Advertisement Neighbors 'heartbroken' by accidental fatal shooting of gun shop owner Participant discharged gun during CCW class Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The owner of a gun shop was killed after an accidental shooting during a concealed carry class Saturday afternoon, authorities said.Watch this storyThe class was in session at KayJay Gun Shop in Monroe Township.Yellow crime tape still blocked off part of the area Saturday night.Family members were emotional, crying and hugging each other close at the gun shop after the shooting."I seen like 15 sheriff's cars come, two ambulances, and I was waiting on the helicopter to come pick him up you know, but it didn't. And they put yellow tape around and I knew he was dead," neighbor Anita Fritz said.Clermont County sheriff's deputies said the shop’s owner, James Baker, 64, was killed by a weapon he showed others how to use safely.Investigators said Baker was shot in the neck while sitting in a nearby room as someone taking a CCW class practiced weapon malfunction drills.Attempts were made to revive Baker, but he was pronounced dead at 3:12 p.m. at the shop.Fritz said she is heartbroken."An accident like that, it's not, it's bad, just terrible for the family, so I feel very bad for them," she said.People who knew him called him Jim, a neighbor who went the extra mile to lend a hand and keep people safe."Sheriff's and the cops come in and out all the time cause they loved him, you know, everybody did. All the neighbors did. So it's a tragic thing that happened," Fritz said.Baker's gun shop offers a long list of training courses to teach people to use guns like rifles and pistols the correct way.Now, many in this tight-knit community say they are devastated knowing he won't be here to do that anymore."He's just a great guy, I mean, I can't believe it happened, it's hard to believe, just a really good guy," Fritz said. "I'm going to miss him because he was a good neighbor."We also talked with a man who lives just a few houses down from where it happened.He told us Baker gave him his very first job, calling him a great boss and friend.Investigators aren't saying what type of gun was used or if any charges will be filed.