Findlay-Area Resident Bradley Hammer’s Accidental Death Raises Gun Safety Questions
Gun safety is always a topic of interest, especially when it involves teaching children how to safely handle firearms. Three recent cases involving children and guns, two of which led to accidental deaths, reiterate the need for education about how to safely use guns.
On Monday afternoon, Findlay-area man Bradley Hammer was killed when his 7-year-old son accidentally discharged the 22-caliber shotgun Hammer was teaching him to shoot. While the details of what happened are still unclear, the shooting does appear to be accidental and is undeniably tragic.
Last month, 21-year-old Frank Graziani Jr. of rural Defiance died after a 12-year-old boy pulled the trigger of a gun he believed to be unloaded. The bullet went through a wall and hit Graziani in the right side; he passed away about four hours later at the hospital.
Our Toledo, Ohio hunting accident lawyers are currently handling a similar case in which a man was hunting with his family and suffered an accidental gunshot wound. A young member of his family slipped and partially fell, causing the gun she was carrying to discharge and fire a bullet into the victim’s ankle. He has since undergone intense medical treatment and has been off work for a considerable amount of time.
While there is currently no minimum age for Ohioans to obtain a hunting license as long as they successfully complete a hunter-education course, there are safety measures that should always be observed when handling a gun in the presence of a child.
Some such measures include:
- Keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction at all times;
- Emphasizing the danger of the gun;
- Keeping the gun unloaded until you’re ready to use it;
- Always keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to shoot.
