Rare accidental shooting in concealed carry class puts focus on gun safety rules

by Chad D. Baus

Last week, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that a record number of Ohioans had obtained concealed handgun licenses in the second quarter of 2013, and showed an increase over the record number that had been obtained in the first quarter. Over 376,000 Ohio citizens are now licensed to carry handguns. This news was distributed across the state, and was picked up by the Associated Press, but didn't seem to reverberate much across the country.

This week, an accident in a concealed carry class that caused a student to be injured has not only made state-wide news, but national and even international news.

From the Columbus Dispatch article that was quickly picked up by news media far and wide:

A firearms instructor accidentally shot a student while teaching a gun-safety class on Saturday in Fairfield County to people seeking permits to carry concealed weapons.

Terry J. Dunlap Sr., who runs a shooting range and training center at 6995 Coonpath Rd. near Lancaster, was demonstrating a handgun when he fired a .38-caliber bullet that ricocheted off a desk and into student Michael Piemonte's right arm.

Dunlap, 73, also is a long-time Violet Township trustee who is running for re-election in November.

Yesterday, Piemonte said he feels lucky, and it could have been worse.

He and his wife, Allison, both 26 and residents of Pataskala in Licking County, attended the daylong concealed-carry class together.

"My wife was sitting just inches away from me,” he said. "It could have easily hit her."

Dunlap apparently didn't know that the gun was loaded, Piemonte said — "That's my guess."

The bullet was slowed down by hitting the desk first. It then ricocheted into Piemonte's right arm between his elbow and armpit, he said.

Among the 29 students in the class were several nurses who helped stabilize Piemonte after the shooting about 7:30 p.m. A medic squad took him to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in Columbus, and he was released that night, Piemonte said.

"I am thankful that it only ended up being in my arm, and didn't hit my wife or individuals sitting at the desk behind me."

When one considers the number of classes that have been held in order to train 376,000 students, and the number of rounds fired down range in order to meet the training requirements, it is obvious that this type of incident is extremely rare. The rarity of the event is part of the reason it has made world-wide news.

Safety is paramount, and the emphasis on safety given by the firearms community is part of why accidental shooting rates is so low. This is an example of what can happen when you let your guard down - even once.

This incident should be an urgent reminder to all firearms instructors to follow the gun safety rules without fail, and to make doubly sure that their policies and procedures do everything to limit the possibility of a event like this from occurring.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor.