Re: Auto accident versus collision; I was wrong

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

. . .

The year I joined the USSS, they announced a policy change with regard to
firearms. All mentions of 'accidental discharge' of a firearm were replaced
with 'negligent discharge'. Because there's no way a gun can just go off
accidentally. It's physically impossible. The only way a gun goes off
unintended is through negligence. It puts the responsibility for the discharge
squarely on the person holding the gun.

I can think of an obvious example in which an accidental discharge wouldn't
be negligent: You're already in a firefight. You've aimed and your finger
is on the trigger. Before you are able to shoot, the enemy shoots and
strikes you, causing you to discharge your now mis-aimed weapon. That's
an accident. Hopefully you haven't caused collateral damage to an
innocent human being but there's no negligence.

. . .