Man Shoots Himself in the Penis-Guns Training and Respect

An Arizona man is recovering after he accidentally shot himself in the penis while putting his girlfriend's gun in the waistband of his pants. 27-year-old Joshua Seto and his girlfriend, Cara Christopher, were walking toward a grocery store when the shooting happened last week. The gun fired, striking Seto's penis and continuing through his left thigh.

Police say they were unsure of the type of gun he shot himself with. They also were unsure how badly he was hurt. Well, I’ll go out on a limb here and say that Joshua was hurt a bunch. Being shot in the penis, even a flesh wound has to be a real bad thing!

People having accidental discharges—that is having their firearms go off when they do not want them to go off happens more than it should. When I was in charge of a police shooting range, the chief instructor came to me more times than I can count telling me about officers firing their shotguns or handguns into walls or down the range when they were not supposed to. Furthermore, people shooting themselves by accident happen more often than one may think. I know of a police officer who accidentally shot himself while holstering his gun, crippling his leg for life.

Another gun no-no is when women put pistols in their purses without a holster, and men who like Joshua, who put guns into their waistbands without a holster. Putting a gun in a purse without the protective cover of a holster and likewise for placing a gun in a waistband without a holster are accidents waiting to happen.

In addition, improper nighttime storage incidents also occur for careless or not well-trained firearm owners. I know of an incident where a man was awakened by a noise one night and thought he saw someone at the foot of his bed. He grabbed his gun, which he had under his pillow, and shot his big toe off. Nighttime storage of firearms when someone wants them to be ready at hand should be analyzed for each particular person and their particular circumstances. Putting a gun under your pillow, short of in a war zone, is ridiculous and should not be done.

I believe Americans should be allowed to own and carry firearms. However, I am a stickler for great training in shooting, storage, and the proper mental attitude when handling firearms. Firearms are unforgiving tools. Bullets do not come back, slow down, or change directions after leaving the barrel. Training and the proper mental attitude must be ingrained in users before that trigger is pulled.

Respect for the awesomeness of a handgun or long rifle is paramount. Get the best training you can get, keep up on your shooting skills, and remember the basics in storage and proper mental approach—your toe or worse yet, penis could depend on it.