The pertinent quote:
"He believed it to be a starter's pistol" filled with blanks, O'Rourke said. "There was no forethought. It was a mistake."
Emphasis mine.
Not like any of the Masons I know. Not like any of the serious shooters I know either.
The local gun club has a rule about pointing guns at people, even right after they've been checked to make sure that there's no clip and no bullet in the chamber. It begins "Thou shalt not"...
Regards--
Mary Anne