They are absolutely using the outcome to work backwards and make a judgement about his risk assessment IMO. They're treating it like he intentionally pulled the gun out and dropped it on the sofa. Recklessness is defined as knowingly disregarding risk. What he actually did was closer to negligence, which makes him civilly liable but is nowhere near the threshhold for criminal negligence.
He's being made an example of.
He's being made an example of.