Our local club has a .22 plate shoot every Friday night. Lot of shooters, lot of activity, everybody on guard for safety. We've even taken to splitting the roles of the person running the shoot from someone recording the results.

Before a shooter is allowed to step away from the line, magazine out, bolt locked open.

New shooters get lots of help and attention with safety... But one of the club's more experienced top shooters managed to shoot himself tonight. Especially scary for me, because I was sitting approximately 5' away from him, with the muzzle loosely pointed in my direction. Luckily, his leg provided the backstop.

Back to to our experienced shooter. The person running the event double checked the slide was locked open. Even my wife said she saw it was open... BUT, nobody checked to ensure the magazine was out. He was carrying a sweatshirt, his .22, several magazines, and a medicine bottle (that's a concern of mine). Pure speculation on my part, the magazine wasn't empty, he fumbled with all the crap in his arms, slide got released, and his match grade trigger needed to be breathed on and it released the hammer.

2 RN's and an EMT shooting with us. The .22 passed through his medicine bottle, the sweatshirt, his pants and landed in his leg. Even tho it was somewhat in a dangerous area, it apparently did not hit an artery.

EMS can not come in until LEO ensures the room is clear. He walks in and says, "are there any firearms here?" LOL Most but not all were all ready put away, we confirmed any that were still out were completely cleared.

Like I said, def a sobering night. Club needs to take a step back and review the safety procedures, especially with so much activity going on.