Training Incident

[PegLeg45]

Some may have seen on FB about the range shooting in Texas during a training exercise. Sonny Puzikas, an instructor, was involved in the incident. It seems he went into a 'shoot house' and there was another instructor and student already in there. The other instructor was hit in the abdomen three times and the student was unharmed (but his laundry bill may go up).


Here is the detailed info from the owner of the range:

Hello,

My name is Len Baxley, and I am the Founder of the Texas Defensive Shooting Academy (TDSA), not to be confused with other TDSA’s. I started the original TDSA in Texas in 1995. The other TDSA firearm training organizations are located in Tulsa, Missouri, Kentucky and Canada. I trained them how to shoot, then taught them how to teach, then allowed them to use the “TDSA” name in a hand-shake business arrangement. With the exception of Kentucky, none of them are associated with me any longer, even though they still use the TDSA designation.

I am also the owner of the TDSA gun range, founded in 1995, located just outside the city of Ferris, Texas.

As many of you have already heard there was a tragic (non-fatal) accidental shooting at my range on Sunday, Nov. 4th 2012.

I have intentionally not commented on this incident for several reasons. I do not know if that decision has been a mistake or commenting now is the mistake.


I was not present when the incident occurred. I had just left the range. As range owner, Sonny Puzikas gave me his account of what happened. So in the interest of correcting the inaccurate information I will tell you his account and I will follow it up with my personal comments.

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AND HERE IS WHAT SONNY SAID TO ME:

“I was standing out front of the shoot house talking with students. I was taking some money and shaking hands and saying bye to students. I had heard the last shooter’s number called out, #41. (It seems that 41 was the last student that day) So I knew the last shooter was going inside to shoot. I heard the shooting stop. I did not hear shooting for a while. I finished saying good-bye so I decided to make a run in the house before I left. I made the statement, “I am going to do a run” and then I heard a person standing behind me respond to me saying, “OK” I did not turn around so I don’t know who said OK to me. I, wrongfully, assumed it was clear to go. I pulled my pistol out and set up and started coming around the corner like this. (Sonny then demonstrated to me how he did that, which was pieing the corner) I shot three quick shots at the far left target, then three quick shots at the far right target and then three quick shots at the close right target just inside the room. I then heard someone say, “You shot me” so I cleared my pistol and ran over and ask him where are you shot, he said, “the stomach” so I ran back out of the house and yelled for the trauma bags and to dial 911 and to ask for a helicopter. I then went back in to attend to Gene.
Gene was standing near the first target I shot at and was hit with all three rounds. He was hit once in the right hand, once in the right bicep, and twice in the lower abdomen. The student was also in the same room and bent down to check on Gene. Sonny said, I never saw them in the room.”

Points to emphasize:

*Gene was shot with the first three rounds fired. SO, he had NO warning and could not have yelled out or done anything once rounds started being fired.

*Gene was NOT in the second room, but instead in the first room.

*Sonny was not doing a failure drill and was not aiming at a head shot of a paper target or of course a person.

*Sonny, did announce his intent to shoot in the shoot house, and believed he was being given clearance to enter.

*The actual live fire training during the class was done one student at a time with an instructor holding onto the student’s belt.

*Sonny did then and still does accept responsibility for his actions resulting in Gene’s injuries.

*Very qualified medics, including a former Special Forces 18D Medic (now currently a Doctor in Private Practice) and an Army Medic with recent combat experience were ON scene during the class and treated Gene within minutes of the incident.

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Now for my personal comments, if anyone is interested in reading. I make these comments for several reasons: I have spent the better part of the day contacting news reporting agencies correcting in-accurate reporting. Mainlydue to “quoting” other reports. It seems NO ONE wants to take responsibility, but instead just keeps repeating, “We just want to get the story correct sir, so tell us the real story?” Of course after they got it wrong!!
So,for the current TDSA Range Instructors that have been wrongfully blamed for causing this accident in local and national news agencies and for TDSA Range members that have called to see how our range could “cause” such an accident I made this statement.

Gentlemen/Ladies, I have worked over 18 years to build the TDSA Range. A range that allows shooters the ability to shoot the way they want, without the stringent rules imposed like most other ranges. One shot every two seconds, no moving, no drawing and generally, NO FUN. Hopefully, TDSA range members realize we allow a lot of freedom on our range while trying to keep it as safe as possible, “GIVEN THE FREEDOM YOU ENJOY” The hard truth is freedom comes at a cost, to use a very true statement. For instance, the freedom to run and gun means someone might trip and fall and accidently discharge their firearm and hurt themselves or others. I think about this frequently as a range owner. I have to way everyone’s desire to utilize the “cool” things we have on our range with the possibility/probability of an accident occurring.
Just think about how many other ranges have a 40 ft. shooting tower, live fire street, live fire 200 yard city capable of 50 BMG. I think they are all very cool stuff but as proven even an experienced instructor made a small mistake that had grave consequences resulting in a life threatening injury.
To my Texas Defensive Shooting Academy Instructors, thank you for your discretion and professionalism in this matter. Your restraint shows character. I am proud to have you as instructors and friends. We have made a true difference in many lives: civilian, law enforcement and most recently military.


More at link:
http://soldiersystems.net/2012/11/14/statement-from-the-range-owner-regarding-the-recent-accidental-shooting/

[MikeBjerum]

I saw this yesterday or Tuesday, can't remember which, posted by a couple of instructors.  Lots to digest, but I am waiting for the investigation to finish before weighing in on details.  It happened at a good facility, so we will all be able to learn from this mistake.

[tombogan03884]

One suggestion would be a more positive method of insuring the shoot house, or similar ranges are clear.
Perhaps a 2 sided sign at the door, on entering each shooter , (or the instructor) flips it to "In use", and the final step of a trip through is to flip it back to "Clear".

[jnevis]

We had positive control measures on ours.  Only one instructor and student at a time and unless you had eyes on both coming out no one entered for any reason.  Before entering with a student, all staff and students were positively located by the instructor going in.  We brought no more than six students to the shoot house at a time, with three instructors.

Our local range has a small shoot house for IDPA/USPSA matches that remains locked except for matches with only the MDs and club BOD having a key.  The RO for that stage is responsible for being the last person out after a run is completed and no one is allowed past the start line, about twenty feet around the berm, unless with the RO.

[JoeG]

I suspect (no data) that the root cause here is more about an "off hours" relaxation of the rules than any inherent unsafe behavior during classes. It sounds like the instructor believed the class was over and so he could skip the "range is going hot" step that is required in all matches I have been at.

If I was investigating, I would look for other signs of "off hours casualness" among the staff and regulars.

Hard way to learn.

Sounds like a good, honest range.

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