GREENFIELD, Ind. -- One person has died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Greenfield gun range, according to police.
According to the Greenfield Police Department, the incident happened at Highsmith Guns Wednesday morning.
Police say there were people in the range at the time of the shooting, but no one else was hurt.
Investigators say it happened at 10:45 a.m. when a man in the gun range turned a firearm on himself, killing himself in front of customers and staff.
Police say to rent a gun at Highsmith Guns – or any gun range in Indiana – you only need an I.D. to prove you’re 18, and you need to sign a waiver.
Even if you’re suicidal or mentally ill, ranges like this wouldn’t know about it, because there’s no required background check.
Greenfield police say that may be the case, but right now they don’t even know whether this man rented a gun, or brought his own into the range.
Greenfield Police Captain John Jester says either way, there’s an even bigger lesson to be taking away from this case.
“The thing that people need to learn here is, to offer people help if somebody is displaying any indication that suicide is on their mind,” Capt. Jester said. “I think that’s the biggest thing we can learn, and I think as a society, we don’t necessarily pay attention to people. I am not saying this gentleman had any of (these circumstances). I can’t tell you that – I don’t know. But I think it’s important that we talk to people.”
Whether that would’ve prevented what happened Wednesday, we don’t know. But there’s an alarming statistic to consider: In 2013, more than 21,000 people killed themselves using guns. That’s half of all suicides in the country for that year.
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