Police: Faulty Gun Sparked Shooting

Published: Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 11:20 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, October 10, 2009 at 11:20 p.m. LAKELAND Michael Thourot plunked the pot roast onto a stump in the yard, brought his 5-year-old daughter outside, and handed her a gun.

[Richard_]

This guy's handgun went full auto and the ATF didn't put him in a cell with Olofson?

[foo]

Richard_ wrote:

This guy's handgun went full auto and the ATF didn't put him in a cell with Olofson?

We all know laws don't apply to government and their cronies...

[Highlander]

Richard_ wrote:

This guy's handgun went full auto and the ATF didn't put him in a cell with Olofson?

The ATF hasn't investigated the matter yet.

[eternal cynic]

This article clearly illustrates why it’s important to purchase quality firearms. A flaw caused it to fire and another flaw caused it to jam.

I wouldn’t trust my life to an inferior gun. I usually carry a Colt Delta Elite or a snub nose Smith 686. In addition I carry a Walther PPK .380 in my pocket. None of the three has ever jammed.

[Boomer215]

Perhaps it's just me, but I've made it a habit to always clear a weapon before "setting it down". Regardless of the "quality of the firearm, if it's loaded, it's either in my hand or holster.

[Highlander]

Boomer215 wrote:

Perhaps it's just me, but I've made it a habit to always clear a weapon before "setting it down". Regardless of the "quality of the firearm, if it's loaded, it's either in my hand or holster.

Yep! That's me too.
.
At the range, strange things may happen. A navy boot camp instructor remarked: If it's loaded, it better damned well be in your hands!
.
:o)
.

[Another Voice Heard From]

Boomer215 wrote:

Perhaps it's just me, but I've made it a habit to always clear a weapon before "setting it down". Regardless of the "quality of the firearm, if it's loaded, it's either in my hand or holster.

Every governmentally run range I've ever been on has required a "benched" firearm have its action open to visibly demonstrate it is unloaded.

Its been a few years since I've shot at Saddle Creek, but it is run by Polk County, and had that rule when I shot there.

[foo]

Boomer215 wrote:

Perhaps it's just me, but I've made it a habit to always clear a weapon before "setting it down". Regardless of the "quality of the firearm, if it's loaded, it's either in my hand or holster.

Maybe its just the way I was taught but whether or not there are actually rounds in the weapon IT IS ALWAYS LOADED and will be treated as such.

[Richard_]

Highlander wrote:

<quoted text>
The ATF hasn't investigated the matter yet.

I suppose, the difference between Olofson and this case is that the AR15/M16 rifle has interchageable parts which are easily purchased and legally possessed under many circumstances. However, a jennings pistol wasn't ever designed nor intended to be a fully autmatic handgun, therefore the bad design or the tampering with the gun may easily be proven, disproven.

However, if the owner knew it was going full auto over a period of time, I think they do start to risk a conflict with the atf and NFA regulations as they are.

Now, you're going to get into your song in dance about whether or not firearms should be regulated at all, and I agree with you. However, I am speaking in regards to what actually happens in this day and time, legally to a person who is knowingly in possession of an unregistered Title II firearm. And that includes knowing possessing hanguns that fire more than one bullet per operation of the trigger.

Which is very similar to the Olofson case.

I met him once at a gun show in Waukeesha before he got sentenced. I bumped into his dad at the same gun show after Olofson got put in prison. I have no idea wheter or not he knew that rifle was full auto, but if he knew it kind of did that with weak civilian primers, he should have got it looked at right away and maybe got rid of the M16 parts in the gun, even if the M16 parts were street legal to be used in an unmodified AR15 pattern rifle. That just falls under the don't push your luck doctrine, looks like a duck, walks like a duck, maybe you don't want to standing next to it during duck hunting season even if it aint a duck, etc.

[Highlander]

Richard_ wrote:

<quoted text>
I suppose, the difference between Olofson and this case is that the AR15/M16 rifle has interchageable parts which are easily purchased and legally possessed under many circumstances.[——snip for brevity——]

And here I was getting ready to launch into my song and dance routine ...
.
Aside from all that, let's say the atf ~does~ investigate ...
.
Going with what they used to railroad Olofson, what do you suppose the outcome would be?

[Tory II]

Carry a battery powered die grinder in case your gun ever goes full auto. Maybe a small torch. Throw small parts into the drink, here and there.

Never loan your gun to anyone !

Olafson should be free; govt owes him a big chunk of money. A terrible crime against a law-abiding American.

[The Gun Guy]

We seem to be losing sight of the issue, here. This "knowledgeable gun person" place a loaded firearm in the hands of a 5-year-old child! "Handling a firearm safely" does NOT mean to pull the trigger to see if it fires. I believe Michael Thourot to be a irresponsible fool. The "facts" of the story seem grossly inconsistent and chronologically unsound. The article notes, "...he was condemned for not following safety procedures...." Well, DUH! The article continues, "...had just set down the handgun about 10:30 a.m. when it went off...." OK. When was that? Was it any time around the time he "...brought his 5-year-old daughter outside, and handed her a gun...." I guess not, since he did that in the "yard" while the runaway, unintended discharge occurred "...at Saddle Creek Shooting Range...." Then, "Thourot says that was his first time shooting the gun...." [at the Saddle Creek Range]. So, that happened and, then, sometime later, he handed it -loaded- to his 5-year-old! Really? DUH, again. Then, "The Jennings seemed fine, and he gave it to his wife to shoot. Then "he reloaded the clip and double-checked to see that the bullets were sitting right in the chamber." We'll allow for the mistaken identification of a "magazine" for a clip, but, "...the bullets were sitting right in the chamber." Bullets? Plural? Does this mean he made sure a round was chambered? "He released the trigger, setting the barrel downrange gently onto the bench." Released the trigger? Had he pulled it? I don't dispute the Jennings, Bryco, Jimenez line of firearms is of poor quality, but, between the apparently foolhardy acts of Mr. Thourot and the poor reporting, it is difficult to chronicle this incident.

[eternal cynic]

Not much more info but there are a few more details
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/9mm...
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2009/10/3/...
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2009/10/06...

Another discussion on this
http://bryco-jennings-jimenezarms.com/forum/v...

[Patrick]

It gets a little better. Was his 5-year-old daughter the 14-year old that wanted to join the military (and the pot-roast incident happened 9 years ago?) or another girl altogether?