https://www.wtsp.com/article/n...cb-bb82-ba1fe199a026

Felon arrested after accidental shooting at Tampa gun range
Deputies say a range employee had to have his leg amputated.

Author: Dale Greenstein
Published: 1:09 PM EST December 13, 2019
Updated: 1:09 PM EST December 13, 2019
TAMPA, Fla. — He’s not accused of firing the gun, but deputies say he rented it – even though he wasn’t allowed to.

According to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Eric Hall, 42, is a three-time felon, and Florida law forbids him from owning or renting a firearm.

Deputies say a woman Hall was with on Nov. 24 at Shooters World in Tampa accidentally shot the range instructor who was working with her. The release states a hot shell casing went down her shirt, and she reacted by lowering the Glock 9mm – but accidentally pointed it toward the instructor.

Deputies say the gun went off, and the instructor was shot in the upper thigh.

According to the news release, the instructor was taken from the range on E. Fletcher Avenue to Tampa General Hospital, where surgeons were forced to amputate his leg.

Hall is charged with felon in possession of a firearm. The sheriff’s office is working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, so deputies say federal charges could be filed as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
the instructor was shot in the upper thigh.

According to the news release, the instructor was taken from the range on E. Fletcher Avenue to Tampa General Hospital, where surgeons were forced to amputate his leg.

Granted, I'm not a doctor. But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

quote:

Deputies say the gun went off, and the instructor was shot in the upper thigh.

If I was her I'd sure the range if the rent guns that go off without pulling the trigger. That sounds scary as hell having a gun that goes off by itself.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

My immediate response as well.

quote:

Deputies say a woman Hall was with on Nov. 24 at Shooters World in Tampa accidentally shot the range instructor who was working with her. The release states a hot shell casing went down her shirt, and she reacted by lowering the Glock 9mm – but accidentally pointed it toward the instructor.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I have had a hot shell down my shirt, but training caused me to suffer and put the gun down. I have seen women at an indoor range I used to frequent shooting with low cut blouses and sandals. We do not have enough details here to conjecture on what she was wearing.

quote:

Deputies say a woman Hall was with on Nov. 24 at Shooters World in Tampa accidentally shot the range instructor who was working with her. The release states a hot shell casing went down her shirt, and she reacted by lowering the Glock 9mm – but accidentally pointed it toward the instructor.

And this is why people (read: women) should not be allowed to have low hanging tops which expose the low hanging fruit.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
the instructor was shot in the upper thigh.

According to the news release, the instructor was taken from the range on E. Fletcher Avenue to Tampa General Hospital, where surgeons were forced to amputate his leg.

Dayum!

Granted, I'm not a doctor. But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

I was more than a little confused myself; I’ve known people that had leg bones broken in several pieces and had them pinned back together in a halo. I cannot imagine what prompted a full on amputation.

Now a 10mm...

quote:

Granted, I'm not a doctor. But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess you could have shattered the femur and torn the femoral artery to shreds. Just guessing.

For a number of years I worked the Women On Target events at my club. Despite warning participants before the event of proper attire to be worn there are always a few that do not heed the instructions. And as per usual they are the more well endowed ones with the lower cut shirts.

After explaining the extreme discomfort that they could experience together with the safety factor of an unwanted trigger pull as a result I would give them my instructor vest and have them wear it with the back forward.

^^^^
Back when my agency first transitioned to autos, I had a .40 case from another shooter make a perfect hole in one down the front of my body armor. It was all I could do to keep my 220 pointed down range while the little bastard sizzled against my stomach. I got a nice casing shaped burn from the ordeal. It was not pleasant.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Granted, I'm not a doctor. But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

There's plenty of people that think a FMJ round is nearly harmless, that only hollow-point ammo is effective. Wrong.


...

This kind of stupidity is so predictable. I require all my students to wear crew necked T-shirts, proper footwear, and a hat with a bill in addition to hearing and eye protection. Anyone who ever got a hot piece of brass down their shirt or behind their glasses understands why.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:


If I was her I'd sure the range if the rent guns that go off without pulling the trigger. That sounds scary as hell having a gun that goes off by itself.

Well it is a Glock after all. Its to be expected.

Something like this happened at my local shooting range circa 7-8 years ago.

I suppose we should wear goggles that make a tight seal against the skin, too, because I once had a hot case land perfectly between my glasses lens and eyebrow. At least I kept my mind enough to keep the handgun pointed downrange with my finger off the trigger while I swatted the case away. I could have just dropped the gun on the ground, too.

Similar to doing some welding and having a hot speck of steel go down your shirt or in your shoe. Gotta stay in control and just deal with it.

quote:

Originally posted by kramden:
Similar to doing some welding and having a hot speck of steel go down your shirt or in your shoe. Gotta stay in control and just deal with it.

Right. I had one bounce off the partition and rest between my eye pro and my fucking eye lid once. The level of pain was on par with getting your balls slammed with a meat tenderizer (allegedly). I put the gun down and then unstuck the casing from my eyelid.

Not everyone reacts the way they should though.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
For a number of years I worked the Women On Target events at my club. Despite warning participants before the event of proper attire to be worn there are always a few that do not heed the instructions. And as per usual they are the more well endowed ones with the lower cut shirts.

After explaining the extreme discomfort that they could experience together with the safety factor of an unwanted trigger pull as a result I would give them my instructor vest and have them wear it with the back forward.

One of the classes I took, maybe 10-15 years ago, had two friends in it, women that I'd guess were maybe in their late 50s or early 60s. They were both dressed similarly in clothing styles with loose fabrics that were likely either silk or more likely polyester, tops with low neck lines, some sort of thin women's sport coat or styled sweater, as well as open shoes, no socks, and no hats.

They were shooting in lanes a couple over from my own and during one shooting string I heard a bit of commotion but no range commands and so I finished my string. After laying my gun down on the bench I backed off the shooting line and saw the two women talking and when they saw me look over they smiled and laughed and pointed to the mid portion of one of the women's breasts exposed just above the neckline...there was a burn mark roughly the size and shape of a brass case.

I've taken several classes, most of which specify what students should wear, but they don't seem to enforce these standards.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
the instructor was shot in the upper thigh.

According to the news release, the instructor was taken from the range on E. Fletcher Avenue to Tampa General Hospital, where surgeons were forced to amputate his leg.

Granted, I'm not a doctor. But I'm actually kinda surprised that, with a single 9mm FMJ gunshot to the thigh followed by prompt medical attention, amputation of the leg was deemed the best course of action.

My Father was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure at Tampa General. Turned out that what was actually happening was a blood clot in one lung. Normally a very easy diagnosis to make, IF A CHEST X-RAY IS TAKEN. Shame of it was that wasn't done until my step sister drove down from Atlanta at 100 mph or more. Marty graduated from U of M with a degree in nursing and when she found that no X-Ray was taken she hit the roof and read the Attending the riot act. That 5 hour time span without any treatment for the embolism cost my Father 30% of his heart function.

Needless to say I am not a bit surprised that Tampa General would amputate a leg for a 9mm bullet wound. Those in the Tampa area should avoid Tampa General as if it were a Morgue, because it could very well become one for you.

I'm not sure how the felon factors in here, other than as a collateral charge if the investigation revealed he had been shooting before the incident with the woman and the instructor. Headline is click bait garbage.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

If I was her I'd sure the range if the rent guns that go off without pulling the trigger. That sounds scary as hell having a gun that goes off by itself.

Good thing I haven't bought one of those.

There are seven school zones between my favorite gun store and the house. Not one time have I seen my newly acquired pistol jumping around in the passenger seat spraying bullets out the window,