Greenwood Point Blank Temporarily Closed.

[wtburnette]

He is 23. We were there to take his girl friend on her first shooting experience. She was in the lane next to the guy. I was a couple of lanes over, and my son was right behind the guy's lane (coming to switch places with me, I think) when it happened. Fortunately, there weren't many kids around. I think there was one boy who was probably about 14 waiting just outside.

I hope that didn't ruin your son's girlfriend on shooting. That had to be a pretty traumatic first range trip.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Accidents are news. Suicides are not.

Neither is news, usually. This county gets roughly 80-90 accidental shootings resulting in injury or death a year. Unless a child, pregnant woman, proximity to a school/church etc. is involved the media almost never picks it up. It's too common to be news.

 

[harleymac1]

I shoot at this range and know the general manager outside of the business. Sad for him and his staff. Why would someone choose to do this there? Why not go out into the woods somewhere and do this. I have never understood this. Anyway, prayers to all present as well as to the family of the deceased.

 

[bwframe]

To play devil's advocate; the guy went to the range to kill himself, because that is where you can get a gun, ammo and a place to shoot it for money.

I don't know how you screen customers for that or how staff could have prevented it. And sadly, the more this happens, the more it becomes common knowledge that it can and will happen more.

This is bad for us and there is no apparent solution.

 

[traderdan]

To play devil's advocate; the guy went to the range to kill himself, because that is where you can get a gun, ammo and a place to shoot it for money.

I don't know how you screen customers for that or how staff could have prevented it. And sadly, the more this happens, the more it becomes common knowledge that it can and will happen more.


This is bad for us and there is no apparent solution.

He did not act abnormal in any way. In fact, I believe he came in with a family member, who was shooting in a different lane. He asked for a specific type of pistol.. There was no way anyone could have known his plan, (if it was planned).

 

[NHT3]

To play devil's advocate; the guy went to the range to kill himself, because that is where you can get a gun, ammo and a place to shoot it for money.

I don't know how you screen customers for that or how staff could have prevented it. And sadly, the more this happens, the more it becomes common knowledge that it can and will happen more.

This is bad for us and there is no apparent solution.

Unfortunately getting a gun and ammo wasn't his motive. He was known to be a buyer in two shops that I'm aware of and had firearms at home. His motive will remain a mystery. He purchased at least 100 rounds of ammo and had been shooting for at least 20 minutes but you are absolutely correct about the no apparent solution part.

 

[ditcherman]

Unfortunately getting a gun and ammo wasn't his motive. He was known to be a buyer in two shops that I'm aware of and had firearms at home. His motive will remain a mystery. He purchased at least 100 rounds of ammo and had been shooting for at least 20 minutes but you are absolutely correct about the no apparent solution part.

Your signature line above pretty much says it all.
Bottom line, reach out, say something if you are troubled.

 

[femurphy77]

If it's truly a suicide I applaud his decision to not physically harm others. He could have just as easily chosen to drive headlong into traffic at 80 mph waiting for the next unlucky sum***** to come along and help him disconnect. This buds for you guy that decided to give his beretta a *******!



And yes I'm a cynical *******, just ask my ex.

 

[Hookeye]

Maybe he was tired of the BS, or had some disease that was gonna take him out.
Gun owner?
Maybe just wanted one good/fun day of shooting before calling it quits.
I could see that.

But only if on his own.

Doing it inside a range, not cool.
Outside range better.
But somebody always finds the body. And somebody always has to clean it up.

Like the "Old Gunwriters" article in F&S where one called the police department to report a body back along the field fence under a tree.
Person asked "do you know who it is?"
His reply "me"

And he went out there and shut it down.

That's the way to do it.

Not in somebody's place of business.

 

[cbhausen]

Maybe he was tired of the BS, or had some disease that was gonna take him out.
Gun owner?
Maybe just wanted one good/fun day of shooting before calling it quits.
I could see that.

But only if on his own.

Doing it inside a range, not cool.
Outside range better.
But somebody always finds the body. And somebody always has to clean it up.

Like the "Old Gunwriters" article in F&S where one called the police department to report a body back along the field fence under a tree.
Person asked "do you know who it is?"
His reply "me"

And he went out there and shut it down.

That's the way to do it.

Not in somebody's place of business.

NASCAR driver Dick Trickle did the same thing but called 911 from a cemetery before pulling the trigger. He was chronically ill and in constant pain.

If I didn’t know any better I would still think the Greenwood SPB incident was an accident rather than a suicide.

 

[Trapper Jim]

To play devil's advocate; the guy went to the range to kill himself, because that is where you can get a gun, ammo and a place to shoot it for money.

I don't know how you screen customers for that or how staff could have prevented it. And sadly, the more this happens, the more it becomes common knowledge that it can and will happen more.

This is bad for us and there is no apparent solution.

society should have thought of this before they killed Kevorkian

 

[Ricnzak]

A selfish act. This guy don't deserve crap for acknowledgement or any praise.

 

[WebSnyper]

society should have thought of this before they killed Kevorkian

?

