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Friday, March 29, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Parents Blame Suicide on $10 Rented Gun

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CN) - An Orange County shooting range rented a .45 caliber handgun to a woman and let her walk out the door and kill herself with it, her parents claim in court -- and they say it's not the first time it's happened there.

The parents claim it's at least the third time the center rented a gun used for suicide or violence.

On-Target Indoor Shooting Range left 34-year-old Brooke Morrison "totally unattended" on the range after renting her the gun, then let her walk out the door with it in her purse, her parents Brian and Terri Pfahler say in Orange County Court.

Morrison then called her boyfriend and told him "she had a gun and intended to kill herself" and she did, though her boyfriend immediately called emergency personnel, according to the July 9 lawsuit.

The Pfahlers claim that a range employee knew their daughter had never visited the place before, had never fired a gun, and was not in the military or law enforcement.

Orange County Sheriff's officers found Morrison dead in her car.

They also claim that the gun range had previously rented guns to at least two people who used them to kill themselves or commit "other violent acts." Simple precautions, such as not renting to solo shooters, could have prevented this, the Pfahlers say.

They seek damages for premises liability, negligence, loss of consortium and economic losses, including funeral and burial expenses.

They are represented by Joseph Lovretovich, of Woodland Hills, who could not be reached for comment Monday.

The On-Target Indoor Shooting Range also could not be reached for comment.

On-Target's home web page, checked Tuesday, advertises rental guns: "(F)or the small fee of $10 you have access to over 80 guns from the biggest companies in the business - We only require that you use our ammunition in our guns."

A disclaimer at the bottom of the 1-page Standard Rates page states: "Our industry standard insurance policy does not allow us to rent firearms to solo shooters that are not members or do not have a firearm in their possession when they arrive at the range. If you do not own a gun you need to bring a 'buddy' with you in order to access the rental board. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may create."

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