Colorado Woman, Dies After Assault Rifle Accidentally Discharges

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post



A Denver-area woman died Tuesday night after an assault rifle she was handling accidentally fired and shot her in the head.

Witnesses told ABC Denver affiliate KMGH that Anastasia Adair, 22, was passing an AK-47-style assault rifle to her husband, Dana "Shane" Adair, when the gun went off. A second shot was fired when Anastasia fell and dropped the rifle, but no one was hit by it, two witnesses and the husband told police.

Shane Adair told police that the gun had a light trigger pull. Federal Heights Police Lt. Gary Toldness said that the fatal bullet's trajectory appeared consistent with the witness accounts of an accidental shooting. The investigation is continuing.

According to the Denver Post, the incident occurred while the couple and three housemates were drinking beer in their garage. Toldness told the Denver Post that the shooting will be treated as an accident, but authorities will investigate how much alcohol was in the victim's blood.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/anastasia-adair-dead-dies-assault-rifle_n_3293336.html

[Trajan]

1. It's up to the owner of a dangerous object to control that object ...

He knew it was loaded ... He was handling it ... He is the owner ...

"Light Trigger Pull" ? ....

That handoff should have been a major safety operation ....

[JI7]

2. glad nobody who had nothing to do with this died

[tblue]

10. Exactly. This is maddening enough.

I am sorry, but I do have less sympathy for them--because they chose to have that weapon, to load it with live ammo, and to consume alcohol and then try to handle it. STUPID doesn't begin to describe doing something like that. Poor woman, but she did a STUPID thing and she had a STUPID boyfriend and STUPID friends. They're adults. Didn't their parents teach them about responsibility and consequences?

It's like people who climb Mt. Everest and find themselves caught in some deadly weather disaster. They put themselves in harm's way by going there. They know the risks, so no one else is to blame for what happens. They know going in they are jeopardizing their lives and their health. Mother Nature didn't just go out looking for them at the library. They dared her, bet it all, and lost. Bottom line: stop being STUPID and irresponsible.

[JI7]

12. at least the everest climbers are risking their own lives

with the guns though there are too many cases where some innocent gets shot and killed.

[tblue]

18. That's true too!

They're their own victims. I will add though that I feel for Sherpas who do it for a living and sometimes have to deal with spoiled boneheads who take unnecessary risks.

[crim son]

13. I feel awful but I share your feelings about this situation.

It isn't as if nobody knows the risks associated with gun ownership, let alone ownership combined with handling the loaded weapon while drinking. I'm sorry this happened - very sorry indeed - but given all the information available and the endless warnings on the danger of messing with a deadly weapon, I'm just glad no "innocent" bystander was shot.

[tblue]

19. I'm not glad this happened

No, sweetie, of course not. I'm just thankful no innocents were hurt. I don't celebrate anybody's death or injury. But they were playing with fire and they really should have known better. And that's just STUPID STUPID STUPID! Did I mention it was stupid?

[Politicalboi]

3. Guns and Booze

What could go wrong.

[mokawanis]

4. Let's drink some beer and get out the AK-47

Long as we're careful, nothing bad will happen.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

9. and don't forget to load it!

I've not touched a weapon since my discharge from the Marines about 40 years ago, but I remember this from my training; treat every weapon as though it's loaded until you can verify it isn't. So yes, we don't pass loaded weapons around at a beer drinking gathering....

I'm replying to the story, not slamming you :O)

[mokawanis]

11. Absolutely right

treat every weapon as if it's loaded. even if someone tells you it isn't. even if you're already sure, check it again.

[AtheistCrusader]

5. Well, that was dumb all around.

It's also illegal to possess a firearm while drinking.

[earthside]

6. Another martyr to the 2nd Amendment. n/t

[tblue]

21. Very interesting way of putting it.

Very much so.

[lib87]

7. Beer & guns

Sounds like an awesome combination.

[safeinOhio]

24. Most famous last words......

"hold my beer and watch this".

[Ilsa]

26. Booze & Bullets! I used to have a pic of a retail

establishment that was two businesses, same owner, next door to eat other. In one location the are a liquor store. Next door is the gun store.

[Historic NY]

8. Gun powder & firewater don't mix......

another bunch of so-called responsible adults.

[kestrel91316]

14. Hey, knock it off!!!1!!11 They WERE responsible.......

right up until the point when they weren't.

[rightsideout]

15. Yea! We're finally getting back to gun stories again.

After all these scandals, it's nice to finally get back to good ol gun stories . . . ooops. I mean, "dangerous object" stories. LOL.

Hit the deck! Amerika is armed and ready . . . for something. LOL.

