Headline of the day Potato gun maims pianist

http://www.journalnet.com/news/local/article_2a5a8f0e-21d0-11e0-b2b5-001cc4c002e0.html

Potato gun maims pianist: Neighbor’s Scout training helpful during emergency

POCATELLO — Paul Dial attributes his training as an Eagle Scout in his youth for the calm and cool approach he exhibited following the potato gun explosion that severely injured his neighbor, Idaho State University student Derek Schaible, Sunday afternoon.

Dial said he was watching television when he heard the boom. “It was very loud. It shook the pictures on the wall,” said Dial. Running outside to the house next door, Dial heard a woman screaming and when he came upon Schaible and the woman, there was a pool of blood forming.

When Schaible turned to face Dial he was covering his mutilated right hand with his left hand, saying, "What have I done, what have I done."

Dial said that he also observed shrapnel wounds in Schaible's right leg and three fingers were missing, his little finger, ring finger and middle finger.

Dial told the woman to get a towel, a chair and to call the police. She told Dial that she didn’t have a phone so Dial ran home and told his wife to call 911.

Dial said that Schaible was bleeding profusely and was beginning to go into shock.

Dial said he wanted to keep him outside because the cold weather would stall the effects of shock.

Dial said that he held onto Schaible's arm and applied a tourniquet with his hands to stop the bleeding.

“I told him to keep his arm above his shoulder, to keep it above his heart,” said Dial.

Dial said that his training as an Eagle Scout taught him that “you just have to use your common sense. Determine what the situation is and then react.”

Schaible was rushed by ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition Sunday night following surgery.

The residents of the University Neighborhood at the corner of South 13th Avenue and East Lewis Street found their quiet on a rainy Sunday afternoon suddenly shattered by the percussive blast of the explosive device believed at first to be a pipe bomb but later determined to be a potato gun. Schaible had filled the gun with black powder and lit it, triggering the explosion, police said.

Jeannie Vahsholtz, who lives across the street from Schaible, said she and her daughter had just finished watching a movie when she heard a loud explosion. Vahsholtz thought it was a gunshot and described it as loud as a sonic boom.

“I looked out a window and I saw a man with a gun,” said Vahsholtz, “and then he put it down and walked between the house and the garage.”

Vahsholtz saw her neighbor, Dial, run out of his home to assist the man she later found out was Schaible.

Rick Ross and Bret Davis were watching the New York Jets-New England Patriots game on television when they heard the explosion.

“It was like an M-80,” said Ross. “We got up and observed the individual running around the side of the house holding his hand in the air.”

Davis said he saw a plume of smoke and Schaible was standing as if in a daze before he went around the side of the house.

Schaible is an Idaho State University student majoring in music performance, according to ISU's Web site. He was scheduled to play piano at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the nearby First United Methodist Church on Sunday night.

The Rev. Janie Gebhardt, minister of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, asked those in attendance at the MLK celebration to say a prayer for Schaible.

Gebhardt said that Schaible would often play piano at local church services. “I’m heart sick that this happened to such a talented young man,” said Gebhardt.

"...ya JACKWAGON!"

I Hope Mr. Scaible brings a civil suit against the "Potatoe Gun" !

Potato guns don't kill people. People kill people.

When they outlaw potato guns only criminals will have potato guns.
The article says that he is a Idaho State University student.
Does this mean that he has an endless supply of potatoes?
Are there just potatoes negligently lying around everywhere?

1988RedT2 wrote: Potato guns don't kill people. People kill people.

This sort of gun would appear to be the exception to the rule, "Guns don't kill, people do."

Schaible had filled the gun with black powder and lit it, triggering the explosion, police said.

Gunpowder in a potato gun? Either that is something way different from a normal potato gun, or we have a Darwin Award Honorable Mention here.

I always used nitro-methane in a spray bottle, 2 pumps was all it took.

"Look Ma, no hands".

Crap. I made a bunch of those over the years, ran them on butane and/or hair spray. I never considered black powder. Matt's got it right: Darwin Award.

Will the shooter be sent to a penal colony?

Chebbie_SB wrote: I Hope Mr. Scaible brings a civil suit against the "Potatoe Gun" !

Crap ! Mr. Schaible is SOL on the civil suit, he clearly disregarded conventional practices of propelling spuds at high rates of speed !

(My apologies for not reading the entire article - it was lunchtime here...)

MadScientistMatt wrote: Gunpowder in a potato gun? Either that is something way different from a normal potato gun, or we have a Darwin Award Honorable Mention here.

Agreed. Hairspray or starter fluid, not black powder.

Now now, folks. You couldn't use PVC, but a properly made blackpowder spud gun would rule.

I think that might turn into a mashed potato gun.

reminds me went to hunt camp guy had cut three fingers off with saw , he was studying to be a bartender in mexico . Other guy had sawed two fingers off years ago then he blew a hole through his hand during black powder .He will have to figure out how to wipe himself all over

I just have to laugh at the fact that the potato gun accident happened in Idaho.

