A YouTube star and former Army veteran suffered serious injuries after attempting to fire a rocket launcher in a video on the popular social media platform. The incident serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us that even experienced gun owners can become victims of their own equipment if it is not functioning properly.
Millions of gun enthusiasts tune into channels like Ballistic High-Speed to watch people like YouTuber Adam Knowles have all the fun. However, in a video shoot where Knowles and his team were testing a series of rocket launchers, things went haywire. The result was Knowles being rushed to the hospital with severe burns, dislocated bones, and other trauma.
In the video, Knowles and his team can be seen firing a variety of projectiles from different weapons. However, things took a dangerous turn as they demonstrated the devastating impact of standing directly behind one of these weapons during a blast. Using ballistic dummy humans as stand-ins, they showcased the destructive force of a Carl Gustaf M2 being fired with a dummy hand behind it. The sheer power and gases emitted caused the hand to separate from the dummy.
When it came time to fire the RPG-7 with a dummy head behind it, disaster struck. The weapon experienced a catastrophic failure, instantly sending Knowles to the ground and his team scrambling to offer medical assistance. The moment of terror can be seen at the 8:45 mark of the video, but the explosion was blurred out by Ballistic High-Speed in a later video.
Knowles was released from the hospital weeks later and shared his experience with the channel’s host Bryce Fritzel. In another video, Knowles pointed to his bandaged skin grafts and joked, “There was no attempt to catch myself. I’m instantaneously out.” Despite the terrifying incident, he remained in good spirits and expressed his intention to return to the channel to continue testing weapons.
However, the RPG-7 malfunction came with a hefty price tag. Knowles was left with a $300,000 hospital bill and has turned to the fundraising platform FundtheFirst for help. The campaign, which aims to raise $35,000, has already reached the halfway mark with $17,202 as of Sunday morning, EST.
The fundraiser explained that Knowles’ goal was to educate and entertain his audience about firearms, while also raising awareness about the potential dangers. In response, a donor commented, “I’m sorry it’s not a lot but your channel is truly amazing, and I hope you continue to recover.”
This incident serves as a reminder that while guns may be thrilling to shoot, they are not toys. The YouTubers may have done everything correctly to prevent the RPG-7 from malfunctioning, but the average gun owner can protect themselves by keeping their firearms clean and maintaining them properly. Neglecting these important safety measures can turn a simple handgun into a deadly hand grenade. So, before you pick up your firearm, make sure to clean and inspect it carefully to ensure a safe shooting experience for yourself and those around you.
Poor RPG production stds, poor QA
Scary
Shit happens and you have to deal with it when you play with extreme performance items. Safety and procedures are good but as the old saying goes, shit happens.
hope your healing well ! I’m just glad it was not worse ! I saw a lot of things happen in Nam and what worse can look like. so love what you do, you keep getting better keep you in our prayers, and god bless