Situational awareness

markj · February 9, 2009, 02:29 PM

Haven't posted in awhile but an event that happened recently warrents this. A man and his wife practised "clearing" their home frequently, last time his shotgun went off hitting her in the shoulder, she dies 4 hours later. He may be up on manslaughter charges. They were married 3 months, she was 20 he is 21.

My message is please be carefull, use the safety if weapon is loaded or better yet practise unloaded. Never have finger on the trigger, never point weapon at anyone or anything you do not wish to see destroyed. Get some pro training before any form of accident occurs. I have read many posts about ADs here, when will one turn your life upside down? It can happen to anyone, please do not let it happen to you.

I hate to read stories like that. Death of this nature causes a huge ripple effect. My cousin in law almost died when her sis was shot at Von Maur here in Omaha, stopped eating etc. Depression almost took her from us. Life is short enough as it is.

Glenn E. Meyer · February 9, 2009, 03:06 PM

Here's some more info:

Published Friday February 6, 2009
Court records: Husband shot wife during intruder game BY LESLIE REED WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

LINCOLN — Twenty-one-year-old Josh Beasley was pretending to clear his home of intruders on Saturday when he fired the shot that killed his 20-year-old wife, Alaina, according to court documents filed today.

Josh and Alaina Beasley

The affidavit, based on Beasley's interview with a Lincoln police detective on the day of the shooting, was released by Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey.

Josh Beasley appeared in court this afternoon on a charge of manslaughter for unintentionally causing his wife's death.

With about10 friends and family members in the courtroom, Lancaster County Judge James Foster released Beasley without bail. Beasley had turned himself into police this morning.

In an interview with the World-Herald, Beasley earlier said he accidentally shot his wife while cleaning his shotgun.

Josh Beasley's brother, Dan Beasley, said today that he couldn't comment on the case.

"He has an attorney, and we were told we basically can't say anything," Dan Beasley said.

Josh Beasley was scheduled to be arraigned later today on a charge of manslaughter for unintentionally causing his wife's death.

According to an affidavit written by Lincoln Police Sgt. Greg Sorensen, Beasley told police that he had been working on his 12-gauge shotgun in his living room because he'd been having trouble with the way it ejected shells while using it earlier in the day, according to the affidavit. Family members have said the couple had been skeet shooting at targets earlier that day.

After he finished working on the gun, he loaded it with three rounds, one in the chamber and two in the magazine.

After putting some things away in his bedroom, he said he picked up the gun and began to pretend to clear the home of intruders, something he and his wife had practiced in the past.

He rounded the corner into the kitchen, where his wife was standing near the sink. She pointed her hand at him, pretending to have a gun.
According to the affidavit, Beasley said he raised the shotgun to his shoulder and fired one round. He said he had forgotten the gun was loaded.

He said he threw the gun down, went to assist his wife and called 911.

Alaina Beasley's parents, Ron and Beth Moore, could not be reached for comment.

Alaina Beasley was hit in the right shoulder. An autopsy showed she died of internal injuries caused by a gunshot wound to her upper right chest.

-----

There's some human factors research on accidents and this kind is not an uncommon training accident. Live rounds end up in a scenario, FOF, clearing exercise and someone gets shot. Clearing or FOF with real weapons is dangerous without thorough precautions. Even then, mind slips happen.

oldkim · February 9, 2009, 03:17 PM

Better yet. Do not clear your house. Yell, call 911 and make yourself safe from intruders.

If you think you can clear your house.

Try THIS:
Get a few kids and give them squirt guns. Have them run around the house and starting from your bedroom try to clear your house. You'll soon learn that you'll lose.

You are not SWAT.

Brian Pfleuger · February 9, 2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

He rounded the corner into the kitchen, where his wife was standing near the sink. She pointed her hand at him, pretending to have a gun.
According to the affidavit, Beasley said he raised the shotgun to his shoulder and fired one round. He said he had forgotten the gun was loaded.

Holy-freakin'- stupid.

How is it possible for ANYONE to be that ignorant? You have to have some serious mental problems to think it's OK to point a gun at someone and pretend to shoot them. That is not a matter of just not knowing any better. I think we need a new word to indicate that level of stupidity.

gollbladder13 · February 9, 2009, 03:55 PM

Because I'm still a newbie, I have to ask?

The point of clearing your house (I think) is if you hear something out of the ordinary in the middle of the night, or somehow notice something like a broken in door or something, but you wouldn't just be sitting around your house watching TV, and out of the blue decide "I should clear the house", right?

Would it be okay to practice clearing with an airsoft (I know, not the kinds of guns discussed here normally), or some other "toy" gun that clearly has the bright orange tip or whatever? Or better yet, use your own hand as the article said the wife used, and say "bang" when you would shoot? Not the same as the real thing, I know, but the real thing is what caused the scenario in the first place...

Brian Pfleuger · February 9, 2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Because I'm still a newbie, I have to ask?

Sure, any of your examples would be fine.

(more ranting below)

I just can't understand how people don't know that guns are made to put holes in things and they shouldn't be pointed at something you don't want to put holes in. How on earth can anyone be that ignorant? "I forgot it was loaded..." Why should it matter? You don't point unloaded guns at things you don't want holes in. God it makes me mad.

Keltyke · February 9, 2009, 05:17 PM

+1 to "oldkim" and "peetzakilla"!

"You just can't fix stupid."

Yankee Doodle · February 9, 2009, 05:39 PM

My Dad, rest his soul, used to say that "Stupid should hurt". But let me tell you, my heart goes out to all involved in this horrible fiasco. The girl is dead, struck down in the prime of her life by sheer stupidity. Her family is grief-stricken, the husband is facing major criminal charges, and even if he is not jailed, he has to live with this for the rest of his life.
This is something that we should all be losing a bit of sleep over.
There, but for the Grace of God could be any one of us.
Just had to say what's on my mind.

SigfanTN · February 9, 2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

I just can't understand how people don't know that guns are made to put holes in things and they shouldn't be pointed at something you don't want to put holes in. How on earth can anyone be that ignorant? "I forgot it was loaded..." Why should it matter? You don't point unloaded guns at things you don't want holes in. God it makes me mad.

Agreed, peetza. It makes me angry and sad also. Thank you, Glenn, for posting the story. I hadn't seen that one...the previous time posted here last week just said he was cleaning his gun.

Why on earth did he load it, and then proceed to walk around the house with it?!! And then he pointed it at his wife and pulled the trigger?!!

This is the type of thing that makes people so afraid of guns and certain people having them. This guy will suffer, and the families will suffer. For what, because the kid didn't obey basic rules of safety.

FyredUp · February 9, 2009, 06:55 PM

Okay we have all assumed it was a stupid beyond belief accident. Well, I'm sorry this wasn't an accident it was an act of complete wrecklessness and ineptitude. The first thing we have been or all should have been taught is NEVER, and I mean NEVER point a gun at something unless you intend on shooting it. Good lord he cleaned the shotgun and loaded it putting one in the chamber...either he is the stupidest f###er that ever lived or it wasn"t an "accident" at all.

I feel sorry for her family and friends but hold nothing but contempt for him.

cjw3cma · February 9, 2009, 07:24 PM

Now lets see if the good people of Lincoln will convict this IDIOT (and widower) of first degree manslaughter or will they roll over and pity the fool for being so stupid.

He deserves tons of jail time and it would be a story for every handgun / weapons instructor to tell their classes about.

#18indycolts · February 9, 2009, 07:32 PM

one more reason why idiots shouldn't have guns. Plain and simple, there is no EXCUSE why this happened.

Evan Thomas · February 9, 2009, 07:59 PM

There was another thread started about this incident here.

As was noted in that thread, this young couple had a wedding page with pictures of a "shooting outing" in which the whole family is pointing guns at each other and generally treating them like toys. A couple of the captions from that page give the flavor:

Quote:

Watch out! (Uncle Doug was the brave one to take this picture! We triple checked to make sure ALL of the guns were unloaded! lol!)

