Imagine settling down for a regular dinner at your local Cracker Barrel, only to end up leaving in an ambulance with bullet fragments embedded in your legs. This was the unfortunate reality for a 57-year-old man, who was out enjoying a Monday night meal with his 89-year-old uncle.
While dining, their attention was abruptly drawn to a neighboring table where a 64-year-old man accidentally dropped his 1911 Colt .45. As he scrambled to regain control of his weapon, he negligently discharged it. The bullet hit the wall, and the resulting shrapnel impacted the younger man’s calves. Paramedics were quick to the scene, tending to him and another individual with minor gunshot injuries. The 57-year-old was subsequently taken to the hospital, the shrapnel from the incident permanently lodged in his leg.
Attempting to flee the scene post-discharge, the man responsible was promptly stopped by a restaurant employee. The police issued him, who is a resident of Ohio, a citation for violating North Carolina’s concealed weapons law. As the investigation continues, it’s yet to be determined if the man held an Ohio resident concealed carry permit or a non-resident permit from another state. It’s important to note that North Carolina accepts all resident and non-resident concealed carry permits and licenses from all states. Therefore, regardless of whether his permit was from Ohio or elsewhere, it would be considered valid in North Carolina, as illustrated in our interactive concealed carry maps.
This unfortunate incident serves as a stark reminder of the responsibilities that come with carrying a concealed weapon. There’s simply no room for error – your firearm should never have the chance to fall to the ground. A high-quality holster with sufficient retention is a necessity, ensuring your weapon only leaves its holster when intentionally drawn.
Moreover, it raises serious questions about the handling of the 1911. Was it cocked and locked without the thumb safety engaged? Did the man disengage that AND pull the trigger in his scramble to recover his weapon? This incident should serve as a harsh lesson for all concealed carriers. We must strive to do better, and use this as a clear example of what not to do.
This is why I never carry a single-action only gun. Too easy for an accidental discharge. Thankfully no one was seriously injured.
He had to be either playing with the pistol or carrying it cocked, either with safety on or off. Either way, it’s careless as heck. If your pistol is in proper working order, holstered and cocked and locked, these instances won’t happen. I safely carried one in that condition for years. This was 100% operator error.