Veterans’ firearm injuries

Keith

See full story

Keith was exposed to firearms early on in his life through regular hunting trips with friends and family and a shooting range on his family’s property. In addition to hunting, his family saw firearms as “...a deterrence against crime, predation, being a victim, so they’re seen as security.” Now, he owns “...a .22 with a scope for hunting that I keep at home, but I keep it locked in a case, unloaded, under the bed. Then, I have one pistol that I keep hidden in my closet, also...They’re only for hunting.”

Keith sustained an injury as a result of a shotgun kickback while on a hunting trip. Reflecting on his experience, Keith emphasizes that injuries and accidents can occur even when precautions are taken. “I think that you have to just assume those [precautions], while they might seem minor, they can be major. Because of that, one must be very careful not to ever take them for granted or assume, diminish their potential importance.”

For those who know anyone who has experienced a firearm injury, Keith suggests to “...ask if there’s anything that the person might need that’s above and beyond the counseling that they’re getting, if they’re getting any, just to make sure that they’re not having lingering mental health issues or side effects.” He also believes that healthcare providers can offer support to Veterans and those impacted by firearm injuries.

The kick of Keith’s gun caused him to slip on wet ground leading to an abdominal injury.

Text only

Read below

The kick of Keith’s gun caused him to slip on wet ground leading to an abdominal injury.

View topic summary

HIDE TEXT

PRINT TRANSCRIPT

It was a freak accident. It was on a day that it had been raining the day before. It was myself and a friend, and we were hunting in an area where I’ve been a couple of times. We left in the morning, very early. We got there, we were quasi-camping, deer hunting. We didn’t catch anything, and when we had seen two does – because it had been a while since I had been out in the field – I rushed it. I hadn’t fired the gun in a while, and I wasn’t used to the kick. Because I was rushing, trying to get the shot off, it wasn’t fully in the correct position, and it was a little low on my arm from where I would normally aim. I slipped a little, and the kick of it forced the gun because my feet went up a little, my right foot into my upper abdomen.

In hindsight, I was too over-confident. You never go hunting in the rain or near when it’s rained. If it would have been dry, this wouldn’t have happened, but we were excited we were going. We weren’t conservative enough in our outlook. The thing is, you can make every precaution, or at least attempt to, but there’s always that one percent fluke thing that can occur. This is a case of that. We were wearing our orange and yellow, reflective clothes. We were not drinking or on any drugs or anything. We were in tandem. There wasn’t a big group. There was nobody else in the area. We did everything correctly other than, just, it was wet. What I’m saying is guns, because of their force, even if you do 99% of the things correct, there’s always that one percent chance.

Keith started using rifles for target practice from an early age and says that "it was a family-based activity.”

Text only

Read below

Keith started using rifles for target practice from an early age and says that "it was a family-based activity.”

View topic summary

HIDE TEXT

PRINT TRANSCRIPT

My paternal grandfather was a big outdoorsman. He was very active in hunting. After he passed away, my grandmother’s next husband owned a large tree farm, and they had a shooting range. So, when I was 6, 7, 8 – I don’t remember, somewhere in there – we would go in the summer and use the various rifles for target practice. That was my first time touching a gun.

The gun range was very nice. Well, he owned a massive tree farm, Christmas tree farm, so the gun range abutted it and it was in the middle of nowhere, very safe. This was my grandmother’s third husband. He would bring out all of his various guns and he would have targets set up. It was a family-based activity.

We would all do it: my dad, me, my mom, and my sister would sit on my dad or step-grandpa’s lap and she would do it too, at age 5. These days, it would be unheard of. I can’t imagine people doing it, but this was 40 years ago. Things were different back then.

Keith recalls his father telling him that guns were to be used as “a deterrent.”

Text only

Read below

Keith recalls his father telling him that guns were to be used as “a deterrent.”

View topic summary

HIDE TEXT

PRINT TRANSCRIPT

I’ve lived all over the country. When we moved 40 years ago, my dad and I drove, just him and I. He drove, and I sat in the passenger seat. One day, and this was the middle of nowhere, one day, and I’m a Libra, so I’m very curious, so when I was playing around in the back seat, he had wrapped up a loaded pistol. I asked him. I said, “Expecting trouble?” He said, “No, it’s a deterrent,” and then he told me a story of his father, who died very early in life, during the Great Depression.

When he was driving, in the middle of the desert, he picked up a hitchhiker just for company. Well, during the trip, I was told, he kept a loaded revolver on the front seat between him and the passenger. After they got out of the outskirts of the town, the bum pointed the gun at my grandpa and said, “Pull over.” So, he pulled over. Again, I was told this when I was young. The bum said, “Okay, give me your keys. Give me all your money.” My grandpa looked at him, said, “It’s not loaded,” socked him in the face, and left him there, and picked up the gun. It was loaded, but the guy was startled. He was shocked.

So, does that kind of frame the relevance of guns in my paternal family? Do you see what I’m saying? Guns are seen as a deterrence against crime, predation, being a victim. So, they’re seen as security.

For Keith, being able to access a firearm for protection doesn’t make sense.

Text only

Read below

For Keith, being able to access a firearm for protection doesn’t make sense.

View topic summary

HIDE TEXT

PRINT TRANSCRIPT

Oh, I own firearms. I don’t really though—I would never carry it in the car because I worry. A couple of weeks ago, the window got smashed. In this area, there’s a lot of burglaries and thefts. So, while I’m watching my mother here, there’s just a lot of theft. They’re expensive. I wouldn’t want someone stealing it. I have a .22 with a scope for hunting that I keep at home, but I keep it locked in a case, unloaded, under the bed. Then, I have one pistol that I keep hidden in my closet, also. I don’t even really consider it for protection, if that makes sense. They’re only for hunting.

Keith says some firearms injuries are “just accidents.”

Text only

Read below

Keith says some firearms injuries are “just accidents.”

View topic summary

HIDE TEXT

PRINT TRANSCRIPT

I think that a lot of injuries that occur from firearms are just accidents that are gonna happen no matter what. Like with mine. I just think they’re flukes. You know what I mean?