TX State Legislator Struck By NYE Bullet

Bartholomew Roberts · January 2, 2017, 10:45 AM

Armando Martinez (D - Weslaco) was struck by a stray .223 round right about the first few seconds of 2017. The bullet fragment penetrated his skull and lodged in the dura. Luckily, he is recovering. The police are investigating the shooting which so far appears to be the idiotic habit of celebratory NYE gunfire in a more rural area.

The Texas legislature is in session for 2017. Hopefully, some moron's failure to observe the four rules doesn't end up in restrictive legislation for everyone.

**Aguila Blanca** · January 2, 2017, 11:41 AM

Ahem ...

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=582938

Some folks apparently really don't know that whatever goes up must come down, and that where it comes down may be quite some distance from where it went up.

A few years ago in the Amish area of Pennsylvania (or maybe it was Ohio -- don't recall) a young Amish girl was killed by a bullet that came down through the roof of her family's buggy and struck her in the head. Investigation finally determined that a black powder hunter well over a mile away had returned from a hunt without shooting at anything. In order to unload his rifle, he pointed it skyward and pulled the trigger.

g.willikers · January 2, 2017, 04:35 PM

Don't guns make just as much noise fired into the ground instead of into the air?

Evan Thomas · January 2, 2017, 05:14 PM

They probably make about as much noise, but whether it would be safer might depend on the ground. If it's rocky and I'm a bystander, please, if you must, fire into the air... If it's one of the greens of a golf course, have at it. (That's a silly game anyway.)

Better yet, I'd advise someone who wanted to do either to get some fireworks and risk blowing his own darn fingers off instead of endangering others.

All that said, I don't really think this is an L&CR topic, so...

January 2, 2017, 10:45 AM	#1
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	TX State Legislator Struck By NYE Bullet Armando Martinez (D - Weslaco) was struck by a stray .223 round right about the first few seconds of 2017. The bullet fragment penetrated his skull and lodged in the dura. Luckily, he is recovering. The police are investigating the shooting which so far appears to be the idiotic habit of celebratory NYE gunfire in a more rural area. The Texas legislature is in session for 2017. Hopefully, some moron's failure to observe the four rules doesn't end up in restrictive legislation for everyone.

January 2, 2017, 04:35 PM	#3
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	Don't guns make just as much noise fired into the ground instead of into the air? __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

January 2, 2017, 05:14 PM	#4
Evan Thomas Senior Member Join Date: July 7, 2008 Location: Upper midwest Posts: 5,631	They probably make about as much noise, but whether it would be safer might depend on the ground. If it's rocky and I'm a bystander, please, if you must, fire into the air... If it's one of the greens of a golf course, have at it. (That's a silly game anyway.) Better yet, I'd advise someone who wanted to do either to get some fireworks and risk blowing his own darn fingers off instead of endangering others. All that said, I don't really think this is an L&CR topic, so... __________________ Never let anything mechanical know you're in a hurry.

January 2, 2017, 11:41 AM	#2
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,466	Ahem ... http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=582938 Some folks apparently really don't know that whatever goes up must come down, and that where it comes down may be quite some distance from where it went up. A few years ago in the Amish area of Pennsylvania (or maybe it was Ohio -- don't recall) a young Amish girl was killed by a bullet that came down through the roof of her family's buggy and struck her in the head. Investigation finally determined that a black powder hunter well over a mile away had returned from a hunt without shooting at anything. In order to unload his rifle, he pointed it skyward and pulled the trigger.