[Cha]

16. Oh gawd.. how very sad. :(

Too bad they didn't heed the lesson of when another husband and wife were drinking and messing around with guns.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Wife-Accidentally-Kills-Husband-During-Gun-Lesson-Police-205149081.html

[tblue]

20. Showing her how to safely use his arsenal

He was so proud, so sure he had it all under control. Now he wanted to show her what a great setup he had and how to use it just the way he does. And it took a split second for his beloved gun stash to become the worst mistake of his life, and hers too. Their kids have to live with that awful memory and the loss of their daddy. Well at least they're physically unharmed. Good gracious! How many people have to die before we say, "ENOUGH!" Ain't worth it!"? SMH...

[tofuandbeer]

17. Horrible! :(

[OldRedneck]

22. This is what happens when hysteria replaces good sense

I have read other reports that say SHE recently purchased the weapon.

After the Newtown murders, the NRA set up a howl, telling people "You'd better buy your guns today because Obama and Holder are going to ban firearms tomorrow."

As a result, AR-15 and AK-47 style firearms and ammo flew off the store shelves. I'm convinced that a lot of people who know not a single thing about firearms made up a significant portion of the buyers.

This is what happens when hysteria takes over.

But, hey, the NRA added a few hundred thousand members so it can't be all bad . . . right??

[NBachers]

23. We must appease the Second Amendment God with more sacrifices, so that people will stop dying!

[Garion_55]

25. shame there wasnt a good guy with a gun there.

might have prevented it

[RC]

27. Were they intending to use that weapon in or around the garage?

If no, then why was it loaded? If yes, they why were they drinking?
That ask, then if they were just looking at it, why was a magazine in it in the first place and a round in the chamber? It did fire twice.
Did the weapon have a safety? If so, was it on, or was it defective? Or more likely, the same gunnut that thought it a good idea to modify it for the light trigger pull, also defeated the safety?
For what reason was a semi-automatic modified for a light trigger pull in the first place? There is a good reason not to have light triggers on any weapon. This was just a demonstration of why not to have light trigger pulls on any weapon.

[avebury]

28. Death by Stupidity! nt

[sulphurdunn]

29. First Commandment

Clear the weapon

[AndyA]

30. Drinking beer in the garage and playing with guns

Responsible gun owners?

ANOTHER tragic accident. Were it not for having a gun, this woman would likely still be alive. Instead of protecting, it killed. Very sad, especially because it didn't have to happen.

This is an example of where not having a gun is actually safer than having one.

[Crunchy Frog]

31. Darwin prize candidate?

And how can a gun "accidentally" discharge? I get told repeatedly on this board that that can't happen. Everybody knows that guns can't kill people, only people can kill people.

[RILib]

32. Improving the gene pool

[Beacool]

33. Why were they playing with an AK-47?

"It's not a good idea to be handling weapons while you're intoxicated," Toldness said. "It's always a bad mix."

No kidding..............

Regardless, she was so young. Rest in peace.

[UpInArms]

34. so let me get this straight -

if guns don't kill, this girl (sorry - 22 is pretty young) would be alive -

If "guns don't kill, people do" is the mantra, then this girl committed suicide -

and the "gun" fired again as she "fell and dropped the rifle."

No - she died and the gun continued its rampage.

This is so sad and tragic and stupid.

[SheilaT]

35. Responsible gun owners once again.

And I keep on getting slammed for suggesting guns be confiscated.

At least in this case it was the idiot gun owner, or at least his wife, who was killed, not some little kid or completely innocent bystander.

[nevergiveup]

36. "light trigger pull" on a loaded AK-47 ?

Add alcohol? Geesh!

[KG]

37. when a gun kills someone, it's no accident.

[TheMadMonk]

38. NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE! NOT accidental.

The ONLY time it can be reasonably be called accidental, is when some external factor affects the shooter whilst in the actual process of firing the gun.

No gun should ever be made ready to fire unless the intention is to fire it IMMEDIATELY.

[Divine Discontent]

39. sadly, this is SOP with many gun owners (the events that led up to the needless fatal shot)

they think these behaviors are normal, and that they're safe people...

how many people have to die before they realize that perhaps 95% of the time they are brandishing weapons they should not be!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blandocyte]

40. Very sorry to hear this

One thing about guns is that you cannot be careless around them. The NRA seems to be promoting guns as fun toys. Nope. Not saying this woman was a jackass, but I am saying if you are a jackass, don't handle guns. They don't forgive. There are no do overs.

[Blandocyte]

42. Someone lost their partner. Try some compassion

Stepping off my soapbox now.

[NickB79]

43. AK's are known for their HEAVY trigger pulls

I'd bet money someone fancied themselves as a gunsmith and did a shitty trigger job with a file and some new springs that left the gun dangerous to handle or fire.

That, or someone read on the Internet how "easy" it is to make such a gun full-auto.