During the Aim Fast, Hit Fast class I was teaching in Memphis this weekend, a student shot himself in the leg while holstering his pistol.
I will not get into details — or answer questions — about the shooter’s identity, make and model of gun, etc. However, the incident and the class’s handling of it are worth relaying as it may hopefully be instructional for others.
Before the first shot is ever fired in any AFHF class, an emergency response plan is devised and then communicated to the students. In this class, two students identified themselves as having training/experience dealing with gunshot wounds. They were then designated the first responders. I described where I keep my IFAK (attached to the shoulder strap of my range bag) so anyone in the class could easily locate it and bring it to me. The range owner confirmed that the fastest emergency services response was via 9-1-1 and all the students were told calling 9-1-1 was the responsibility of anyone who was not immediately involved in treating the injury.
I’ve given that speech dozens of times and watched hundreds of students nod in the same way you nod at the flight attendant while she explains how the oxygen mask works when the plane loses cabin pressure.
But Sunday morning, we lost cabin pressure.
I was standing about five feet behind and to the right of the student when it happened. The class was shooting a drill that involved multiple draws from the holster. In the middle of the drill while everyone else was still shooting, the student turned towards me and very simply said, “I just shot myself.” He was perfectly calm. The slide on his pistol was locked back and just as he finished speaking he dropped it on the ground.
Immediately I called a cease fire and told the student to lie down. I pointed to another nearby student and instructed her to call 9-1-1. The two previously designated “first responders” immediately appeared and another student brought over my IFAK. Soon both of the first responders’ personal trauma kits were also in their hands.
Within a matter of seconds they had cut away his pant leg and exposed the wounds. The bullet had entered just below the knee, traveled through the calf muscle, and exited just above the ankle. Pressure bandages were applied to both wounds. The student remained lucid and even made some jokes. He calmly explained that he’d had his finger on the trigger as he holstered the gun.
The police and then an ambulance arrived and the student was taken to the hospital. Approximately two hours later, after x-rays and examinations, he was released and is expected to make a complete recovery.
After the police cleared the area and allowed us back onto the range, the rest of the class continued as planned.
The major lessons to be learned from this:
- Accidents can happen to anyone at any time. This was not the student’s first formal training class and he had also participated in IDPA matches. He had drawn and reholstered his pistol probably a hundred times so far during AFHF this weekend alone. But a moment of inattention was all it took for a bullet to make two new holes in his body.
- Make a plan before an accident occurs and communicate that plan to everyone. Literally less than 30 seconds passed between when the student shot himself and two trained people were attending to the wounds. There was no panic, there was no standing around trying to figure out who was going to do what. We had a plan, everyone knew the plan, everyone followed the plan.
- If you are on the range, you should have a GSW kit with you. Even if you do not know how to use it — in which case you should learn — at least have the kit in case someone else has the know-how but not the supplies. An IFAK should be part of every shooter’s range kit.
- Never be in a rush to holster your pistol. We all know it, we say it, we teach it. Not all of us do it.
I would like to commend all of the students in the class — especially our two medical responders — for their mature, professional, coolheaded behavior on the range today; and, the great staff at the range for their role in assisting with the student’s well being, the police investigation, and the aftermath.
And of course above all else, I hope the student has a swift and easy recovery.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
Great post. thanks for the reminders.
Passing the message on…
Thank you for this post.
Shootin’ Buddy gave me a range bag for Christmas the year before last. I opened it to find that it already had a couple of pressure dressings packed inside. Now that’s thoughtful. 😉
“Train hard & stay safe!”
You practice what you preach. You and your students were alert, aware and prepared. Nice Job!
If nothing else this serves as a reminder that crap happens, and it can happen to us. Familiarity breeds contempt, and sometimes we can all get too familiar with being on the range doing something that most of us enjoy doing.
I’m glad everybody is OK.
I’m new to shooting sports, and realize that this deserves every bit as much preperation as aviation and racing do.
Where do I find more info on the IFAC kit? I very much like having a medical kit on the range bag.
Andy — Last year, we asked Tactical Medical Solutions to produce its excellent Operator IFAK in a more obvious color. They’ve now begun shipping red IFAKs. I keep one on my range bag and actually sent one to every one of my 2009 class hosts as Christmas gifts. Everyone should have an IFAK on their range bag in my opinion.
Very cool. I will have one. Thanks for the link.
Thanks Todd for your post. It reinforces my decision to take a First Medical Responder course shortly after getting my NRA certification.
I ended up putting together my own kit based on advice from a trauma surgeon acquaintance with military experience. His view is, if you keep the patient breathing and stop the blood flow you will have done 90% of what it takes to survive a GSW and will have avoided most of the harm frequently done. YMMV
That’s why my carry gun is hammer-fired with external safety. Thumb is always on the hammer when holstering and the gun cannot be holstered with safety off.
