FORT MYERS, Fla.-- Two men are recovering tonight after a mishap outside a Lee County gun show. A gun owner accidentally shot himself in the hand and another man in the foot in the parking lot of the Lee Civic Center.
No charges are being filed, but the incident is raising questions about how these events are monitored and permitted.
"If you're going to host anything, just like us here we control our environment, we control our parking lot. They need to do the same," said Fowler Firearms and Gun Range store manager Jon Dezendorf.
Fowler Firearms and Gun Range said they typically know when a traveling gun show is in town because of the amount of people who stop by the store. However, the store manager believes anyone who sells a firearm should have an FLL, or federal firearms license along with a store front. But he also understands the draw to attending a show like the Florida Gun Shows event held in Fort Myers over the weekend.
"There's just a lot of firearms there, so there's generally more to look at," said Dezendorf.
There may be more to look at, but fewer regulations such as not having to be a licensed dealer to sell a gun. Fowler Firearms said unfortunately this can sometimes lead to carelessness like improperly handling a firearm.
"If at anytime you neglect any of the firearm safety rules, anything can happen," said Dezendorf.
Fox 4 reached out to Florida Gun Shows, the company which hosted the event to find out if they plan to make any safety changes for future shows. An employee told Fox 4 over the phone they aren't responsible for anything that happens outside of a show and will continue to have a security guard at the door to check all guns before entering.
