The investigation is ongoing, with an official cause of death yet to be determined by Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
Despite taking requisite safety precautions, the range has had a deadly history. In June, a 64-year-old Burbank man and regular at the range shot himself to death at the range. And last year, a 25-year-old Glendale man used a rented handgun and ended his life inside the firing range. No other people were injured in those incidents.
At least 14 people have killed themselves this year in a city that is already grappling with a number of high profile suicides. About two dozen steel-lined booths, protected on either side, stretch across the facility, customers said. While patrons are permitted to bring their own handguns, those who opt to rent a weapon must purchase ammunition from the range.
Firearms and ammunition must be either full-metal jacket or completely lead bullets. Shooters are barred from using hollow-point, steel-core and semi-jacketed bullets and cannot load weapons while standing and facing the target.
Still, local businessman Dale Richards maintained that tragedies are bound to happen wherever guns and ammunition are readily available.
“It’s not pleasant,” said Richards, a tube bender and welder who works at 918 N. Lake St. “What can you do if someone is going to kill themselves?”
Richards and workers from neighboring shops stood outside as police detectives awaited the coroner’s arrival.
“This issue here is it’s a legitimate business. They’ve done a lot to prevent things from happening,” Merich said. “Some things you’re just not going to prevent.”
