unintentional discharge
{{Short description|Discharging of a firearm at a time not intended by the user}}
An unintentional discharge is the event of a firearm discharging (firing) at a time not intended by the user. An unintended discharge may be produced by an incompatibility between firearm design and usage, such as the phenomenon of cooking off a round in a closed bolt machine gun, a mechanical malfunction as in the case of slamfire in an automatic weapon, or be user induced due to training issues or negligence. The phenomenon has also been defined in scientific literature as an activation of the trigger mechanism that results in an unplanned discharge that is outside of the firearm’s prescribed use, where "prescribed use" refers to departmental policies and laws related to the operation of firearms (O'Neill, 2018).
Types
=Accidental discharge=
An accidental discharge (AD) occurs when there is a mechanical failure of the firearm. This can include things like firearms that do not have mechanisms to render them drop safe falling a sufficient distance,{{cite AV media |date=8 August 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsljmVh-GFQ |title=Drop test a sig p320 yes it goes BANG!! 1st time on carpet! |publisher=dennis1979gm |via=YouTube |access-date=2 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119185756/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsljmVh-GFQ |archive-date=19 November 2020 |url-status=live}} a firing pin stuck forward,{{cite AV media |date=18 February 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLD2OVrlfFo |title=SKS Firing Pin Sticks Forward |publisher=Murraysguns |via=YouTube |access-date=2 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227121722/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLD2OVrlfFo |archive-date=27 December 2020 |url-status=live}} a sear failing,{{cite AV media |date=18 December 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGyglYqeoM |title=How to accidentally discharge your pistol properly. |publisher=GPS |via=YouTube |access-date=2 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702100302/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGyglYqeoM |archive-date=2 July 2021 |url-status=live}} or rounds heating sufficiently to spontaneously ignite in the chamber (as may happen in a closed bolt machine gun).{{cite AV media |date=18 July 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IY9tR7B8dE |title=Ammunition Cook-Off |publisher=SmallArmsUser |via=YouTube |access-date=2 October 2021}}
=Negligent discharge=
A negligent discharge (ND) is a discharge of a firearm involving culpable carelessness. In judicial and military technical terms, a negligent discharge is a chargeable offence. A number of armed forces automatically consider any accidental discharge to be negligent discharge, under the assumption that a trained soldier has control of his firearm at all times. This is the case in the United States Army,Trevino, Abel. "Proper Weapons Practices Key to Ending Negligent Discharge Incidents in Iraq." army.mil. United States Army. 1 March 2007. [https://www.army.mil/-news/2007/03/01/2065-proper-weapons-practices-key-to-ending-negligent-discharge-incidents-in-iraq/] Canadian Army, the Royal Air Force, the British Army and various Police Forces within the United Kingdom.
From an article on a U.S. Air Force website:
{{quote|A negligent discharge occurs when a weapon is fired due to either operator error or a lack of attention to basic safety rules.{{cite web | url=https://www.jber.jb.mil/News/News-Articles/Article/771862/negligent-discharge-dont-be-that-guy/ | title=Negligent discharge: Don't be that guy | publisher=Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, USAF | date=9 January 2014 | access-date=18 December 2014 | author=Cunningham, Vernon}}}}
See also
Notes
Forensic firearm examiners typically use more simplistic definitions limited to only two categories: unintentional discharge (no mechanical malfunction involved) and accidental discharge (mechanical malfunction involved).
Further reading
- {{cite book|last=DiMaio|first=Vincent J.M.|title=Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VbrDbbHAflsC|edition=2nd|year=2002|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4200-4837-7}}
- {{cite book|last=Heard|first=Brian J.|title=Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics: Examining and Interpreting Forensic Evidence|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qd8TkbuC_bAC|date=17 August 2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-119-96477-3|chapter=4.7 Accidental Discharge}}
- {{cite book|last1=Hendrick|first1=Hal W.|author2=Paul Paradis|author3=Richard J. Hornick|title=Human Factors Issues in Handgun Safety and Forensics|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xXxsyxVAm8C&pg=PA100|date=26 November 2007|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4200-6297-7|chapter=Chapter 2: Human Factors Causes of Unintentional Shootings}}
- {{cite book|last=Hueske|first=Edward E.|title=Practical Analysis and Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents|date=2016|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=978-1-4987-0766-4|chapter=15: Officer-Involved Shootings}}
- {{cite book|last=Johnson|first=Brian R.|title=Crucial Elements of Police Firearms Training|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mwvu-am3wbcC&pg=PA111|date=2007|publisher=Looseleaf Law Publications|isbn=978-1-932777-30-7|pages=111–113}}
- O’Neill, J., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2016, November). [https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/research-in-brief-a-behavior-analysis-of-unintentional-discharges/ A behavior analysis of unintentional discharges]. The Police Chief, 83, 14-15.
- O’Neill, J., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2017). Toward a taxonomy of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Applied Ergonomics, 59(A), 283–292. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.08.013
- O'Neill, J., Hartman, M. E., O'Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2018). Further analysis of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Applied Ergonomics, 68, 267-272. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.12.004
- O’Neill, J., Hartman, M. E., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2018, April). [https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/research-in-brief-the-abcs/ The ABCs of unintentional discharges]. The Police Chief, 85, 14-15.
- O’Neill, J. (2018). Functional behavior assessment of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38(4), 275-287. doi:10.1080/01608061.2018.1514348
- Paulsen, J., (2017, March). [https://www.concealedcarry.com/safety/300-negligent-discharges-comprehensive-data-science-reveals-gun-grabbers-and-gun-owners-are-both-wrong/ 300 Negligent Discharges: Comprehensive Data Science]. ConcealedCarry.com.