Be careful who you arm.

[BehindBlueI's]

Firearms instructor Darryl Montague, shot by student at Vermont firing range, faces long road to recovery | masslive.com

Firearms instructor Darryl Montague's life was forever changed in an instant – the time it took for a student to pull off three senseless shots at the family firing range.
The critically-wounded Montague, shot twice in the jaw and once in the abdomen by a woman who was taking lessons from him on June 29, fought for his life at in the ICU at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.

Original news story:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...hooting-firearms-instructor-article-1.2277128

Essentially, she took a hammer with her to her firearms lesson. It does not appear the hammer was used. At some point she has the gun from the instructor, turns it on him and shoots him, then leaves with the gun. She was a 'prohibited person' at the time.

I obviously don't know the guy, don't know his vetting process for students or if he has one, etc. Just something to keep in mind, though, not everyone who wants to learn wants to learn for the right reasons.

 

[dudley0]

Hope that all works out for him. Better than it did for Chris Kyle.

I no longer go out shooting with someone that I haven't sat down with and talked guns. You can get a feel for a person by the way they act with an unloaded firearm.

Used to be if someone wanted to go I was all over it just for an excuse to shoot.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Hope that all works out for him. Better than it did for Chris Kyle.

I no longer go out shooting with someone that I haven't sat down with and talked guns. You can get a feel for a person by the way they act with an unloaded firearm.

Used to be if someone wanted to go I was all over it just for an excuse to shoot.

I'd guess its tough for an instructor. You don't want to turn people away, you have a financial incentive to accept students regardless, etc. Just going to public ranges makes me hinky. Not so much because of intentionally being targeted, but there's a lot of ruh-tards with guns out there. The forestry range in Henryville used to be an impressive display of such behavior.

 

[dudley0]

I belong to no public ranges. I am considering joining one now just because I keep odd hours and hope that most of the tards are at work or asleep when I plan to go.

 

[Hammertime]

I've never thought about going to a public vs private range. I shall reconsider that and do some research to find a private range in my area.

 

[dudley0]

I don't like people as a general rule. I don't trust anyone that I don't know and few that I do.

Hate going to a range and having a commando come up and give me pointers that are so obviously wrong even I know it.

Plus the more people the more chances of a ND coming my way. I carry stuff in my bag for a shot but sure as hell don't want to test out how to use it in real life. I also carry a IIIa vest in my truck, but if I have to wear it to practice I don't want to be there.

 

[Hammertime]

I don't like people as a general rule. I don't trust anyone that I don't know and few that I do.

Hate going to a range and having a commando come up and give me pointers that are so obviously wrong even I know it.

Plus the more people the more chances of a ND coming my way. I carry stuff in my bag for a shot but sure as hell don't want to test out how to use it in real life. I also carry a IIIa vest in my truck, but if I have to wear it to practice I don't want to be there.

Out of curiosity, why do you carry a vest?

 

[dudley0]

Part of my preps. I don't carry hard armor in the truck but I have a bag, spare weapons, ammo, and armor for whatever bad thing that happens... even zombies.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I've never thought about going to a public vs private range. I shall reconsider that and do some research to find a private range in my area.

Depending on your work schedule, the easiest answer can be going during off peak times. I don't want to give the impression public ranges are death traps. You do, however, need to maintain awareness of your fellow shooters, especially on ranges where you have to go downrange to change targets, etc.

 

[Bfish]

Very sad story BBI. As far as to what everyone else is talking about I would have to say I am lucky then. I mainly only shoot at home but even going to local ranges (outdoor only) I have never felt unsafe due to someone else who was there at the same time as me.

 

[Hammertime]

Part of my preps. I don't carry hard armor in the truck but I have a bag, spare weapons, ammo, and armor for whatever bad thing that happens... even zombies.

Very interesting. I suppose it pays to be prepared!

Depending on your work schedule, the easiest answer can be going during off peak times. I don't want to give the impression public ranges are death traps. You do, however, need to maintain awareness of your fellow shooters, especially on ranges where you have to go downrange to change targets, etc.

