Types[edit]

Accidental discharge[edit]

An accidental discharge (AD) occurs when there is a mechanical failure of the firearm. This can include things like firearms that do not have mechanisms to render them drop safe falling a sufficient distance,^[1] a firing pin stuck forward,^[2] a sear failing,^[3] or rounds heating sufficiently to spontaneously ignite in the chamber (as may happen in a closed bolt machine gun).^[4]

Negligent discharge[edit]

A negligent discharge (ND) is a discharge of a firearm involving culpable carelessness. In judicial and military technical terms, a negligent discharge is a chargeable offence. A number of armed forces automatically consider any accidental discharge to be negligent discharge, under the assumption that a trained soldier has control of his firearm at all times. This is the case in the United States Army,^[5] Canadian Army, the Royal Air Force, the British Army and various Police Forces within the United Kingdom.

From an article on a U.S. Air Force website:

Safety area

Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces

Notes[edit]

Forensic firearm examiners typically use more simplistic definitions limited to only two categories: unintentional discharge (no mechanical malfunction involved) and accidental discharge (mechanical malfunction involved).

DiMaio, Vincent J.M. (2002). (2nd ed.). CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-4200-4837-7.

Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques

Heard, Brian J. (17 August 2011). "4.7 Accidental Discharge". . John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-96477-3.

Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics: Examining and Interpreting Forensic Evidence

Hendrick, Hal W.; Paul Paradis; Richard J. Hornick (26 November 2007). . Human Factors Issues in Handgun Safety and Forensics. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-4200-6297-7.

"Chapter 2: Human Factors Causes of Unintentional Shootings"

Hueske, Edward E. (2016). "15: Officer-Involved Shootings". Practical Analysis and Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents. CRC Press. 978-1-4987-0766-4.

ISBN

Johnson, Brian R. (2007). . Looseleaf Law Publications. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-1-932777-30-7.

Crucial Elements of Police Firearms Training

O’Neill, J., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2016, November). . The Police Chief, 83, 14-15.

A behavior analysis of unintentional discharges

O’Neill, J., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2017). Toward a taxonomy of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Applied Ergonomics, 59(A), 283–292. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2016.08.013

O'Neill, J., Hartman, M. E., O'Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2018). Further analysis of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Applied Ergonomics, 68, 267-272. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2017.12.004

O’Neill, J., Hartman, M. E., O’Neill, D. A., & Lewinski, W. J. (2018, April). . The Police Chief, 85, 14-15.

The ABCs of unintentional discharges

O’Neill, J. (2018). Functional behavior assessment of the unintentional discharge of firearms in law enforcement. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38(4), 275-287. doi:10.1080/01608061.2018.1514348

Paulsen, J., (2017, March). . ConcealedCarry.com.