[Jeff Johnson]

This is a tragic story that reminds us all to be careful...

The Salt Lake Tribune: Shotgun accident kills man

The Deseret News: Guardsman dies in accidental shooting

When we go shooting, we not only should remember and abide by the safety rules ourselves, but we should also drill them into any newbies who are shooting with us. It seems that this did not happen in this incident, and now a Pleasant Grove man is dead, and his wife will likely be traumatized for life.

My heart goes out to this woman and the family. This is an accident that should never have happened.

I think that it is time to review the

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.
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It seems to me that if any one of these three rules had been observed, then the tragedy could have been prevented.

By all means, we should introduce people to the shooting sports, but don't forget to drill the safety rules into them ... and strictly follow them ourselves.