I work midnight to 9am currently. Will be moving to days in a couple of weeks and will work 1030am to 930pm

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

She wanted the gun, she shot him with his gun and took it," Montague said. "It was a random interaction, it had no relationship to him at all. He was just a means to an end. It was that cold."

Man that is cold blooded. Anybody's that worked in a business where you interact with the public knows you can encounter some real strange people while conducting business. I wonder if this person set any spidey senses off on the victim. What a shame.

 

[Sylvain]

I thought most instructors conducted background checks on their student to make sure they don't teach to felons or prohibited people.

Not that a background check can tell you if the person will go mad and shoot you anyway ...

 

[rob63]

"The Burlington Free Press reported that Lewis is subject to an order out of New York that prevents her from possessing or purchasing a firearm, court records show."

"She has a lengthy criminal record in New York City and was living at a Hundred Acre Homestead in Worcester, a Vermont-licensed therapeutic community residence, the Free Press reported."

So, apparently, they knew she was dangerous and yet a lengthy criminal record in NY just earned her a therapeutic community residence in VT instead of a jail cell in NY?

 

[Gluemanz28]

I belong to three different ranges. Two are indoors and one is out. The one indoor range that I belong to is at a gun store. I pay a big chunk of $$$ to be a VIP member that has a passcode to get into the private five lane part of the range. I still go on off hours like through the week during lunch time so I don't have to listen to the noobs dump a full mag out of there SKS just to see how fast they can do it. I even take my young grandchildren there during off hours to give them hands on time with thier Henry rifles.

I could buy a new pistol for the cost of the VIP package every year but safety has value to me. Is it a fool proof plan? nope but from what I have witnessed in the last four years is that only knowledgeable gun owners are willing to pay the fee to be a VIP member.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I thought most instructors conducted background checks on their student to make sure they don't teach to felons or prohibited people.

Not that a background check can tell you if the person will go mad and shoot you anyway ...

Coach does ask for a copy of your LTCH before taking a class with him.

 

[rhino]

This is a good reminder to all of us, not just those who teach others how to use guns properly.

Too many of us assume that if someone is interested in guns and shooting, they are automatically a good person. You can prove this by the demeanor of some at ranges with unattended gear, unlocked vehicles, etc.

I won't shoot on a range in the same bay with a stranger. I'll wait until they're done. I don't leave my gear unattended, I don't leave my vehicle unlocked, and I am never completely unarmed, even if I just emptied the gun I was just shooting.

 

[dudley0]

Ha... you not being armed is a good one.

Even when out at the family ground I keep a back up with me. Also when I am done and start either collecting brass or walking back to the truck I drop a mag of HD ammo back into my EDC. That way I never worry about having accidentally loaded a mag of FMJ to carry around.

 

[LtScott14]

+Rhino! Good common sense, and safety minded.

Some years back, was on a DNR Indiana Shooting Range, working out sighting in a Mosin 91-30. I was changing targets somewhere near the 200yd Range backstop, and heard the report of a rifle, and a projectile fly into the backstop,shooting next to my table. Guy let off a Muzzleloader. I loaded and yelled with 5 rounds in my Mosin Nagant. He threw up his hands screamed "Sorry" and approached me. He came close to being shot by me. Apolegetic or not, made me unhappy for his actions.
Now they have range officers posted. No complaint on my end.

When I took a part time position as a Range Officer for a Security Co., wore my vest always during quals. Had seen some of the best/worst firearms handling , and if they failed Safety, they were done. Security Co. did not allow anyone to work who did not pass quals, and a 100% score on written safety/handling exam.

The owner called me one day, and told me that one jobsite had had a ND(Negligent Discharge) and wanted me to investigate. I found the person... the Boss. He was instructing a new Guard on a 12 ga Pump shotgun. Some guys did not own a handgun, we allowed a Shotgun to be assigned to the jobsite.
Now we added a Shotgun Qual. The Guard who ND'd... had to clear quals as well before going to work on the site. He did.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Terrifying.

We lost one at Galyan's to suicide (I was off thankfully). Guy wanted to see a Browning BPS (IIRC), palmed a 12 gauge cartridge and ended his life.

We also had a guy go all Tactical Timmy with a P-35. Fortunately I was not working alone and came across the counter to get it back from him.