A Facebook post from the Vancouver-based Canadian Tactical Cowboy Supplies identified him as Dr. Richard Cho, an experienced competition shooter and an International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC)-certified “Black Badge” instructor.
“Today the B.C. shooting community mourns the loss of a shining star,” the business said on its Facebook page alongside a photograph of Cho. “(He) was a husband, healer, athlete, teacher, student and all-around great guy.
Cho, whose name has not been officially released by authorities, was 50, according to a local RCMP spokesperson.
“There was nothing suspicious in the death so the case is now with the Coroner’s office,” said Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Jodi Shelkie in an email Monday. She said police responded around 1 p.m. Sunday.
“A man who had been participating in a pistol competition had lost control of his firearm and accidentally fired a shot into his torso,” an RCMP statement said. “Witnesses administered first aid immediately and the victim was transported to Royal Inland Hospital by BC Ambulance.
“Unfortunately, the man succumbed to his injury soon after.”
The accident occured at the Kamloops Target Sports Shooting Complex, an outdoor range that was hosting an IPSC qualifier competition this weekend, according to the non-profit group operating the complex.
Ambulance crews “responding to the gun range north of the prison for a gun shot wound to the chest,” according to Kamscan, an emergency services scanner observer on Twitter, shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Kamloops Target Sports Association requires all members to take a safety orientation course and abide by a nine-page safety policy, to “ensure that all shooters become familiar with the Club rules of safe shooting,” the policy states.
“Safety in the use of firearms — on and off our ranges — is the most important aspect of our club and our sport,” the Association stated on its website. “We strictly enforce all aspects of safety at all times at our ranges and at our events.”
According to the IPSC’s B.C. chapter, to become a Black Badge instructor as Cho was would require “an extensive training course” and completing a qualifier competition.
“The emphasis of the Black Badge course is safety,” IPSC B.C. states on its websited. “Recognizing this, many other clubs and organizations use the Black Badge course as their standard for training.”