WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An accidental shooting at a Publix in Land O' Lakes, Florida, is raising some questions about gun safety. A man at the checkout line at Publix was accidentally shot when his wife’s gun went off inside of her purse.
Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies say the purse fell off the cashier counter, causing the gun to fire and hit the man in the shin.
The man is expected to be OK and the sheriff’s office said no criminal charges will be filed.
Deputies say the gun was a Derringer two-shot.
“If you cock the hammer back, it means the gun is ready to go,” said Alex Shkop, owner of Guns and Range Training Center.
Shkop said that specific gun does not have a safety. He said he normally advises against storing guns in purses.
“If your lipstick gets in there (the trigger) or keys or something, you’re done,” said Shkop. “In the purse the gun can tumble upside down and change positions so you really don’t know which position it is and you have other items in the purse.”
Deputies say the woman had her concealed carry permit. Other Publix customers are asking why the gun was in the purse?
“I can’t even imagine finding it there in my purse,” said Noel, a Publix customer.
Others wondered why the gun was brought inside the grocery store.
“It shouldn’t be necessary, I mean it’s sad it kind of is if you feel your safety is in jeopardy going grocery shopping,” said Lisa Joste, a Publix customer.
The news still baffles some Floridians.
“Maybe he didn’t pick up milk and had to go back, who knows?” joked Joste.
But all jokes aside, it’s a lesson to gun owners.
“Guns are very basic and primitive in terms of how they work and people assume it’s very basic and primitive to be safe with a firearm and that’s not the case,” added Shkop.
WPTV reached out to Publix to find out if the customer violated any store policy by bringing the gun into the store. The communications department has not responded.