accidental discharge
Gun goes off
Accidental discharge is the unintended firing of a weapon.
The term appears in gun safety discussions, police reports, and news accounts of shootings: The officer claimed an accidental discharge.
The phrase often draws skepticism—critics argue that careless handling, not accident, causes most such incidents.
Negligent discharge is the preferred term among those who reject the notion that guns fire themselves.
- misfireFailure to discharge
- gun safetyPractices preventing weapon accidents
- bulletFired metal projectile
- stray bulletUnintended gunshot hitting bystanders
- friendly fireAccidental attack on allies
bang · urinary incontinence · shock · trigger · hair trigger · safety off · loaded gun · oil spill · flash · barrel · ricochet · recoil · wound · smoke · fear · slip · grip · gasp
- gun safetygun safety, trigger discipline, safe storage, gun safe, trigger lock
- weapons crimesillegal possession, armed robbery, armed assault, gun trafficking, illegal sale
- violenceviolence, physical attack, brutality, physical violence, aggression
- gun malfunctionsjam, misfire, hangfire, squib, stovepipe
accident, accidental, accidentally, accidents, discharge, discharged, discharges, discharging, charge