French troops use live amunition in display, injuring 17

[samdavisrises]

Seventeen people, including a child left in a critical condition, were injured Sunday when French soldiers fired live bullets instead of blanks during a visitors day display.

Fifteen civilians and two soldiers were injured in the incident, of which the details remained unclear late Sunday, involving a demonstration by members of a marines parachute regiment of a hostage liberation exercise, the regional authority said.

17 injured as French troops use live ammo in visitors day display - Yahoo! News


Everyone please repeat the 4 rules:
1. All guns are always loaded (until you establish whether they are or not).
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. Keep your gun pointed in a safe direction at all times: on the range, at home, loading, or unloading.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target (and you are ready to shoot).
4. Be sure of your target. Know what it is, what is in line with it and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you haven't positively identified.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[flagflyfish]

16 Accidentally Wounded by French Military in Shooting Demo
Last Edited: Sunday, 29 Jun 2008, 3:43 PM MST
Created: Sunday, 29 Jun 2008, 3:43 PM MST

06/29/2008 --

A military shooting demonstration in southeast France on Sunday left 16 people wounded, including children, when real bullets were used instead of blank ones, officials said.

Four of the wounded were in serious condition, including a 3-year-old child, Bernard Lemaire, chief of the regional administration in Aude, said on France-3 television. Fifteen of the injured were civilians.

A Defense Ministry official said the incident occurred during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques at the Laperrine military barracks. The official said investigators will look into why real bullets were used.

No information was immediately available about what kind of weapon was used.

The soldier who fired the shots has been detained, Lemaire said. He said the injuries were likely an accident but that it could have been a "criminal act."

In a statement, President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his "horror" at Sunday's incident at the base, which houses the 3rd marine infantry parachute regiment.

The injured were taken to nearby hospitals, with the most seriously wounded taken to Toulouse.

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I just don't know what to say

[Cupcake]

I didn't know the french had real bullets. I thought they were only ever issued blanks and white flags...

[dukalmighty]

I'm thinking some people need to be courtmartialed,besides your not suppose to shoot hostages to end a hostage situation

[SixBravo]

Okay yeah, here's a question: Why were they shooting 'civilians'?? Is there a particularly good reason someone would be firing blanks at a crowd of bystanders? If one soldier did this, I'm going to assume it was something like a SAW or some kind of platoon support machine gun. I mean.. how does that happen?! I'd love to see the final report on this one.

And who gave them guns?! Its not like the French Army has ever won anything lasting. They kill or imprison all their effective commanders. Joan d'Arc, Napoleon, etc.. Why are they using firearms?

[bandit383]

Okay yeah, here's a question: Why were they shooting 'civilians'?? Is there a particularly good reason someone would be firing blanks at a crowd of bystanders? If one soldier did this, I'm going to assume it was something like a SAW or some kind of platoon support machine gun. I mean.. how does that happen?! I'd love to see the final report on this one.

And who gave them guns?! Its not like the French Army has ever won anything lasting. They kill or imprison all their effective commanders. Joan d'Arc, Napoleon, etc.. Why are they using firearms?

"A Defense Ministry official said the incident occurred during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques at the Laperrine military barracks. The official said investigators will look into why real bullets were..."

I'd be careful throwing stones in glass houses, we have had our more than fair share of "accidents" with training and demonstration exercises...some resent.

I also think this has absolutely nothing to do with the 4 rules. What it has to do is incorrectly marked, unmarked, unverified, and/or a mix of dummy and live rounds.

My sadness to those families harmed or in harms way and pray for a quick recovery.

Rick

[ccw9mm]

Fifteen civilians and two soldiers were injured in the ... hostage liberation exercise ...

"Liberated" action. Perhaps they should have been more conservative.

[JonInNY]

Maybe they need the 4 rules in French! So, I ran it through a translator:

1. Tous les fusils sont toujours chargés (jusqu'ŕ ce que vous établissiez s'ils sont ou pas).
2. Ne laissez jamais la couverture muselle n'importe quoi que vous n'ętes pas disposés ŕ détruire. Conservez-vous votre fusil a montré dans une direction sűre ŕ tous moments : sur la gamme, ŕ la maison, le chargement, ou le déchargement.
3. Garder votre doigt de la gâchette jusqu'ŕ ce que vos vues soient sur la cible (et vous ętes pręts ŕ tirer).
4. Ętre sűrs de votre cible. Savez quel il est, ce qui est conformément ŕ cela et ce qui est derričre cela. Ne tirez jamais sur rien que vous n'avez pas de façon positive ide.

I then translated it back to English. Not bad, but interesting in spots:

1. All guns are always loaded (until you establish if they are or not).
2. Never leave the coverage muzzle anything that you are not willing to destroy. Keep your gun showed in a sure direction at any time: on the range, at the home, the load, or unloading.
3. Keep your finger of tumbler until your views are on the target (and you are ready to pull).
4. Be sure of your target. Know what it is, what is in accordance with it and what is behind it. Never pull on anything that you do not have in a positive manner.

[BlackJack]

Something else to consider….

I have never seen a semi- or automatic weapon that would fire blanks WITHOUT a blank adapter(this is a device that attaches to the end of the barrel to block it so that enough pressure can build up to cycle the bolt even though there is no bullet traveling down the barrel).

So, not only was live ammo used instead of blanks, but the soldier also “forgot” to put his blank adapter on the muzzle. Doesn’t sound like an accident to me.

[sojourner]

Next time France is invaded by a hostile force, why don't we just give them real bullets and stage a training exercise. Maybe their fear won't get in the way and we will not have to go over there and defend them with our military might.

[dukalmighty]

Something else to consider….

I have never seen a semi- or automatic weapon that would fire blanks WITHOUT a blank adapter(this is a device that attaches to the end of the barrel to block it so that enough pressure can build up to cycle the bolt even though there is no bullet traveling down the barrel).

So, not only was live ammo used instead of blanks, but the soldier also “forgot” to put his blank adapter on the muzzle. Doesn’t sound like an accident to me.

I was thinking the same thing ,and if he had a blank adapter attached first round would of blown gun up from pressure

[Colin]

The French forces have been very busy over the years in small African bush wars that few people in North America have heard of. Also French forces are serving in Afghanistan. The French soldiers can be pretty tough nuts, they were screwed around by their leaders.

[TN_Mike]

I wasn't aware that the French military even owned any live ammo let alone functional weaponry.

The solder that fired the live ammo obviously smuggled in a real weapon and the ammo. All the French military has ever had since the American Revolution was blanks, replica guns and white flags.

[Miggy]

"A Defense Ministry official said the incident occurred during a demonstration of hostage-freeing techniques at the Laperrine military barracks. The official said investigators will look into why real bullets were..."

I am not feeling warm-fuzzy about being rescued in a hostage situation by French forces all of the sudden.

[aznav]

Somebody forgot to use blanks! "PARIS — A military shooting demonstration in southeast France on Sunday left 16 people wounded, including children, when real bullets were used instead of blank ones, officials said." hand1:
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