As the Telegraph reports, seventeen people have been injured, including a child left in a critical condition, after French soldiers fired live bullets instead of blanks during an open day display. No explanation was immediately forthcoming for why the wrong ammunition was loaded into weapons. This completely preventable tragedy underscores the need for everyone, even member of the armed forces, to follow the basic rules of gun safety.
There seems to be an ongoing trend, where some police and military members are lulled into a false sense of security, insofar as their firearms are concerned. This would explain incidents such as this, gun thefts from police officers, etc. In each case, the people who should be at the forefront of safe and responsible gun storage and use have ended up committing some of the most basic errors. I hope this tragic event serves as a wakeup call for those whose occupations involve guns.