But he didn't shoot him in the face...

[Poll_Blind]

The guy's reported to have been "sitting up" and "cracking jokes" after having 50-80 pellets pulled out of his skin.

It means Cheney shot him in the foot, leg or buttocks. Which means that Cheney wasn't pointing the gun at a bird- he was just being careless with the firearm.

PB

[varkam]

1. Reports I heard...

indicated that he'd been shot with pellets in the face and chest.

[Poll_Blind]

2. I can't contradict what you've heard but a 78 year old man getting....

...shot, point blank or nearly so, even with bird pellets... I think they're fudging his health- someone said the guy was in critical. Oh, I guess we'll know in a week how bad it was...

PB

[gristy]

8. "some people say" he was 30 yards away from Cheney

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184617,00.html
Armstrong told FOX News that Cheney, thinking he was the last hunter on the right of the party, turned and fired at a quail. Whittington was standing 30 yards away on lower ground with the sun to his back. He was knocked to the ground, but not knocked out. All members of the hunting party were wearing blaze orange, she said.

Sounds like Dick just didn't know where everyone in his party was.

[gristy]

9. I love this one from Reuters

"The person who is not doing the shooting at the point is just as responsible and, should be, as the person actually shooting," Armstrong said.

[hwmnbn]

3. Yep, that was the report I heard...

both on NBC and ABC network news.

[HeeBGBz]

4. Right cheek, neck and chest

Was what they just said on my local news. Sorry no link.

[PDJane]

5. CNN says......

that the owner of the ranch says the man was shot from about 30 feet .......or so......and was hit in the cheek, neck and chest, but never lost consciousness.

It seems to me that Cheney was just bloody careless........but the ranch owner says he's a concientious hunter.

[Poll_Blind]

6. I must've been reading older reports. n/t

PB

[grateful581]

7. I saw a news tease tonight that said

"Dick Cheney shoots his friend in the face with a shotgun, more at 10"

It made me laugh for some reason.

[htuttle]

10. 50 to 80 pellets? Almost sounds like he aimed it right at him

I did some googling on shotgun patterns, and in the tests on this site, an average of 42 to 89 pellets hit the target zone on goose-load shotgun shell tests at 25-45 yards. While his whole body is larger than the target zone, thus would get hit with more pellets, getting hit with 50 to 80 would still have to be pretty close to the center of aim.

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/shotshell.php

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Oh wow

So what would that mean?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. I wonder if we'll ever see any pics of this lawyer after he gets out of

the hospital.

[goodboy]

13. That guy took a FULL BLAST to his face. Period. He's lucky he's not

blind or dead.

It's not carelessness. It's assault with a deadly weapon. It's misuse of a firearm.

Katharine Armstrong, the ranch's owner, said Sunday that Cheney was using a 28-gauge shotgun and that Whittington was about 30 yards away when he was hit in the cheek, neck and chest.

They took 50-80 bb's out of the guy...there ain't that much more in the shell.

That guy took a full fucking blast to the face, and Cheney bears ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY. Gun safety is the responsibility of the person handling the gun, not the person who 'didn't announce himself'

FUCK THAT. Here's what the crazy fucks at the NRA have to say to DICK!

The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling are:


1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.


3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.

When using or storing a gun, always follow these NRA rules:

* Know your target and what is beyond.
Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

* Know how to use the gun safely.
Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a gun's mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.

* Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the gun's general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a gun's ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.

* Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
Only BBs, pellets, cartridges or shells designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun. Most guns have the ammunition type stamped on the barrel. Ammunition can be identified by information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Do not shoot the gun unless you know you have the proper ammunition.

* Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
Guns are loud and the noise can cause hearing damage. They can also emit debris and hot gas that could cause eye injury. For these reasons, shooting glasses and hearing protectors should be worn by shooters and spectators.

* Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.
Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.

* Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person's particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.

* Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

* Cleaning
Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used.

A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun's action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.