2001 Darwin Awards

Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it.

Cop Cap DISQUALIFIED Confirmed True by Darwin (8 August 2001, Missouri) When the Pierce City Chief of Police reached into the trunk of his patrolcar and pulled out his shotgun, he should have remembered to point the gun aside. But even the best-trained men make mistakes. His "quick draw" precipitated a fatal self-shooting when the trigger caught on a loop of fabric, and he accidentally peppered himself with buckshot. According to Sheriff Seneker, "The safety had been bumped into the firing position as the gun bounced around within the trunk," and the weapon found to have "an unusually light trigger pull," DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2005 Submitted by: Bonnie Reference: The Joplin Globe, Detroit News, Associated Press DISQUALIFIED 23 March 2003: No astounding misapplication of judgment. This death was caused by an error in judgement, to be sure. Common safety procedures require a gun to be stored unloaded, and when handled, to be kept pointing in a safe direction, whether or not it is loaded. The Chief of Police was clearly acting unsafely, but nevertheless, he did not display an _astounding_ lapse of judgement when he removed the weapon from the car. It was common carelessness, so no Darwin. Share Comment on this story. Add a fact or quip.

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