"I really don't remember it," he says. "I just know I'm here now. I'm taking it day by day."You know who has "accidents," tripping by accident, pulling the trigger by accident, people who are clumsy, people who are distracted, people who are ill-prepared.
Griffin is a 16-year veteran of the Tunica Sheriff's Department. He was leading the Emergency Response Team, Tunica's equivalent of SWAT, when his gun went off by mistake.
"He accidentally slipped and he had his hand, his rifle in his hand. It was an M-16 and he said his reflexes kicked in and he automatically grabbed something and his finger pulled the trigger," says his wife Angela. She says the bullet caused too much damage to his leg for doctors to save it.
Leaders of Swat teams and any other person entrusted with a firearm cannot afford to be like that. If they are, number one, they should take responsibility for their actions and stop calling it an "accident." Number two, they should relinquish their right to own and use guns in the future. No second chances.
Does that sound too severe? Is it too unforgiving? Well, ask yourself why not? Why not be severe and unforgiving when dealing with gun handling?
Let's take Officer Griffin, for example. Do you think in his 16-year-career, this is the very first time he's had an "accident." I doubt it. People who are distracted and clumsy and ill-prepared have frequent instances of "accidents," usually not with the dramatic results as this one.
Replace the word "accident" with the more appropriate and accurate "negligence," and it becomes clearer. Negligent gun owners lose their right to own guns, period.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
