‘Unusual for any gun to accidentally discharge’

This is following the incident of an alleged accident where a father shot his son in the upper abdomen in a toilet cubicle at the Huntex2014 Expo.

Advocate John Welch of the association said, “I understand, but stand to be corrected, that it was a Taurus semi-automatic pistol. Most modern firearms have safety devices, often internal and external.

“External devices must usually be deactivated before a firearm could discharge, while internal safety devices, such as firing pin blocking devices deactivate themselves only when the trigger is completely pulled to the rear.”

He warned that like anything mechanical, these devices can break, such as when a pistol is dropped onto a hard surface. This could lead to the safety device breaking and a shot could be discharged.

He said most firearms, especially modern ones, were manufactured to “very high standards and rigorously tested”. However, he said it was not impossible for them to malfunction.

Welch said all cases of negligent or accidental discharge of a firearm would be investigated, and that when handling a firearm in the vicinity of children or any person, “extreme caution” must be employed.

He said the association believed strongly in the freedom of law-abiding citizens to choose whether they wanted to own a firearm, and advocated the responsibility of the handler to ensure the safety rules were applied.

Welch said the Firearms Control Act of 2000 was “very strict”. “I do not believe it should be made more draconian,” he said.

Some of the requirements of the act state that when carrying a firearm, it must be carried in a suitable holster and properly concealed.

The association expressed empathy with the father and child involved in the incident, and reiterated that in the 15-odd years of gun shows in South Africa, this was only the second such incident. “If one bears in mind that hundreds of thousands of people have visited these shows and have handled firearms millions of times, then it is a remarkable achievement,” said Welch.

Midrand police communications office Constable Matome Tlamela said the father was facing charges of negligent handling of a firearm and attempted murder.

To read the full story on the incident, click here