Whether or not it was a true AD (mechanical failure) the only reason anyone got hurt was because it wasn't pointed in a safe direction. I once had one of my M16's malfunction an empty an entire 30 round mag when I chambered the first round. It was pointed downrange, so I just hung on, let it it run dry while pointed downrange and no one got hurt.


It was a blown primer cup lodged between the hammer and trigger that caused that malfunction btw.