A man guarding a so-called ‘Muslim-free’ gun range in the US has accidentally shot himself, it has been reported.
Salon reports that the man, who has not been named, was part of a group of volunteers who were stationed outside Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear to uphold the proprietors’ new policy of denying Muslims entrance.
In a Facebook post, the company confirmed the incident and asked patrons to keep them in their prayers.
They said: “As [the man] bent over, his weapon fell from a malfunctioning chest holder and went off when it hit the floor.”
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The store owner, who would not reveal his name, confirmed he had recently erected signs outside the property saying Muslims were not welcome as patrons.
He denies accusations he is Islamophobic and told local reporters he has “nothing against Muslims”.
He said: “I am a combat veteran, I will fight to the death for someone’s right to practice whatever religion they want to. I’m not here because of that. I’m here because when people start resorting to violence, we can’t allow that.”
Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson said he was not surprised the man had accidentally shot himself.
He compared the guards to the Clampetts family from American sitcom Beverly Hillbillies: “I saw several of those gentlemen out there yesterday. The way they were holding their weapons, with the fingers on the triggers, you can tell a couple of these gentlemen have no idea about weapons safety. It’s like the Clampetts have come to town.”
The store owner said the sheriff’s description was inaccurate and part of a smear campaign to “paint us as ignorant hillbillies.”
