Paging Col. Jeff Cooper: Jasmine Hartin edition UPDATED

“I don’t remember ever touching that trigger on the gun so I don’t know what happened, to be honest,” Hartin, whose ex-husband is the son of billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft, said in the interview, an excerpt of which was published by the Sun.

— Jasmine Hartin: I don’t recall ‘touching’ trigger that killed Belize top cop

Ms Hartin is the ex-daughter in law of some important person in England. Wealthy too. She shot an important cop [claiming it happened] while attempting to clear her firearm. Channeling her inner Alex she [says she] didn’t even touch the trigger. It must be a faulty firearm that magically went off at just the right moment.

I’ve had ONE negligent discharge. I was attempting to lower the hammer on a Marlin lever action with a scope and hammer extension. Live round in the chamber but pointed down range. My thumb slipped off the hammer extension and the hammer struck the firing pin causing the rifle to go off.

My normal method of lowering the hammer on a live round is to put my left thumb under the hammer, holding the hammer back with my right thumb, releasing the hammer (pulling/touching the trigger) and lowering the hammer to my left thumb then getting my thumb out of the way and continuing to lower the hammer. With the Merlin with scope I couldn’t comfortably get my left thumb into place and so “bang”.

This is why we have the four rules and why we follow them. If you think there is an exception for following the four rules rethink your position. These rules save lives. Failing to follow them might mean you are on trial for unintentional homicide.

1. All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target.
4. Identify your target, and what is behind it.

We have tweaked those rules. If I’m handed a firearm, it is loaded. If I’ve confirmed that the firearm is indeed unloaded. Then I’m willing to treat the weapon as if it is unloaded, within limits. I still won’t point it at anything I’m not willing to destroy. So I will dry fire a firearm that I’ve confirmed to my satisfaction is indeed unloaded. But it will be pointed in a safe direction when I pull the trigger.

Regardless, know the rules, follow them, be safe.

Updated to show the version of accidental/negligent discharge is her claim. I don’t know anything about this case outside of her reported claims.