I do have striker-fired guns with no external safety for matches. I watch when I holster (to make sure nothing would catch the trigger) with a much slower motion and trigger finger on frame of course.
I still think those striker-fired pistols with so called double action only trigger (but feels and works just like a slight heavier single action pull) are quite dangerous for duty use.
There is something to be said for DA/DAO hammer-fired guns where you can cover the hammer as you reholster. It seems the majority of pistol training accidents happen when reholstering.
I carry appendix carry quite often and I have to admit that I have much more peace of mind doing so with an LEM HK or DAK Sig than I do with an M&P or Glock.
Also, the need for basic medical knowledge involving GSW treatment cannot be overstated. It’s worth mentioning that the TMS link you provided doesn’t just sell kit, but also has a very informative blog.
To counter the notion of hammer-as-panacea, I’d like to note that the slang term “racing stripe” became common currency when the S&W Model 10 was still the most common LE sidearm in the land by a crushing margin…
God Speed!
Thanks for posting this Todd, and get well soon to your student.
Great post and an excellent reminder to talk safety before the shooting begins on any range. Wish a speedy recovery for your student.
We just had a two day study group gathering and the first thing we did on day 1 after the safety brief was have a former corpsman and EMT give a mini-seminar for treatment of gunshot wounds. We had numerous trauma kits on site and a plan to deal with it.
Glad to hear everybody responded as they should have.
Good to hear it went as well as any shooting could.
What IFAK components were most useful? What stuff do you and the responders wish you had (as far as first aid components, like hemostats or different pressure dressings)?
That’s an eye opener. I keep a boo-boo kit in the car and I know I *should* have a GSW kit…but I’ve been putting it off. This seems too close to home to ignore.
UPDATE: The student called me this morning and reported that he is already up and walking around without crutches. He hasn’t needed any pain medication. He said it hurts (“like a really bad cramp”) but otherwise all is well.
On a personal note, I want to thank the readers here at pistol-training.com and other sites that have picked up this story. So far, I haven’t seen a single “OMG stoopid!” type comment. It’s heartening to see so many experienced shooters realize, “crap, that could have been me!” rather than the typical Internet Conventional Wisdom that demonizes every AD as something only the unwashed would experience.
This student is now a walking, talking billboard for trigger finger discipline. I told him he’s welcome to re-take the class any time.
Handling firearms is just like handling snakes… the moment you disrespect them, they can bite you. This is a reminder of that.
We are glad the student will make a full recovery.
Do you mind if this cautionary tale was reposted elswhere? Hopefully more shooters will see how swiftly and effectively this was handeled and aspire to mimick those precautions.
I like the Operator IFAK carry-along practice. But I’m wondering if there are some web sites/areas you can point to for some cursory tips on effectively using the kit. I’m not advocating medical training via the web. Just some starting points to get us introduced to proper techniques.
Okay . . . an addendum and apology. The TMS site has some excellent starting points, as mentioned above. I’ll read more before I post next time! 😛
At one class I took, the instructor had us holster very slowly, with two or three breaths at each stage moving back to the holster. The rationale was that going back in the holster slowly is safer, and also in case you happened to need the gun again due to the bad guy popping back up or another one showing up, it would be preferable for it to still be in your hand.
I’ve kept the habit up, and I cringe when I see other people holster super fast after shooting.
For handguns with a grip safety(XD or 1911) I like to always release the grip safety to the non-firing position while holstering by putting my thumb on the back of the slide (which by the way also helps verify that the gun is still in battery while in the holster).
Good to hear he is doing well.
On the issue of holstering speed, I have noticed that a heavy dry-fire routine adversely affects my holstering speed. In an effort to get more practice in, I will holster the gun faster. It is only incrementally faster, but it still makes me uncomfortable when I catch myself. Something to watch for if you follow a heavy dry-fire routine.
I reholster very slowly, 4 fingers cocked out at an angle away from the pistol, not touching the pistol with only the thumb and palm gripping it.
The most important thing you can do is reholster deliberately with attention to what you are doing, especially if you are using a weapon with a light trigger and no manual safeties. Remember: There’s never any prize for being the first guy back in the holster.
Thanks for the story, best wishes to the student.
I ordered the red IFAK kit as soon as I found the link.
It could happen to any of us….
Excellent post and the second such incident I’ve heard involving knowledgeable shooters *this month*. The other was also local (yes, I realize this wasn’t really local, but Todd’s local so I’m counting it anyway).
🙂
Amusingly, at your last “back to basics” Practice Session, a few of us were comparing IFAKs while the other relay was up. Glad we didn’t need them.
