Local news reports on the story we posted the other day.
The accidental discharge of a live round and the resulting 10 injured this week at the St. Charles Sportsmen’s Club prompted an internal investigation, club President Mark Creedon said.
“I was not present for the incident,” said Creedon, a Batavia resident. “The club will investigate, and at that time, we will have the facts and make a determination of how to proceed at that time.”
Kane County Sheriff’s Lt. Pat Gengler said the police investigation was closed, as officials determined the shooting was accidental and no charges would be filed.
According to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday through the Freedom of Information Act, the club member who accidentally discharged his gun was William Askwith, 69, of St. Charles. He told police he “pointed the gun at the floor and pulled the trigger, at which point a live .12-gauge round went off and struck the floor,” according to the report.
Askwith had finished shooting on the range and came into the clubhouse about 7:30 p.m., according to the report.
“He opened the breach on his Baretta .12-gauge, lever-action shotgun and intended to insert a ‘snap cap’ into the weapon … Askwith explained that a snap cap is an inert round that is placed in the chamber of the weapon before the trigger is pulled to keep the firing pin from getting damaged,” the report stated.
Askwith told sheriff’s deputies that he did not know there was a live round in the weapon. When the buckshot from the live round hit the floor, 10 people in the clubhouse were hit with bits of the ricocheting discharge, police said.
I'm sure the "internal" investigation will do a lot of good. Heads will roll. Irresponsible people will be held accountable.
What do you think? Please leave a comment.