As far as I know, Kevorkian wasn't "killed" by society. Imprisoned for a period, yes, but not put to death. Or are you using killed metaphorically here?

 

[gmcttr]

society should have thought of this before they killed Kevorkian

I'm all for assisted suicide but if legalized, it would most likely be reserved for the terminally ill. Both the spur of the moment and carefully thought out (I'm over this) people would still have to pick one of the "old fashioned ways".

 

[jamil]

If you have to do it, don’t be a burden on others. If this was a suicide, it was definitely burdensome for many people.

 

[Trapper Jim]

?

As far as I know, Kevorkian wasn't "killed" by society. Imprisoned for a period, yes, but not put to death. Or are you using killed metaphorically here?

yes in relationship that society killed the idea.

 

[Hookeye]

A death is always a burden to somebody.
Some folks get paid to handle the burden.
Still think it should be minimized.

 

[Springfield79]

I was there.....

I was in the range on New Year's Day, approximately 15 feet from the individual teaching my wife how to shoot. I was in the process of reloading my magazines when I heard a woman scream "Oh My God". Didn't hear anything after that and went back to what I was doing. Shortly after a woman came up who appeared in shock, was holding her firearm outside of her pod and simply said "Don't Look". So of course I looked and saw the aftermath / mess. At this point, I wasn't really sure what was going on so I secured my firearms and ensured I had one loaded on me as I wasn't sure if we were dealing with an accident, a suicide, or an active shooter. I pulled my wife into the pod so she was shielded and positioned between the walls for protection. Shortly after all hell broke loose and the staff came in yelling for a cease fire and to leave your stuff and go. I thought I heard "Grab your **** and go" so I gathered my stuff and was the last customer out of the range.Those of us that were in the range were sequestered into a classroom by staff to be interviewed by police. We had to provide a statement and contact information. Shortly after the police arrived, it was confirmed he was DOA. The officer with us in the class advised that from what they could see at the scene and from reviewing video footage, that it was a suicide. We were probably sequestered for about 1.5 hours before we were allowed to leave as they had to wait for the coroner to complete their findings.Apparently the gentleman waited until the RO was out of sight, turned sideways in the stall, and shot himself through the right temple ensuring the bullet would go down range and not into another stall. Hearing protection was found shattered around the 5 and 10 yard markers.The staff was very professional and quick acting in dealing with the situation. I also give a lot of credit to military and first responders who deal with that type of thing on a regular basis. I'm just a civilian and Its been almost a week for me and I still can't get the images out of my head, my anxiety has been amped, and I've relieved it a few times in nightmares. That being said, we were back at the range this past Saturday attempting to get closure on the situation. They remembered us and treated us very well.The local media has the story but I am guessing they are sitting on it since it was a suicide. My heart goes out to the family but I am also quite pissed that the ass-hat decided to do this in a public setting, forever impacting a group of complete strangers.

 

[DRob]

We are going through a very normal reaction here. In CISD training it was referred to as “trying to attach rational thought to an irrational act”. Just doesn’t fit.

 

[Restroyer]

I was in the range on New Year's Day, approximately 15 feet from the individual teaching my wife how to shoot. I was in the process of reloading my magazines when I heard a woman scream "Oh My God". Didn't hear anything after that and went back to what I was doing. Shortly after a woman came up who appeared in shock, was holding her firearm outside of her pod and simply said "Don't Look". So of course I looked and saw the aftermath / mess. At this point, I wasn't really sure what was going on so I secured my firearms and ensured I had one loaded on me as I wasn't sure if we were dealing with an accident, a suicide, or an active shooter. I pulled my wife into the pod so she was shielded and positioned between the walls for protection. Shortly after all hell broke loose and the staff came in yelling for a cease fire and to leave your stuff and go. I thought I heard "Grab your **** and go" so I gathered my stuff and was the last customer out of the range.Those of us that were in the range were sequestered into a classroom by staff to be interviewed by police. We had to provide a statement and contact information. Shortly after the police arrived, it was confirmed he was DOA. The officer with us in the class advised that from what they could see at the scene and from reviewing video footage, that it was a suicide. We were probably sequestered for about 1.5 hours before we were allowed to leave as they had to wait for the coroner to complete their findings.Apparently the gentleman waited until the RO was out of sight, turned sideways in the stall, and shot himself through the right temple ensuring the bullet would go down range and not into another stall. Hearing protection was found shattered around the 5 and 10 yard markers.The staff was very professional and quick acting in dealing with the situation. I also give a lot of credit to military and first responders who deal with that type of thing on a regular basis. I'm just a civilian and Its been almost a week for me and I still can't get the images out of my head, my anxiety has been amped, and I've relieved it a few times in nightmares. That being said, we were back at the range this past Saturday attempting to get closure on the situation. They remembered us and treated us very well.The local media has the story but I am guessing they are sitting on it since it was a suicide. My heart goes out to the family but I am also quite pissed that the ass-hat decided to do this in a public setting, forever impacting a group of complete strangers.

Sorry you had to go through that. I hope time helps you forget. Terrible for that guy to put strangers through that.