Quote:

Look at Steven holding the gun on them!

Good, clean, family fun.

"Accident waiting to happen" hardly begins to do this one justice. I feel sorry as heck for the family, but I also hope that young Mr. Beasley is sent away for a good long while. Safe to say he'll never (legally) own another gun.

WIN71 · February 9, 2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Holy-freakin'- stupid.

Yes it is if his story is true.

"Holy freaking murder" if it isn't.

Sigma 40 Blaster · February 9, 2009, 10:38 PM

I think that's why the four safety rules exist. You can break one of them and generally get off easily but breaking all four of them....

I'm far from perfect but I strive very hard to not endanger anyone around me. I never have and hope I never will. My son constantly scolds me even while I'm cleaning a field-striped/disassembled firearm "You're pointing the barrel at yourself".

This was a horrible incident that will have a long term impact on a lot of lives. But it must be said that pointing a gun at someone else, loaded or unloaded, is a very idiotic thing to do. One second of stupid can equal a lifetime of hell.

February 9, 2009, 03:06 PM	#2
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Here's some more info: Published Friday February 6, 2009 Court records: Husband shot wife during intruder game BY LESLIE REED WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN — Twenty-one-year-old Josh Beasley was pretending to clear his home of intruders on Saturday when he fired the shot that killed his 20-year-old wife, Alaina, according to court documents filed today. Josh and Alaina Beasley The affidavit, based on Beasley's interview with a Lincoln police detective on the day of the shooting, was released by Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey. Josh Beasley appeared in court this afternoon on a charge of manslaughter for unintentionally causing his wife's death. With about10 friends and family members in the courtroom, Lancaster County Judge James Foster released Beasley without bail. Beasley had turned himself into police this morning. In an interview with the World-Herald, Beasley earlier said he accidentally shot his wife while cleaning his shotgun. Josh Beasley's brother, Dan Beasley, said today that he couldn't comment on the case. "He has an attorney, and we were told we basically can't say anything," Dan Beasley said. Josh Beasley was scheduled to be arraigned later today on a charge of manslaughter for unintentionally causing his wife's death. According to an affidavit written by Lincoln Police Sgt. Greg Sorensen, Beasley told police that he had been working on his 12-gauge shotgun in his living room because he'd been having trouble with the way it ejected shells while using it earlier in the day, according to the affidavit. Family members have said the couple had been skeet shooting at targets earlier that day. After he finished working on the gun, he loaded it with three rounds, one in the chamber and two in the magazine. After putting some things away in his bedroom, he said he picked up the gun and began to pretend to clear the home of intruders, something he and his wife had practiced in the past. He rounded the corner into the kitchen, where his wife was standing near the sink. She pointed her hand at him, pretending to have a gun. According to the affidavit, Beasley said he raised the shotgun to his shoulder and fired one round. He said he had forgotten the gun was loaded. He said he threw the gun down, went to assist his wife and called 911. Alaina Beasley's parents, Ron and Beth Moore, could not be reached for comment. Alaina Beasley was hit in the right shoulder. An autopsy showed she died of internal injuries caused by a gunshot wound to her upper right chest. ----- There's some human factors research on accidents and this kind is not an uncommon training accident. Live rounds end up in a scenario, FOF, clearing exercise and someone gets shot. Clearing or FOF with real weapons is dangerous without thorough precautions. Even then, mind slips happen. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

February 9, 2009, 03:17 PM	#3
oldkim Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Location: Renton, WA Posts: 462	Do not clear your house.... Better yet. Do not clear your house. Yell, call 911 and make yourself safe from intruders. If you think you can clear your house. Try THIS: Get a few kids and give them squirt guns. Have them run around the house and starting from your bedroom try to clear your house. You'll soon learn that you'll lose. You are not SWAT. __________________ "Shoot Safetly, Shoot Often and Share Your Sport." Jim Scoutten, Shooting USA Check out my new website: www.shootonthemove.org

