The Slatest

Five Injured in Accidental Shootings at Gun Shows on “Gun Appreciation Day”

Abby and Emily play with the toy guns in their gift bags provided by organizers of a pro-gun rally in Olympia, Wash.

Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images

As thousands of pro-gun activists held rallies across the United States on Saturday, accidental shootings at three different guns shows illustrated the obvious: Being around lots of people carrying firearms can be a tad dangerous. The Associated Press compiles the reports from North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio.

In Raleigh, a shotgun went off when the owner was taking it out of its case at a security checkpoint, injuring three people. In Indianapolis, a 54-year-old man appears to have accidentally shot himself in the hand as he was leaving a gun show. And in Ohio, a dealer was checking out a purchase when he pulled the trigger by accident and injured his friend. Although he had removed the magazine from the weapon, a round remained in the chamber.

Meanwhile, thousands of pro-gun advocates gathered in state capitals to “send a loud and clear message to Congress and President Obama” against gun control. Organized by a Washington, D.C.-based Republican consulting firm called Political Media, the rally came days after President Obama unveiled new proposals for gun control. The “Gun Appreciation Day” is modeled after the “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day” of last summer, when thousands lined up for chicken sandwiches to show their opposition to marriage equality, reports CBS News.