ND shooter will not be charged

[paramedic70002]

The Original Thread is closed. Here is the update

Rampart Range shooter won't be charged | range, rampart, fourth - Top Stories - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO
No charges in accidental death at Rampart Range firing range
Comments 55 | Recommend 0
November 02, 2009 1:34 PM
MARIA ST.LOUIS-SANCHEZ
THE GAZETTE
Investigators have decided not to file charges in the shooting death of an Aurora man last summer at the South Rampart Range Shooting Range in Pikes Peak National Forest west of Colorado Springs, saying it was an accident caused by a defective gun.

Prosecutors for the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said the evidence was insufficient to file criminal charges against Timothy Curtis for shooting Otis Freison Jr. on July 18. The shooting prompted the U.S. Forest Service to shut down the unsupervised shooting range.

Curtis told investigators he had finished shooting his Smith & Wesson SW9VE semiautomatic pistol that day and was walking toward Freison when he dropped the slide on the pistol and it discharged without him pulling the trigger. The bullet hit Freison in the chest and Curtis and other friends immediately called 911 and tried to save Freison’s life. He was pronounced dead by paramedics when they arrived.

Investigators said Curtis and Freison were close friends who were not fighting that day and Curtis was very distraught.

A forensic firearms examiner investigated Curtis’ pistol and discovered there was a defect which could cause it to discharge when the slide was dropped even if the trigger wasn’t pulled. Because of the gun examination, the El Paso County Coroner had left the cause of Freison’s death to be undetermined.
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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Buckley]

So much for never pointing the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy. Sloppy!

Prayers to the deceased and his family!

[Rustynuts]

Yes, still should get charged with negligent homicide or manslaughter due to pointing the gun in the wrong direction WHILE performing and action on it. Pointing is bad enough, but doing it while manipulating the gun in any way is even more stupid.

[ming]

Poor safety discipline. Anyone know what the defect is?

[stormbringerr]

unsupervised shooting range.

that says a lot very bad safety habits on the shooters part. he will have lots of nightmares.possibly on his way to rehab...sad.

[Janq]

Yes, still should get charged with negligent homicide or manslaughter due to pointing the gun in the wrong direction WHILE performing and action on it. Pointing is bad enough, but doing it while manipulating the gun in any way is even more stupid.

Agreed, and that would be the case in many other states.

This is a classic case of 'slam fire'. It can and does happen to any specifically autoloading firearm including rifles and shotguns.
I'd also be willing to bet that the gun was not well maintained by the owner. Which is key.

If only people would follow the very simple four basic rules of firearm safety many, like 99%, of incidents such as this would not occur. :|

- Janq