continued into his torso, apparently collapsing a lung.

Cambridge firefighters, already on the scene for another call, heard the gun discharge, turned and observed the victim.

"I'm not a medical expert," Hall said, "but I think the thing that helped him was that Cambridge Fire Department was on the scene."

Firefighters Rick Foraker and Louie Province are trained emergency medical technicians and firefighter Josh Hatfield is a paramedic.

"We were able to start first aid right away," Foraker said, "and administer oxygen. I thought at first that he was going into shock, but then he came back."

They also called for United Ambulance and a police officer.

Ambulance paramedics took the victim to Southeastern Med where he was rushed into surgery.

Sgt. Hall said the victim had a concealed carry license and the handgun was his own.

Hall said the Lorcin 380 is a "cheap" handgun that could easily discharge on impact with the ground. Also, the man's holster strap and holster appeared to be worn so that it likely did not have a firm hold on the weapon."

First off, that's damned fine penetration from a .380. Then again, lots of senior shooters still stick with FMJ.

And B, notice the tone of law enforcement when one of their employers has a negligent discharge.

Cops do it each and every day and are instantaneously exonerated by their own kind, but let it happen to someone else and stand by for the criticism.

Needless to say, it would have been preferable for the gentleman to have taken more care in his selection of firearms and method of carry. I hope he survives and learns a valuable lesson, but at the end of the day the choice was his and I for one am not here to rag on someone else's decision that injured no one but himself.