May 14, 2013 11:38 AM UTC

More Guns Near Schools...More Gun Accidents

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and CEO Wayne LaPierre were roundly criticized for their bumbling responses to both the school shootings in Connecticut and the subsequent discussions about finding a solution to gun violence. LaPierre's big "solution" to keeping kids safer was to put more armed guards in schools, an idea that brought immediate scrutiny from educators and others for a variety of reasons — among them the concern that adding more armed guards would just lead to more accidental shootings.

None of these concerns deterred Republican Sens. Scott Renfroe and Ted Harvey from introducing their "more guns in schools act" at the beginning of the legislative session. To no-one's surprise, the bill never made it out of committee. Concerns about accidental shootings were not overstated at the time, and Colorado is once again an example of the need for more gun safety — not more guns. As Fox 31 reports:

A student underwent surgery Monday night after an accidental shooting in the staff parking lot outside Rangeview High School.

Police spokesman Ofc. Frank Fania says a staff worker at the school accidentally shot the student in the leg in the staff worker’s car. The student was getting a ride home.

The gun accidentally fired while the shooter was putting it away in the glove box of his vehicle.

Fania says the staff worker has a second job as an armed security officer, so it’s legal for him to have the gun. He is not a teacher at the school and his job as a security guard is not associated with Aurora Public Schools.

Thankfully, it appears as though the student will be fine. While the school employee did not have the weapon for school-related security, it is nevertheless another reminder that increasing the number of guns in any situation will absolutely increase the likelihood of dangerous accidents.