I stepped up to the counter at a car parts store and an older guy waited on me. I glanced over at his young helper and noticed the white of his eye was blood red, the side of his face all scraped up and he had a bit of a shiner.

"Go ahead, tell him what asshat you are".

Seems the young man made a potato gun but the igniter blew out of the tube and the combustion blew out the hole and into the kid's face.

Ham 'n eggers I tell ya!

Real men shoot bowling balls.

I shot myself, point blank, in the face with one. It hurt.

Maybe it was a case of pianist envy.

Appleseed wrote: I shot myself, point blank, in the face with one. It hurt.

http://suicidehotlines.com/

They can probably teach you better ways to do it if that's really what you want...

Appleseed wrote: I shot myself, point blank, in the face with one. It hurt.

A potato gun, or a bowling ball gun? Either way, it would be a terrible thing to have to put on your tombstone.

914Driver wrote: Real men shoot bowling balls.

Gee. That doesn't look dangerous at all.

I wonder how far the recoil would push the handtruck if you fired it horizontally.

Re quoted so I can read it. The font on the original ran off the screen for me making about %20 of it not readable.

http://www.journalnet.com/news/local/article_2a5a8f0e-21d0-11e0-b2b5-001cc4c002e0.html Potato gun maims pianist: Neighbor’s Scout training helpful during emergency POCATELLO — Paul Dial attributes his training as an Eagle Scout in his youth for the calm and cool approach he exhibited following the potato gun explosion that severely injured his neighbor, Idaho State University student Derek Schaible, Sunday afternoon. Dial said he was watching television when he heard the boom. “It was very loud. It shook the pictures on the wall,” said Dial. Running outside to the house next door, Dial heard a woman screaming and when he came upon Schaible and the woman, there was a pool of blood forming. When Schaible turned to face Dial he was covering his mutilated right hand with his left hand, saying, "What have I done, what have I done." Dial said that he also observed shrapnel wounds in Schaible's right leg and three fingers were missing, his little finger, ring finger and middle finger. Dial told the woman to get a towel, a chair and to call the police. She told Dial that she didn’t have a phone so Dial ran home and told his wife to call 911. Dial said that Schaible was bleeding profusely and was beginning to go into shock. Dial said he wanted to keep him outside because the cold weather would stall the effects of shock. Dial said that he held onto Schaible's arm and applied a tourniquet with his hands to stop the bleeding. “I told him to keep his arm above his shoulder, to keep it above his heart,” said Dial. Dial said that his training as an Eagle Scout taught him that “you just have to use your common sense. Determine what the situation is and then react.” Schaible was rushed by ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition Sunday night following surgery. The residents of the University Neighborhood at the corner of South 13th Avenue and East Lewis Street found their quiet on a rainy Sunday afternoon suddenly shattered by the percussive blast of the explosive device believed at first to be a pipe bomb but later determined to be a potato gun. Schaible had filled the gun with black powder and lit it, triggering the explosion, police said. Jeannie Vahsholtz, who lives across the street from Schaible, said she and her daughter had just finished watching a movie when she heard a loud explosion. Vahsholtz thought it was a gunshot and described it as loud as a sonic boom. “I looked out a window and I saw a man with a gun,” said Vahsholtz, “and then he put it down and walked between the house and the garage.” Vahsholtz saw her neighbor, Dial, run out of his home to assist the man she later found out was Schaible. Rick Ross and Bret Davis were watching the New York Jets-New England Patriots game on television when they heard the explosion. “It was like an M-80,” said Ross. “We got up and observed the individual running around the side of the house holding his hand in the air.” Davis said he saw a plume of smoke and Schaible was standing as if in a daze before he went around the side of the house. Schaible is an Idaho State University student majoring in music performance, according to ISU's Web site. He was scheduled to play piano at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the nearby First United Methodist Church on Sunday night. The Rev. Janie Gebhardt, minister of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, asked those in attendance at the MLK celebration to say a prayer for Schaible. Gebhardt said that Schaible would often play piano at local church services. “I’m heart sick that this happened to such a talented young man,” said Gebhardt

.

Black powder? really?

I can't really muster a lot of sympathy for anyone who does something so utterly stupid. This coming from someone who believes strongly "There's nothing you can do with a can of triple-F black powder and a roll of 3/32" cannon fuse that isn't fun".

I've got a design for a compressed-air potato gun that'll shoot a core of potato about 1/4 mile - repeatably and safely.

Short clip of the "Turbo-spud 9000"

stuart in mn wrote:

Appleseed wrote: I shot myself, point blank, in the face with one. It hurt.

A potato gun, or a bowling ball gun? Either way, it would be a terrible thing to have to put on your tombstone.

Bowling ball gun. I'm typing this from beyond the grave. Don't make me haunt you.