2026-2 Careful What You Wish For...
All I Want For Christmas...
Most of us have heard the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” This next incident drives that saying home in a big way, with a deadly outcome. It will highlight the failures of Oklahoma's Constitutional Carry law. Noting that the state omitted any requirements for its citizens to complete firearms safety training or, familiarization and proficiency training concerning the firearm they choose to carry in public. It will also show the lawful gun owner's lack of common sense and lack of concern for the public's safety.
Date/Time December 25, 2025, 1515hrs
Location Oliver Dr to Oliver Rd/CR 1800 (Approximately a three-block distance.) Meridian neighborhood, Comanche, OK.
Weapon Glock 45 (9mm), semi-auto pistol
Subject Male, 33 year old living on Oliver Dr.
Victim Female, 74 year old living on Oliver Rd/CR 1800 (killed)
At Fault 1: Oklahoma state government and its citizens; for passing constitutional carry laws that omit any requirement for any knowledge of, training with, or competency in the possession and use of a firearm.
2: 33 year old subject; for lack of personal responsibility, lack of knowledge, poor judgment and failure to educate himself on even the basics of firearm safety.
On Christmas day, our 33 year old male subject gifted himself a Glock 45, 9mm semi-auto pistol, and of course, a box of ammunition. We can only assume the subject's motive for purchasing the firearm was for self-protection. He lived in a semi-rural area on large lots. It wasn't long before he decided to try out his new pistol in the backyard. A Red Bull beverage can became the target and was set at a distance near the bottom of the backyard. The lot behind his property was scattered with a stand of trees. The subject began discharging the weapon.
Approximately three blocks to the south of the subject's address was the home of a 74 year old great grand mother, our victim. She was enjoying Christmas day with several members of her family under the covered porch of her home. It was a cool day in the 50s with a slight chance of rain in the forecast. She sat cradling her newest grandchild in her left arm. The victim could hear the report of a weapon in the distance and remarked to others on the porch, “Someone got a new gun for Christmas.” Not long after making the remark the victim said “Ouch..” and collapsed, unconscious. Medical personnel were summoned to the residence. It appeared the victim was struck in the right arm by a bullet that passed through her arm and into her chest. The victim died from her injuries.
It would be several hours later when police received a tip that the subject had been in his backyard shooting his pistol during the time the victim was struck by gunfire. Police responded to the subject's home and confirmed he had been firing his new gun in the backyard of his residence. Police examined the area and determined there was a narrow unobstructed view from the subject's backyard to the victim's house, three blocks away. The subject had no physical barrier present to prevent any rounds of ammunition from traveling beyond his property line. Police informed the subject that the victim was shot and killed and they believed he had fired the fatal shot. The subject became distraught. The subject was later charged with manslaughter and placed in jail.
There appears to be no intent of malice, no intent to harm anyone. Just two people enjoying Christmas Day. One is trying out his new firearm and one is enjoying Christmas with her family on her front porch with her grandchild in her arms. So how could it all go so wrong?
The tragedy started when the people and state government of Oklahoma decided it is OK to allow it's citizens to arm themselves and use their firearms without being required to have any knowledge of their weapon of choice, and with no formal training on firearm safety. This poor judgment on the part of the citizens and the state government was compounded by the subject's actions. His lack of knowledge about his weapon, its capabilities, and his lack of basic firearms safety procedures.
It wasn't just one person's fault that an innocent grandmother died that day in the rural Oklahoma community. It involved everyone who voted for the constitutional carry law and the lawmakers in the state government who proposed it and passed it into law. Everyone in Oklahoma should be shaking their heads and wondering how they can correct their mistake. But at the end of the day, it appears only one person will shoulder the blame for our victim's death. The law won't be changed, and more people with their firearms, old or new, will be making poor judgments and placing other people in danger every day.
Basic firearm safety teaches us that you must consider how far a bullet will travel if you miss your intended target and whether there is a sufficient backstop to prevent the round from traveling further.
You must know what is in front of your target, and what is behind your target before firing your weapon. It is referred to as the field of fire. Living in a rural area does not mean that others, even living blocks away, are not in danger from being struck by a stray bullet. This tragedy did not have to happen. Don't be this guy.
Your firearms safety training and proficiency training at a proper and safe firing range should be an ongoing process. Never stop training.
FYI: A typical 115-grain 9mm round of ammunition travels at the incredible speed of 1,100 to 1,200 feet per second. It can travel well over a mile away, depending on the trajectory.
Keep reading, keep learning.
Take care,
One Eagle
Comments
Post a Comment