A man from Knoxville, Tennessee, accidentally shot himself on Thursday while advocating for gun rights in a local church. His wife was also injured in the accident.
Police said that the man was proudly presenting his Ruger handgun to other churchgoers during a speech designed to promote the right to carry a gun in church. However, the man apparently forgot that the firearm was loaded.
I carry my handgun everywhere,
he told the audience while showing the Ruger to his peers.
Investigators said that the man removed the ammunition magazine, but when he put the gun back into the holster, he loaded a round into the gun’s chamber. When a church member asked him to show him the weapon, the man took the gun out and said that it wasn’t loaded.
And he pulled the trigger. Authorities said that he totally forgot that the gun had been rechambered. The bullet went through the man’s hand and hit his wife in the stomach. Both victims, who are in their 80s, were rushed to a nearby hospital. Doctors believe they’ll survive.
No Gun-Free Zone
Meanwhile, a church in Tampa Bay, Florida, surprised churchgoers with an unusual announcement. The sanctuary placed a sign underlining that the place is “not a gun-free zone”.
The message was signed by “The Pastors.” Pastor Allen Hawes explained that the sign is a “deterrent” to possible wrongdoers. The community is concerned about the last months’ shootings in Texas and Las Vegas.
The church is very present on television, so people need to know that the place is safe and that the leadership is involved in the community, the pastors said. They added that members and visitors alike should know the church is a “safe zone”.
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