Gun accidentally fired at Tulsa Arms Show

Fenway · 04-26-2008

By DEON HAMPTON World Staff Writer
4/6/2008

A gun was accidentally fired during the Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show at Expo Square on Friday after a vendor allowed a patron to pull its trigger, police said.

No one was injured in the incident.

Tulsa County Sheriff's Capt. Bill Bass said the accidental weapons discharge occurred at 6:30 p.m. after a gun dealer allowed a potential buyer to hoist a .40 caliber handgun from a display table.

The bullet hit the ceiling, Bass said.

Joe Wanenmacher, the gun show's manager, said the handgun was improperly tied to a plastic strip, which would have rendered the gun unable to fire, and that the gun dealer and potential buyer were supposed to double-check that the gun was unloaded.

Wanenmacher said the gun dealer was expelled from the show for at least one year.

"This is (yet) another case when the exhibitor didn't follow the safety rules," Wanenmacher said.

He said more than 7,000 exhibitors are registered for the show.

In 2006, two men suffered minor injuries during a Wanenmacher show at Expo Square after a vendor was examining a double-barreled .410-gauge shotgun that was thought to be loaded with a snap cap.

A snap cap is a nonlive round that allows the handler to dry-fire the weapon without damaging the firing pin or the firing pin holes.

However, when the vendor pulled the trigger, the shotgun fired a blast through his display case.

The pellets ricocheted off the floor and struck the two men who were standing nearby.

In 2000, a 10 mm pistol discharged as a man was unholstering it at a Wanenmacher show. The bullet struck the person next to him in the leg.

In 1994, a similar accident happened at the Tulsa Gun and Knife Show, when a vendor accidentally fired a .45-caliber pistol. Investigators said the bullet ricocheted off the floor and struck two men in the feet.

Scutter01 · 04-26-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenway

He said more than 7,000 exhibitors are registered for the show.

That would be a hell of a show to go to!

Barry in IN · 04-27-2008

It does happen. Put 10,000 guns and maybe millions of rounds of ammo in one place, and one of the 5,000-10,000 people present is bound to get around into one sometime.
Then figure in several thousand trigger pulls per show, and the odds are that it will all fall together eventually and a trigger will get pulled with a round in a chamber.

Doesn't make it right. But it sure is possible.

I was at a gun show at the Danville (IN) fairgrounds (yes, they had them there) about 1980 when someone fired a shot. Does anyone here remember that?

seamus · 04-27-2008

The scariest place to be at the Indy 1500 is the gun checking table. I was talking to one of the officers trying to sell him a smith 637 when a guy behing me who must be illiterate because he didn't "see" the giant sign outside saying "UNLOAD GUNS HERE" says in a loud voice; "Am I supposed to unload my gun here?" I beat a hasty retreat figuring anyone that studid might accidentally shoot himself or me.

04-26-2008	#1 (permalink)
Fenway Pays the bills Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: behind you Posts: 3,617	Gun accidentally fired at Tulsa Arms Show By DEON HAMPTON World Staff Writer 4/6/2008 A gun was accidentally fired during the Wanenmacher's Tulsa Arms Show at Expo Square on Friday after a vendor allowed a patron to pull its trigger, police said. No one was injured in the incident. Tulsa County Sheriff's Capt. Bill Bass said the accidental weapons discharge occurred at 6:30 p.m. after a gun dealer allowed a potential buyer to hoist a .40 caliber handgun from a display table. The bullet hit the ceiling, Bass said. Joe Wanenmacher, the gun show's manager, said the handgun was improperly tied to a plastic strip, which would have rendered the gun unable to fire, and that the gun dealer and potential buyer were supposed to double-check that the gun was unloaded. Wanenmacher said the gun dealer was expelled from the show for at least one year. "This is (yet) another case when the exhibitor didn't follow the safety rules," Wanenmacher said. He said more than 7,000 exhibitors are registered for the show. In 2006, two men suffered minor injuries during a Wanenmacher show at Expo Square after a vendor was examining a double-barreled .410-gauge shotgun that was thought to be loaded with a snap cap. A snap cap is a nonlive round that allows the handler to dry-fire the weapon without damaging the firing pin or the firing pin holes. However, when the vendor pulled the trigger, the shotgun fired a blast through his display case. The pellets ricocheted off the floor and struck the two men who were standing nearby. In 2000, a 10 mm pistol discharged as a man was unholstering it at a Wanenmacher show. The bullet struck the person next to him in the leg. In 1994, a similar accident happened at the Tulsa Gun and Knife Show, when a vendor accidentally fired a .45-caliber pistol. Investigators said the bullet ricocheted off the floor and struck two men in the feet. __________________ Click here to become an INGO

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04-27-2008	#3 (permalink)
Barry in IN Plinker Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 248	It does happen. Put 10,000 guns and maybe millions of rounds of ammo in one place, and one of the 5,000-10,000 people present is bound to get around into one sometime. Then figure in several thousand trigger pulls per show, and the odds are that it will all fall together eventually and a trigger will get pulled with a round in a chamber. Doesn't make it right. But it sure is possible. I was at a gun show at the Danville (IN) fairgrounds (yes, they had them there) about 1980 when someone fired a shot. Does anyone here remember that?

04-27-2008	#4 (permalink)
seamus Plinker Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 121	The scariest place to be at the Indy 1500 is the gun checking table. I was talking to one of the officers trying to sell him a smith 637 when a guy behing me who must be illiterate because he didn't "see" the giant sign outside saying "UNLOAD GUNS HERE" says in a loud voice; "Am I supposed to unload my gun here?" I beat a hasty retreat figuring anyone that studid might accidentally shoot himself or me.