The investigation report of the fatal gun incident released on the official website of Yueyanglou district of Yueyang, Central China's Hunan Province.

An official investigation report released by the local emergency management bureau in Yueyanglou district of Yueyang, Central China’s Hunan Province, has laid bare a catalogue of grave safety breaches at a commercial shooting range, stemming from a catastrophic accidental discharge in July 2023 that claimed the life of a 17-year-old part-time range safety instructor. The report also outlines proposed criminal charges against two individuals and sweeping administrative penalties targeting the non-compliant venue.

Released by the local emergency management authority of the Yueyanglou district on June 17, the full probe report chronicles the fatal incident that occurred at 13:41 on July 22, 2023, leaving one fatality and generating direct economic losses exceeding 1.8 million yuan.

Three people, surnamed Liu, Li and Chen, visited the shooting venue that afternoon to experience live-fire shooting. Two club safety instructors, including the victim Du, loaded three sport revolvers and secured the weapons onto safety chains at booth 3, 4 and 5 before guiding the visitors to their respective shooting positions.

Du stayed close behind Liu at Booth 3 to walk him through firing a revolver with serial number 1226120872. As instructor Du kept talking to give real-time guidance, Liu sought to hear clearer by removing his noise-cancelling earmuffs with one hand while still gripping the gun with the other. When he tried to put the headphones back on, he lost his hold on the gun.

The weapon’s wide trigger guard prevented the safety chain from fully locking the firearm in place. After slipping from Liu’s grasp, the revolver spun roughly 120 degrees backward and upward around the chain and went off. The bullet struck Du in the head.

Club staff rushed the wounded Du to hospital for emergency treatment. Doctors diagnosed severe traumatic brain injury that made surgical treatment impossible. Du died at around 11 am on July 24, 2023. The venue reached a compensation deal with Du’s bereaved family on July 23, paying a total of 1.8 million yuan as settlement for the tragedy. 

Jiupai News previously reported that Du was a vocational high school student taking a summer part-time job at the club, just a short while away from turning 18.

Investigators sorted out direct and indirect root causes behind the lethal misfire. The investigation report listed two direct violations triggered the fatality. 

For one, Du’s unstandardized on-site operation created unnecessary risks. He cocked the revolver’s hammer to put the gun in a ready-to-fire state without delivering mandatory pre-shooting training covering operational essentials and safety rules. Instead of retreating behind the bulletproof barrier as industry regulations required, he lingered behind the guest and chatted continuously, distracting Liu and contributing to the gun slip. 

For another, the venue’s shooting facilities failed to comply with national public security standard GA1798—2021. The safety chains could not limit firearms within the safe rotational angles specified in the code due to design flaws.

Systemic management loopholes constituted indirect causes. According to the investigation report, the club ignored the high risks and professional thresholds for safety posts: Du only received three days of cursory training before being assigned to supervise live-fire sessions, leaving him ill-equipped with professional safety expertise. 

In addition, the venue flouted entry management rules. It skipped mandatory identity checks and alcohol tests for the three visitors, as Liu had consumed alcohol before arriving, and provided no basic safety training before allowing them to handle loaded firearms.

Two parties face criminal liability over the accident. Li, the club’s legal representative, and visitor Liu have both been placed under police investigation on suspicion of the crime of major liability accident. Both are currently released on bail pending trial.

The shooting club faces severe administrative sanctions for failing to fulfill its core work safety obligations. Investigation report noted the club’s superficial safety training, vague management division and long-term neglect of hidden danger inspection and rectification. It suggested public security organs revoke its shooting range operation permit and market regulators cancel its business license, ordering the venue to shut down permanently in accordance with the law.


Global Times