In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
A 17-year-old Utah high school student died Saturday after firing a prop gun at his own head while rehearsing for a play. Authorities say the boy, whose name has not been released, died from head injuries. The pistol was found in the student’s hands. There were no bullets in the gun, but the gas it fires to create the gunshot sound has the same energy at close range as a bullet.
The boy was alone in the sound booth when the cast of the play “Oklahoma!” heard a gunshot. “All I heard was screaming, and someone saying call 911,” a witness said. Most people inside the theater were crying when police arrived.
The incident echoes the tragic death of actor Brandon Lee, son of famous martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. Brandon died on set while filming the movie “The Crow.” A stage prop gun had one real cartridge loaded because of an unnoticed malfunction. When the gun was fired at Brandon as part of the movie, the bullet hit and killed Lee.
