3yo shoots father, kills him

[bwframe]

I kind of agree it'd be nice to have some sort of idiot test for gun ownership...

How 'bout we try parenthood first?

 

[RobbyMaQ]

How 'bout we try parenthood first?

+1 Can't argue with THAT!

 

[rgrimm01]

This is no doubt a tragic case. I would ask for how long have gun locks been in existence? What on earth did people do before gun locks? I grew up in a household with several guns during a time when gun safes and locks were not commonplace if even available. This household was not unique in any way and was representative of the community. There were no accidents or killings out of anger. We survived without incident. How can this be explained?

If people are going to have guns to defend or provide for themselves and/or their families, that is their constitutional right. The only idiot test is if they and theirs survives without justifiable injury to others. Period. If one is advocating legislation to fix this, how far are you willing to go? Chances are if they fail this test, they will fail others as well. Should they be placed in bubble wrap to protect them and those around them? How about a commune? Gulag?

It seems to me that we cannot people proof the planet, nor have we been charged to do so...

It also seems to me that "they" eventually includes the "we"...

 

[bcskypilot]

Saw this last night on the news. Very sad.

 

[Drakkule]

I bought a handgun that i let my grandmother keep at her house for "protection", she couldn't pull the stock trigger. We talk all the time about trigger pull on here, am i the only one that thinks a 3 year old might have a problem pulling a trigger? If it had been lightened, then i can see it, but if not, mom, or someone else there, might have "helped" the 3 year old pull the trigger.

 

[MikeDVB]

My question is, why was this 3 year old not being supervised? Sure, the gun should have been put up/locked/out of reach/[insert whatever gun-safety term you wish here] but if this child had been properly supervised, would this have happened at all?

I mean, unless the gun was sitting on the table in front of him or something like that and the kid in the process of picking it up fired off a round? Even still - in that situation - WTF would you leave a gun within the reach of a small child (or, really, anybody but yourself)?

 

[goColt]

When my children were young, my guns were locked up except for the ones on my person.

Guns should not be left around unattended.

Sad situation.

This. Rep inbound.

The only thing I would add is regardless of if there are young children around, any guns that are not on your person should be locked up.

NRA Gun Safety Rules:
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

And

When using or storing a gun, always follow these NRA rules:
- Know your target and what is beyond.
-Know how to use the gun safely.
-Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
-Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
-Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
-Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.
-Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
-Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

 

[Pyriel]

this is just sad news
makes guns look bad

How does it makes guns look bad? Their primary purpose is to kill, and it accomplished just that. Even though the outcome wasn't the most favorable, the gun held up it's end of the deal. If anything it should serve as yet another reminder to negligent parents, friends, and family of what "could" happen given proper conditions, more that it should shine a negative light on firearms.

 

[Pyriel]

I bought a handgun that i let my grandmother keep at her house for "protection", she couldn't pull the stock trigger. We talk all the time about trigger pull on here, am i the only one that thinks a 3 year old might have a problem pulling a trigger? If it had been lightened, then i can see it, but if not, mom, or someone else there, might have "helped" the 3 year old pull the trigger.

That depends on the gun and the condition it was stored in, I myself had a heck of a time pulling the 9lb d/a trigger on a keltec p-11. but at the same time can let lead fly seemingly without applying pressure to the trigger on a sig p228 when it's cocked and single action ready.

 

[Fixer]

Massad Ayoob has a good book called, Gun proof your Kids. It isn't enough to keep the guns away from them as yours might not be the only one they ever come into contact with. We as gun owners should educate our kids so this does not happen at our house or at a friends house.

I have an 8 year old daughter who shoots a .22 rifle with me at the range. We have had extensive talks about safe handling of her rifle. I also have let her handle my handguns(unloaded) and talked about how to handle them to. She informed me during one of our talks that it was too heavy for her to shoot. I agreed and told her when she was a little bigger I will let her shoot them.

Unless your child never stays over at a friends house then educating them is the best way to keep them safe.

