Suicide at NASCAR race

[Hum]

The death of a man in the infield of Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday night during the Sprint Cup Series NRA 500 has been ruled a suicide from a gunshot to the head, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office.

The incident happened late in the race when Kirk Franklin, 42, of Saginaw, Texas, apparently got into an argument with other campers. Track spokesperson Mike Zizzo said Saturday night that the incident happened "in or around a pickup truck" in the infield.

Firearms were prohibited by Texas law from being brought in to the track by fans. The NRA's sponsorship of the race came under scrutiny when it was announced earlier this year after Michael Waltrip ran a Sandy Hook benefit car at the Daytona 500 encouraging fans to text to give to Newtown, Conn. It was the NRA's first Sprint Cup Series sponsorship; it sponsored the Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speeedway in September.

As is custom for all race sponsors, the NRA was offered the chance to buy the premium ad package from Fox Sports that would include commercial time, sponsor mentions and graphics with the race name. The NRA declined, and thus the race was presented without a sponsor on in-race graphics and the Fox broadcast mentioned the title sponsor once an hour. Earlier in the week, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy (D) wrote a letter to Fox to ask the network not to broadcast the race.

The NRA's sponsorship met and passed all NASCAR guidelines for sponsorship approval, but the sanctioning body said on Friday that it would take a closer look at other factors when going through its standard sponsorship approval process moving forward.

source

[Elessar]

Suicide by gun at a race sponsored by the NRA...oh the irony.

On a more serious note, obviously this is very tragic, but at the same time, it clearly shows that we need better background AND mental checks for gun owners. Also, this apparently happened in the infield, which means security failed at preventing this.

[ShareShiz]

got into an argument with other campers

and then commited suicide :|

[Elessar]

and then commited suicide :|

Without knowing more information, I'm guessing alcohol was involved? The whole point of the infield is you park your camper, enjoy some cold ones, and watch the race with friends.

[COKid]

Suicide by gun at a race sponsored by the NRA...oh the irony.

On a more serious note, obviously this is very tragic, but at the same time, it clearly shows that we need better background AND mental checks for gun owners. Also, this apparently happened in the infield, which means security failed at preventing this.

Why is it tragic? For his family and friends maybe, but he made the choice to end his life. He was a big boy, 42 years old, and so was old enough to do what he wanted. We should all be able to determine our own destiny here on Earth. He chose his.

At least he didn't go on a rampage before his shot himself.

[Hum]

Suicide by gun at a race sponsored by the NRA...oh the irony.

On a more serious note, obviously this is very tragic, but at the same time, it clearly shows that we need better background AND mental checks for gun owners. Also, this apparently happened in the infield, which means security failed at preventing this.

Background checks are not going to identify the majority of people who will ultimately misuse a gun.

(note: I am not saying to not do any checks.)

Many thousands seem to be sane and healthy for decades, then something snaps.

This is really unpredictable.

There is no S.M.A.R.T. drive test for people. ;)

[xendrome]

and then commited suicide :|

Yeah sounds fishy to me...

[Ghost5525]

Suicide by gun at a race sponsored by the NRA...oh the irony.

On a more serious note, obviously this is very tragic, but at the same time, it clearly shows that we need better background AND mental checks for gun owners. Also, this apparently happened in the infield, which means security failed at preventing this.

While we do need to address the mental health issue here in this country - clearly if he owned a gun his record was clean enough to get one. Expecting security to be right 100% of the time simply isn't possible.

[Growled Member]

The NRA's sponsorship met and passed all NASCAR guidelines for sponsorship approval, but the sanctioning body said on Friday that it would take a closer look at other factors when going through its standard sponsorship approval process moving forward.

I don't see how this suicide is their fault.

[Gerowen]

Why is it tragic? For his family and friends maybe, but he made the choice to end his life. He was a big boy, 42 years old, and so was old enough to do what he wanted. We should all be able to determine our own destiny here on Earth. He chose his.

At least he didn't go on a rampage before his shot himself.

Yeah, but having witnessed suicides before, I think it's a pretty stupid decision, and it's really inconsiderate to do it in a public place like that where other people and their families have to see it and clean it up. If you want to shoot yourself just go off in the woods somewhere, dig your own grave and crawl into it and shoot yourself in the head, you'll save somebody's kid a horrible and traumatic memory.

[+Raze Subscriber²]

It might be safe to say that suicidal people are not exactly thinking rationally at the time, so to chide them for not performing their suicide in a more appropriate manner is ludicrous. And trying connect the NRA and his suicide is ridiculous, no matter how witty anyone thinks they are. Only the person committing the act of suicide knows the reasons why. As BlueScreen stated, security knowing and preventing 100% of the time is impossible.

My sympathies to his family and friends.

[I am Reid]

While we do need to address the mental health issue here in this country - clearly if he owned a gun his record was clean enough to get one. Expecting security to be right 100% of the time simply isn't possible.

Im not sure what the rules are like in texas, but here in ohio they are pretty damn open. As long as im over 18 and no felonies I can walk in and buy a gun anytime anywhere here in ohio, and open carry is completely legal here too, I saw a guy at target the other day with a handgun strapped to his leg, it was kind of odd though.

[Ghost5525]

Im not sure what the rules are like in texas, but here in ohio they are pretty damn open. As long as im over 18 and no felonies I can walk in and buy a gun anytime anywhere here in ohio, and open carry is completely legal here too, I saw a guy at target the other day with a handgun strapped to his leg, it was kind of odd though.

It's similar to that here in Arkansas except open carry hasn't been passed yet. You still have to have a concealed carry permit in order to walk around in public with any weapon.