Arizona Man Shoots Self Because of Waistband Carry, Police File Charges

While walking around the meat department of a Walmart, an Arizona man shot himself in the groin. According to AZ Central, the man was carrying the handgun in the waistband of his sweatpants when it began to fall.

He told police that when he tried to reposition the gun it went off. Police found him in the meat department of the store. Authorities rushed him to the local hospital, and he is expected to live. Police said that they believe the shooting was accidental, but did file charges for unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Arizona Man Should Have Used Holster

Every so often accidental discharges seem to happen, even though they shouldn’t. These incidents really shouldn’t happen just because of a lack of a good holster. There are just too many great holsters on the market.

Experts typically recommend carrying on the strong side. However, manufacturers create holsters to carry guns in a multitude of methods. These include small of back, ankle, crossdraw and more. Additionally, shooters can choose to carry in deep cover with bellybands and even behind cell phones and completely in the pants. Of course, a belt is needed for most of these methods, but it is not always required.

Another reason to carry in a holster is that waistband carry is a method typically used by criminals. People who understand guns prefer holsters. When police notice a gun in a waistband they are likely to stop the individual for a talk. Even if the person is legal, anyone who knows about firearms is likely to explain that this is not the best method of carry.

Holsters carry handguns much more securely. As shown by the Arizona man, guns sitting in a waistband, particularly one without a belt, can fall. In these cases the gun can hit the ground, or fire when the person grabs to stop it. Keep yourself safe, carry in a holster.

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