Finally — while you’re not going to learn medical care from a Power Point, there’s a lot of good learning material here, for those who were asking for more background:
http://www.acep.org/acepmembership.aspx?id=31674
What’s an IFAK?
thanks god, and your prep plan, Im getting one of those IFAK for sure,
thanks for sharing the experience, fast recovery to your student.
best regards.
RE:Brian
http://www.armyproperty.com/Resources/NSN-Listings/IFAK.htm
IFAK, Unsure which he means in this case, Individual or Improved.
Well since no one else has said it, “This thread is useless without pics”. And I don’t mean this as a joke actually. I think that if there are any pics that show what the wound looked like, how it was treated and such, it would also serve as a great training tool for everyone who wants to further their knowledge about this kind of thing.
Beyond that, I’m glad to hear that the student is up and on the road to recovery, and I’m also glad to know he’s welcome back to your class. Accidents happen, and can happen to anyone. If a donation page were setup for this person to take another class with you I’d throw in some money. I imagine he’s going to have some personal demons to overcome once he heads back to the range.
IFAK .. Improved First Aid Kit? Least thats what google tells me.
Thanks for the link Noveske FTW
Thanks for posting the info. I’m going to a class next week (F.A.S.T Academy w/Shannon Smith) and this was a wake up call for me.
Thanks again!
IFAK is usually “Individual First Aid Kit” but I’ve also seen “Infantry First Aid Kit” and other variations.
Concept is that each person carries the necessities in an easy to locate, compact and consistently placed/designed carrier so you can apply aid to your buddy without using your own (or the medic’s) supplies, but so you don’t have to go digging through his custom med bag to find the tourniquet when you need it.
The demeanor and maturity of the self-shot student goes a long way, too. Shock may have had a part in it, but I suspect having the discussion beforehand helped settle him, with the realization that the situation was under control. I’d be very interested to hear his thoughts on the incident.
I’m glad he’s doing well.
As one of my Depts firearms instructors my biggest fear is an officer being shot on the range. Time and time again officers are told not to speed re holster. This just reminds me to be even more vigilant about finger placement and the need to not speed re-holster. Your article also shows the value of having a plan of action ahead of time. I hope all works out well for your student and you.
There is no Tactical Reason why anyone needs a super fast reholster. I had to laugh at the new Blackhawk catalog that shows Body Armor that can be removed in 2 seconds flat. Since when will I ever need to doff my armor as fast as possible?
Getting the Armor On, or the Gun up on to Target is where I want the speed. After the situation is over, where is the harm in taking a little bit of time?
Not to get too far off topic, but for Ogre: There are circumstances where rapid removal of armor can be very important, but they don’t apply to most people.
If you suddenly find yourself submerged, having a pull-tab to remove 30 lbs of gear could seem pretty worthwhile. To a lesser extent, nondestructive rapid removal can be useful if emergent medical care is needed.
Back on topic: I second the “it would be really interesting to hear what the student has to say about it”, with any identifying info removed, of course.
” Since when will I ever need to doff my armor as fast as possible?”
If you’re ever on fire…
;o)
Back on-topic: Todd, thanks for posting this. It’s a good example that even a well-trained, competent shooter can have a slip. Mistakes happen, how we react and deal with those mistakes ultimately determine the cost.
And I now have a sympathetic injury. Just got home from the hospital, tore my calf muscle at work tonight. leg is about twice the size. No where near as bad as a GSW, but man it hurts.
When it comes to gun related issues, I take pride in the fact that… well, that I have no pride. 😉 That being the case, I’ll ask the stupid questions.
I’ve figured out that GSW means “Gun Shot Wound,” but I have no idea what an “IFAC” is. Could you please enlighten me?
Individual (or Improved) First Aid Kit, most commonly.
RE: Ogre
“There is no Tactical Reason why anyone needs a super fast reholster”
I beg to differ. As a cop there are times when I need to get my piece in the holster and grab another tool – an intermediate weapon, handcuffs, going to work with my hands, etc.
That being said, holstering rapidly and safely should not be a priority after the trigger has been pulled a few times, I agree.
However “never say never”
🙂
Every time I go to practice, be it for IDPA, defensive practice, or just fun, I know if I make a mistake I can shoot myself. All it takes is for one to let their mind wander.
Never have had it happen but as they say, familiarity breeds contempt.
Been there done that — when I was 14. 22 LR single action Colt reproduction coming out of a holster. Finger slipped on the hammer –the bullet went 11″ through my leg, bouncing off bone, nicking a nerve, slicing an artery, lodging nea my ankle. Long story. Your student was very lucky to be walking out the same day. I am lucky just to be alive.
I only took up pistol shooting again 35 yrs later, and would enjoy competitive shooting, except for being mental about the holster part.