Grimsley killed in apparent gun cleaning accident

[1blindref]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7...ident?MSNHPHMA

Updated: February 7, 2008, 11:41 AM EST

Former Houston Oilers linebacker John Grimsley was found fatally shot in his suburban Houston home Wednesday, the apparent victim of a gun cleaning accident, an official said.

Fort Bend County Justice of the Peace Joel Clouser said that when Grimsley's wife, who was out of town, was not able to reach her husband Wednesday, she had a neighbor check on him. The neighbor found Grimsley's body on the floor in the dining area.

"It appears it may have been an accident," Clouser said. "He was in the process of cleaning his gun. It appears that he had his dinette table covered with newspapers and he had the tools out to clean the gun with."

Clouser ordered an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. Grimsley was 45.

The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office was set to perform the autopsy on Thursday, said John Florence, the office's chief investigator.

"I don't know all of the details at this point, but it is certainly terrible news," Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams Jr. said in a statement. "John was a fine player for us and part of the group that helped rebuild the Oilers into a perennial playoff team in the late '80s and early '90s."

Grimsley played 10 seasons in the NFL.

He was drafted by Houston in 1984 and played with the Oilers until 1990. In 1991, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins and stayed there until he retired in 1993.

He made the Pro Bowl in 1988 and was an All-Pro selection in 1989.

Grimsley was born in Canton, Ohio, and went to the University of Kentucky.

Grimsley is survived by his wife and two college-age sons.

[Aran]

Oh shit.

Guns DO kill people!

[1blindref]

Too bad
I hate reading about stories like this.
Sounds like he might have gotten complacent.
Thats why I always double and sometimes triple check my guns before cleaning them. You can never be too careful no matter how experienced you are.

[RandomTask]

Pro football players have gotta be some of the stupidest people... this was an accident, usually it's criminal.

[brian]

Oh shit.

Guns DO kill people!

i have a feeling that he might have pulled the trigger though.....

[sgt7546]

If any thing worthy comes out of this man's death, it should be to ALWAYS make sure the weapon is unloaded.

[str8shooter]

Many ex-NFLers can't adjust to life after football. No job, no money, no fame. Just a lot of pain, a big mortgage and hefty doctor bills. Some insurance policies pay double for an accidental death, most pay nothing for a suicide. I don't know anything about this guy, but he wouldn't be the first depressed retired pro athelete to have a fatal gun cleaning accident that happened while the family was away.

Just a thought.

[ungawa]

Very sad.

Yesterday I cleared an AR, put it on safe, hands on stocks, held it under a light so I could look down the barrel. It scared the crap outta me. I think I'm going back to taking the extra few minutes to pull it apart, I don't like that feeling.

All firearms have an imaginary, always-on laser coming out of their barrels in my mind. And when that laser crosses something of value the firearm discharges.

Shooting blanks at other people in the military took a little getting used to. Like walking on top of a water tower with no handrail - the brain seizes for a minute until it relearns the rules of the situation.

[sjl127]

Rule #1 of Firearm Safety-

MAKE SURE THE FUCKING THING'S UNLOADED. FUCK!

[sluggie24]

Is it just me or does this type of thing happen way too often??? When I was growing up my dad (ex Marine) taught me how to shoot and take care of firearms. He drilled it into my head so many times about gun safty and always knowing the status of your firearm that it is second nature to me. Even though I know from memory the current status of every firearm I own I always cycle a firearm 2 times after the mag is out with visual check to verrify there is no way it can be loaded. I only takes 5 seconds. Not hard to do.

It baffles me how careless some people can be.

Yes. I understand that not all people were raised that way but people don't get a license and a car without lessons. What makes them think they can just jump into firearms ownership? A little common sense goes a long way.

I actually wouldn't mind a law requiring a few hours of training (provided by a state/NRA venture) before a citizen could buy their first firearm.