I hate stories like this. Irresponsible people give responsible people a bad name.

Early Saturday afternoon, on Indianapolis’ Northwestside, an employee of a gun store was wounded when a rifle accidentally discharged inside the store, police said.

John Reynolds, 32, was in good condition at Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for bullet fragments to a thigh and forearm, said police spokesman Jeff Duhamel.

Police were notified shortly after 12:30 p.m. of the discharge inside Don’s Guns and Galleries, 3807 Lafayette Road.

Reynolds and another store employee were working on what police said was an AK-47 rifle that fired 7.62mm rounds. The gun had not been unloaded, according to police, and the barrel was facing the floor when it discharged. When the bullet struck the floor, it broke into fragments that struck Reynolds.

A couple of things strike me in this piece. First, that it’s not labeled an “assault”-something. I’m surprised.

Second, you idiot, what are you doing farking with a loaded weapon in the gun store? I don’t know about anyone else, but the first thing I do when I pick up a pistol, rifle, or whatever, is point it away and down, keep ye olde booger hook away from the trigger, and inspect the hell out of it to make sure there’s no round in the chamber, magazine, etc.

Then I check it again.

Then I check it again.

I do that when I put it away in my safe, and I do the same thing when I take it out of the safe even if I only put the thing away 10 minutes ago.

You’re an employee at a gun store, you better make damn sure you’re not going to shoot one of your customers. Bad for business.

I’m glad to hear that they were pointing this thing down and away instead of out the shop window or toward the front door, certainly. But still … no excuse here, it’s just grossly irresponsible. You cannot make that mistake, there are too many people looking to take away your rights and when you’re that irresponsible it makes their arguments that much more compelling to the folks who don’t know any better.