Shooting Yourself in the Foot > Shooting Your Mouth Off

Writers tend to use the word “literally” too much — and literally incorrectly.

In this case, the word is entirely appropriate. A lawyer literally shot himself in the foot. The ABA Journal reports:

An Ohio lawyer shot himself in the foot on Monday as he was retrieving his gun from a locker at the courthouse.

Toledo lawyer Paul Redrup had placed his 40-caliber Smith & Wesson in a storage locker before entering the Wood County courthouse, the Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune reports. As he was leaving, he took the gun out of the locker and put it in his pocket. The gun accidentally fired, and Redrup was grazed in the right foot.

Here’s a question: why the hell was a lawyer taking a firearm to a courthouse?

Living in New York City, I’m used to a society where most people don’t carry around concealed weapons. But things work a little differently in Toledo. The Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune reports:

Toledo attorney Paul Redrup was reportedly leaving the courthouse Monday around 3 p.m. when he stopped at the security desk in the atrium to retrieve his gun that he had placed in a locker before entering the courthouse. Redrup, who reportedly has a concealed carry permit, was putting his 40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun into his pocket when it discharged.

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In fact, it appears that Wood County officials weren’t even aware of their own permissive gun rules:

[Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar]said the incident raises questions about the court security policy on handling weapons from courthouse visitors with concealed carry permits.

“I thought only law enforcement officers are allowed to carry in the courthouse,” he said.

According to Chidester, the gun locker is used primarily for off-duty police officers, retired or auxiliary officers who bring firearms to the courthouse. “We have a lot of off-duty and retired officers who carry,” he said.

Yeah, let’s make sure everybody gets on the same page about the gun rules in a courthouse. You know, just to be on the safe side.

Lawyer Shoots Himself in the Foot—Literally [ABA Journal]
Attorney at courthouse shoots self in the foot [Bowling Green Sentinel Tribune]

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