 

[daddymikey1975]

Acording to the article, the prosecutor has not determined whether charges will be pressed or not. Who are they going to charge, the three year old or the dead father?

The mother ? I mean, in all seriousness, she might be playing a part in this as being just as irresponsible. If I were a felon and my wife went to a gun shop and purchased a gun, she would not be allowed to have it in the house because I would be 'in possession' (kinda)... maybe mom is on the hook ?? (obviously she's going through quite a bit of trauma as well)..

Just sayin'

Massad Ayoob has a good book called, Gun proof your Kids. It isn't enough to keep the guns away from them as yours might not be the only one they ever come into contact with. We as gun owners should educate our kids so this does not happen at our house or at a friends house.

Rep inbound for you sir. This is a good idea. My 9 year old goes shooting with me quite often and he tells me that his friend Nate's dad has a couple guns.. We've talked about them before and Nate's dad has never allowed my son to even see them (they are locked up in a safe as far as he's said). I'm going to pick up this book and check it out.

 

[tstormdrums]

Questionable

I can't hep but thing there is more to this story that we are hearing. I for one agree that it would be VERY hard for a 3 year old to get a grip around a 45 for one thing, even a single stack. But, assuming the 3 year old is big for their age I will let that one go.

That being said, I find it difficult to believe they would have enough strength to pull the trigger far enough to fire a DA only auto or even a striker fired auto. The only way I can see this happening would be if the idiots had left the firearm out in the open in condition one (and with the safety off if it had a safety). I think there needs to be a HUGE amount of investigation to be done on this one and shame on the media to immediately blame the gun on this one. They are already salivating on the "This sheds new light on gun safety" angle when it should be on either extreme stupid parenting or, what I feel, should be a murder investigation.

 

[williamsburg]

I can't hep but thing there is more to this story that we are hearing.

But the story will end here. They have what they want. A gun left out for a kid to get ahold of and someone shot and killed. Regardless of how it comes out, unless it was just outright murder, there will be no update to this story. How many times has a story like this come up and fizzled out. The general media got what they wanted. A story about an evil gun and an innocent child. Nevermind the lack of responsibility involved with the parents for leaving a gun for a child to access, it was the gun's fault. Well that's what the anti's would lead you to believe anyways.

Prayers to the families involved. I cannot imagine having to go thru this and would hope that I do not ever go thru such a tragedy.

 

[NYFelon]

How does it makes guns look bad? Their primary purpose is to kill, and it accomplished just that. Even though the outcome wasn't the most favorable, the gun held up it's end of the deal. If anything it should serve as yet another reminder to negligent parents, friends, and family of what "could" happen given proper conditions, more that it should shine a negative light on firearms.

It doesn't make guns look bad, per se. What it does is provide more, fresh, and extremely dramatic propaganda ops for the grabbers. So and so owned a gun and his 3 year old got a hold of it and killed so and so. We need more gun laws.

extro
image:small child with gun [fade to black, sound of gunshot]
roll contact and donation info, and organization name

 

[gunman41mag]

WOW, The gun didn't have a safety

 

[Mackey]

Another article from the Louisville Courier Journal Newspaper reveals that the "father was the registered owner of the gun."

Hmmm


http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20120714/NEWS02/307140053/Salem-bayless-Sellersburg

 

[griffin]

From the story:

Goodin said the case remains under investigation, but Washington County's prosecutors will determine if charges are warranted.

Who are they going to charge, the dead dad?

I see someone else above asked the same question.

 

[Pyriel]

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image:small child with gun [fade to black, sound of gunshot]
roll contact and donation info, and organization name

 

[Hookeye]

From the story:
Who are they going to charge, the dead dad?

I see someone else above asked the same question.

Louis Freeh sure as Hell would!

 

[RobbyMaQ]

Maybe there has to be someone charged to 'close' the case or something? Can a homicide be declared an 'accident'? I truly do not know.

At 3, we were educating our kids how not to poop their pants. Gun education at that age consisted of "See what that gun did? hear how LOUD it was? DON'T TOUCH!". Wasn't until 5 or 6 that we went through the motions in full.