Gun Instructor Shoots California Pastor During Training Session

** FILE ** In this file photo, guns line the walls of the firearms reference collection at the Washington Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Washington on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. The Supreme Court ruled T... ** FILE ** In this file photo, guns line the walls of the firearms reference collection at the Washington Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Washington on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. The Supreme Court ruled Thursday June 26, 2008 that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting, the justices' first major pronouncement on gun rights in U.S. history. The court's 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) MORE LESS
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A California pastor was shot earlier this month when his gun instructor switched his rubber training gun with his real handgun during a demonstration and shot the pastor in the waist, The Modesto Bee reported Monday.

The firearm accidentally discharged, a spokeswoman for the Modesto Police Department told the publication. The pastor is now going through physical therapy.

Tom Smith, a pastor at The House Modesto, attended a training session taught by Phillip Rushing on Dec. 5 at the Personal Protection Institute. Rushing spent the course with his training gun on his holster, but switched out the fake weapon for his real one toward the end of the class.

At one point a student asked the instructor to show the class how to defend against a knife attack. While Rushing was demonstrating, he drew his real gun and it discharged, according to the report.

Police have not charged Rushing but the case still could be forwarded to the district attorney’s office, the police spokeswoman told the publication.

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  1. Even with this the state topping my list of Gun Carelessness incidents for 2015 is

    TEXAS

    They were runner-up last year behind Florida.

  2. If only there had been a good gun instructor with a gun nearby to stop this bad gun instructor with a gun.

  3. Avatar for marby marby says:

    So . . . an expert certified in gun safety couldn’t handle his weapon in a routine situation. . . and the Donald Trumps of the world are certain they could use their guns effectively and heroically in the midst of a crisis. Sure they would.

  4. And so, the War on Christians continues…

  5. What if someone comes after you with a point-ed stick?

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