Mora,MN : Hunter loses hand in rifle accident on November, Monday 20th 2017

Brian Albright of Blaine served 30 years in the Air National Guard with experience in Iraq and other war zones. He is a seasoned hunter well versed in gun safety. Despite his experience, the 58-year-old hunter lost his left hand this fall when he mishandled his hunting rifle.

The evening of Nov. 9, Albright had just come in from hunting on his property between Braham and Grasston. Albright walked into his hunting camper, and leaned his Remington 770, 30-06 caliber rifle in a corner. When he picked it up to unload it, he grabbed the top of the barrel with his left hand and lifted up.

The rifle fired.

“It turned my hand into hamburger,” Albright said. Despite the pain, gruesome sight and grief over the sudden loss of his hand, Albright was able to keep from panicking. He called his friend and renter of the property, Ron Coleman, who had left the property approximately 10 minutes earlier to go to work. Coleman immediately called 911 and headed back to the property, and helped tend to Albright until police and an ambulance arrived.

“Ron Coleman is the hero in this whole thing because he kept a level head,” said Albright.

A Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office deputy was the first to respond followed by the Braham First Responders. Albright was taken to a church parking lot in Braham where the North Memorial medical helicopter landed and took Albright to the Hennepin County Medical Center.

Due to the severity of the wound, all four fingers of his hand were amputated, but Albright was able to keep his thumb. After his wound heals, Albright will be fitted with a prosthetic.

Penni, Albright’s wife, is thankful she still had a husband —no matter how many fingers he has. “It was horrifying, but we are so blessed that it didn’t take his life,” she said.

Albright admits the accident was a stupid mistake that went against all his training and experience in gun safety.

“When it comes to safety, never, ever, be in a hurry,” Albright advised. “When you let your guard down and your thoughts are in a different direction, that is when an accident can happen.”

A change in lifestyle

Already, Albright is ready to move on with a new, changed life.

Source :
Hunter loses hand in rifle accident