Tragic shooting in Bath causes undue fear over the new “Constitutional Carry” law

Christopher Cousins | BDN

Christopher Cousins | BDN

Late Monday afternoon, 22-year-old Chelsea Jones, of Thomaston was accidentally shot in the back of the head, by her boyfriend 23-year-old Dylan Grubbs.

Mr. Grubbs had gone to a parking lot in Bath to meet a prospective buyer for his handgun. Unfortunately, the weapon was loaded, and it discharged.

This is a very sad accident. It likely could have been prevented had Mr. Grubbs followed the rule that ALL firearms must be considered loaded at all times, and never pointed in the direction of something you do not wish to destroy.

If you follow that rule, then you could consider Mr. Grubbs negligent. And in my opinion you should. The problem comes when you try to blame this accident on the new law that went in to effect in Maine, on 15 October 2015 that allows Maine residents who are not already forbidden to own firearms, to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

Unless Mr. Grubbs was aware that the weapon was loaded while it was in his possession, this new law had NOTHING to do with the tragic events that occurred with this private gun sale, gone horribly wrong.

I am sure that gun owners, and prospective buyers have been conducting deals like this, as long has there have been cars, and parking lots!  The vast majority of the time things like this do not happen.

This was just a very unfortunate accident. One responsible gun owners, myself included, feel could have been avoided.

I have chatted with many gun enthusiasts, and the general consensus is that Mr. Grubbs acted recklessly, and irresponsibly, and should be held accountable to for his negligence in the handling of a deadly weapon.

Before you make a reactionary demand that laws be changed, step back and take some time to understand how weapons have been bought, sold, and traded in Maine for generations without the need for background checks.

If you live in Maine, you own, or know somebody who owns firearms. You probably know somebody who has bought, sold, or traded firearms in a private deal with another person.

That is how many frugal folks get the best deal. Do some felons buy weapons in these types of transactions? OF COURSE THEY DO! How else would a felon obtain a weapon otherwise? Granted they could, and many do, steal them.

Preventing legal gun owners to buy/sell/trade firearms among each other will not prevent felons, and others who are not supposed to have them, from obtaining firearms.

It is not legal to buy/sale/trade heroin…How is that working out?

Doug Alley

About Doug Alley

I grew up in Bath, Maine in an upper lower class family with 3 step sisters, a step brother, and a little sister. After high school I spent 3 years serving in the USAF at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage AK. I've competed in, and won, demolition derbies. I've competed in, and never won, stock car races. I am the 47-year-old father of an 11-year-old boy who is pretty sure he is smarter than I ever was. We live on a little less than an acre of land in a 1973 mobile home in Stetson with my wife Jen, some cats, a few chickens, and rabbits, and a couple of goats. I hunt, fish, camp out, dabble in photography, gardening, and I cook in variable degrees of near success.