From Bad to Worse: Dem Candidate’s Photo Op Range Day Yields More Troubling Concerns

Democratic Senate candidate Lucas Kunce’s recent attempt to court gun owners in Missouri backfired spectacularly when one of the reporters covering the event was struck in the arm by shrapnel because Kunce and former congressman Adam Kinzinger were standing too close shooting at steel targets without a proper backstop. Now it seems there are even more troubling issues arising from the epic campaign fail.

Here’s a recap according to The Kansas City Star. The Oct. 22 event held on a range near Kansas City featured Kunce and Kinzinger firing handguns and an AR-15 at steel targets positioned dangerously close to the shooters. Experts in firearms safety noted that such close proximity—around 10 to 15 yards—posed a high risk. 

“It looked like they were way closer than they should have been if they were shooting steel,” said Steve Hendrick of Shield Firearms Training, who further cautioned that a cluttered shooting bench and lack of eye protection were evident safety missteps.

Kunce’s campaign responded to the incident by highlighting the presence of an NRA Training Instructor, although they refused to name the person. But when the Star dug a little deeper into the matter as any good journalistic news outlet should, they discovered Chad Everett Downs was the instructor. And here is where the other BIG issue arises: Downs is currently facing 17 counts of felony perjury related to a past child abuse case, according to Missouri court records. That suggests he shouldn’t even be in possession of all of those firearms, some or all of which may have been his according to unconfirmed reports. Downs insisted the shooting setup was safe and suggested the reporters had moved too close after being instructed to stay back. The article didn’t mention him saying anything about the shooters who, especially when failing to wear eye protection, should’ve also been farther back.

But these aren’t the only red flags; safety standards were reportedly compromised across the board. Hendrick and another firearms instructor raised concerns over the range setup, pointing out the lack of a dirt berm or sufficient backstop, making the scene more dangerous for ricochet and collateral shrapnel. Dave Kingsbury of PRS Tactical underscored the importance of a solid backstop when using high-powered weapons, especially in a public or media-filled setting, emphasizing, “One of the fundamental firearm safety rules is to always know your target and what’s beyond.”

The event’s planning and choice of location drew additional scrutiny when it was revealed that the range Downs maintained was part of a neighboring property, not his own, according to the Star. Downs reportedly displayed firearms at the event, although his ex-wife alleges he was prohibited from possessing weapons as a bond condition related to his perjury charges.

This photo op misfire, in a campaign already trailing incumbent Josh Hawley, opens a vulnerable flank for Republicans. Hawley and his team have since doubled down on mocking Kunce’s apparent lack of judgment, with Hawley himself questioning if the mishap was even reported to law enforcement, a requirement when any shooting-related incident occurs.

Cam Edwards of Bearing Arms criticized the campaign’s lack of vetting and disregard for basic gun safety. 

“Kunce intended for this event to show he’s not a typical gun-grabbing Democrat, but the stunt instead revealed a shocking disregard for actual gun safety and a staggering lack of vetting on the part of his campaign team,” he said. Edwards notes that the situation adds to Kunce’s woes in a state where he already lags significantly in polls and certainly won’t help him with the much-needed 2A crowd.

At the very least, the Kunce campaign’s questionable choice of Downs is a head scratcher, given all of the great firearms instructors out there. Or perhaps their first choice was Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, but they learned she’s still a little tied up since her stint as the armorer on the movie set of Rust.