Edmonds police reminded residents Monday about the importance of safely handling firearms after a 5-year-old Edmonds girl was shot in the arm by her father last Friday, receiving minor injuries.
The girl’s father — a 36-year-old Edmonds man — could be charged in Edmonds Municipal Court with unlawful discharge of a firearm.
According to Edmonds police spokesperson Sgt. Josh McClure, officers were called to an unintentional shooting a home in the 18900 block of 86th Place West just before 2:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. Police found that the father had been wearing a handgun in a holster, then “removed it with the intent of securing it in a safe” when it discharged, McClure said. The round went through a wall and struck the girl in the arm. She was treated at the scene and transported to Harborview Medical Center for further evaluation. She was released a short time later after receiving further treatment, McClure said.
The child’s mother and two other children were also in the home at the time of the shooting, McClure said.
Edmonds police remind anyone handling a firearm to:
◦ Treat all firearms as if loaded at all times.
◦ Always keep your finger off the trigger until necessary to shoot.
◦ Always keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction.
◦ Know your target and what is beyond.
The irony that the gun was being handled so that it could be secured in a safe shouldn’t be lost on our mayor. There is no panacea to safety, and the EPD is giving us some good information here. Every pistol is different, but when I had one I put the whole gun and holster in the safe.
Firearms don’t discharge by accident. Unintended discharges are always the result of negligence on the part of the gun handler and/or owner. The father in this near-tragedy needs some serious lessons in safe gun-handling~ either that or don’t be a gun-owner any more.
The firearm community usually calls an Accidental Discharge a “Negligent Discharge” for the reasons you say Roger. Negligence happens, especially with people who are too comfortable. A professional who carries every day might be more likely to have an accident in their lifetime than a week-end warrior like me who only shoots a few times per year. I used to sell power tools, and a lot of people I sold to were missing fingers from shapers whereas I have all my fingers. Ultimately everyone is happy the kiddo is okay.