February 9, 2009, 07:24 PM	#11
cjw3cma Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2007 Location: Chiloquin, OR Posts: 217	Now lets see if the good people of Lincoln will convict this IDIOT (and widower) of first degree manslaughter or will they roll over and pity the fool for being so stupid. He deserves tons of jail time and it would be a story for every handgun / weapons instructor to tell their classes about. __________________ The Constitution shall never be construed … to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms. – Samuel Adams

February 9, 2009, 02:29 PM	#1
markj Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2005 Location: Crescent Iowa Posts: 2,971	Situational awareness Haven't posted in awhile but an event that happened recently warrents this. A man and his wife practised "clearing" their home frequently, last time his shotgun went off hitting her in the shoulder, she dies 4 hours later. He may be up on manslaughter charges. They were married 3 months, she was 20 he is 21. My message is please be carefull, use the safety if weapon is loaded or better yet practise unloaded. Never have finger on the trigger, never point weapon at anyone or anything you do not wish to see destroyed. Get some pro training before any form of accident occurs. I have read many posts about ADs here, when will one turn your life upside down? It can happen to anyone, please do not let it happen to you. I hate to read stories like that. Death of this nature causes a huge ripple effect. My cousin in law almost died when her sis was shot at Von Maur here in Omaha, stopped eating etc. Depression almost took her from us. Life is short enough as it is.

February 9, 2009, 03:55 PM	#5
gollbladder13 Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Location: Milwaukee area Posts: 42	Because I'm still a newbie, I have to ask? The point of clearing your house (I think) is if you hear something out of the ordinary in the middle of the night, or somehow notice something like a broken in door or something, but you wouldn't just be sitting around your house watching TV, and out of the blue decide "I should clear the house", right? Would it be okay to practice clearing with an airsoft (I know, not the kinds of guns discussed here normally), or some other "toy" gun that clearly has the bright orange tip or whatever? Or better yet, use your own hand as the article said the wife used, and say "bang" when you would shoot? Not the same as the real thing, I know, but the real thing is what caused the scenario in the first place...

February 9, 2009, 05:17 PM	#7
Keltyke Junior member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 2,933	+1 to "oldkim" and "peetzakilla"! "You just can't fix stupid."

February 9, 2009, 05:39 PM	#8
Yankee Doodle Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Posts: 619	My Dad, rest his soul, used to say that "Stupid should hurt". But let me tell you, my heart goes out to all involved in this horrible fiasco. The girl is dead, struck down in the prime of her life by sheer stupidity. Her family is grief-stricken, the husband is facing major criminal charges, and even if he is not jailed, he has to live with this for the rest of his life. This is something that we should all be losing a bit of sleep over. There, but for the Grace of God could be any one of us. Just had to say what's on my mind.

February 9, 2009, 06:55 PM	#10
FyredUp Junior member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 673	Okay we have all assumed it was a stupid beyond belief accident. Well, I'm sorry this wasn't an accident it was an act of complete wrecklessness and ineptitude. The first thing we have been or all should have been taught is NEVER, and I mean NEVER point a gun at something unless you intend on shooting it. Good lord he cleaned the shotgun and loaded it putting one in the chamber...either he is the stupidest f###er that ever lived or it wasn"t an "accident" at all. I feel sorry for her family and friends but hold nothing but contempt for him.

February 9, 2009, 07:32 PM	#12
#18indycolts Junior member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Indpls Posts: 1,159	one more reason why idiots shouldn't have guns. Plain and simple, there is no EXCUSE why this happened.

February 9, 2009, 10:38 PM	#15
Sigma 40 Blaster Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: East Texas Posts: 997	I think that's why the four safety rules exist. You can break one of them and generally get off easily but breaking all four of them.... I'm far from perfect but I strive very hard to not endanger anyone around me. I never have and hope I never will. My son constantly scolds me even while I'm cleaning a field-striped/disassembled firearm "You're pointing the barrel at yourself". This was a horrible incident that will have a long term impact on a lot of lives. But it must be said that pointing a gun at someone else, loaded or unloaded, is a very idiotic thing to do. One second of stupid can equal a lifetime of hell.