Boy, 8, Shoots Self With Uzi at Gun Show

Originally posted by Allred5923
I have a friend from my home town that was a fire-arms fanatic. He kept them everywhere in his home. His youngest boy found a 357 in his dresser drawer and proceeded to wheel it as if he was a police officer, this boy was 6 yr's old. His sister walked into the bedroom and the gun went off killing her, scared, the boy dropped the gun and it fired again going through the boys lower jaw and into his brain.
The father, my friend found both of them and was shattered. He had a small explosives business and about 4 yrs after loosing his kid's, his only kids, mother died at the daughter's child birth, he managed to blow him self up with a stick of TNT.
Really makes a guy wonder why anyone would want to put such young people at the risk of the inevitable outcome of such instances.
OP, this is a good thread for the faint of being to positive with the advent of learning how to shoot weapons, any weapon at such a very young age.

I own guns, I have children, but, my guns are kept in a locked case and the ammo kept in a completely different locked case. My children have also been taught some safety issues in regards to weapons.

I remember my 10 yr old, we were over at my nieces house one evening, came to me and wanted to chat with me privately.

He told me that his cousin (who was 7) was wanting him to sneak into his parents room, because they had a gun and he wanted to show my son.

I was so proud of him, even though he was curious, he came right to me and told me what was happening. He understood the danger and kept himself and his cousin safe by coming to me.

I was angry though at me niece for having a loaded weapon "hidden" in her room. We had a long chat, and she agreed that her practice of keeping this gun loaded in her closet was dangerous, they now have a locked case as well.

What if this had been another child that had not been taught safety? She could easily have been a parent dealing with either her child shooting himself or another child. This is where I do get very angry with some gun owners, and their lack of safety and thought in regards to owning a weapon.

I am all for gun ownership, I think that safety should be pushed a bit more though, instead of taking away the rights to own guns, have more affordable safety instruction classes.

And yes, young children should not be allowed the use of such a weapon as the young boy in the article that shot himself. We started our son out on a child size 22 single shot. No semi/automatic for him.

As I began to pay more attention to this story, it dawned on me that if this Uzi had only been loaded with 1 bullet, then this kid wouldn't have shot himself in the head. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the recoil from the first shot forced the gun upward towards his head, where the fatal 2nd shot was fired? Why was this gun even set up to fire more than 1 shot at a time...especially in this setting, regardless of whether the user was a child or adult?This may be more than a bad parenting issue, it is also an irresponsible licensed firearms instructor issue.

Either way, the IS NOT a reason why Americans should give up their right to bare arms. We were given that right, so as to defend ourselves against our own government if they became a threat to the American way of life....much as they currently doing....but that's a topic for a completely different thread.

Funny how its adamantly forced that minors aren't allowed to enter a strip club to oogle at a few boobies, even with a parent... Yet you're wholly allowed to take them to a place where they can learn how to take someone else's life... or, accidentally take their own.

Talk about twisted priorities...

reply to post by 44soulslayer


I can shoot a handgun just fine and know how to handle one well. My point here was the fact that when a handgun accidentally goes off 9/10 times the person who has it in their hand is not in the propper stance you described and unfortunately waiving it around..




[edit on 023131p://333 by shizzle5150]

reply to post by Sonya610


I never stated that criminals depend on stolen guns, I only stated that it does happen. Should we ban shotguns no, have people been killed by hunting rifles yes.I was simply stating that statistically handguns account for a large %age of firearm related deaths. Am I trying to be insensitive to people who want handguns no. I was simply stating my opinion nothing more and you will also note that I said making the illegal / banning them will not take them out of the hands of criminals. I am all for providing better punishment for dangerous criminals.

we should not ban somthing just because it kills people, if that were the case cars would be banned, they kill far more people than guns..

Now even hand guns are very useful, my Dad goes on week long deep woods hikes, they take a 9mm handgun with them for protection from whatever wild animals may attack like bears or bobcats.. he has a license for it and operates it safely.. why would you ban something just because some people abuse it.. when these same devices protect so many others.

Come on the argument that guns kill people is dumb, cars kill more people than guns hands down and we don't see talk of banning cars. And specifically people that use cars and get killed are licensed and trained, just like guns.. and just like guns non licensed and trained people can operate a gun too..

You can ban stuff becuse a few people are hurt by it.. if that the case we might as well start banning religion and foods and certain professions like lawyers, coops and heck government, they hurt people too..

reply to post by bknapple32


This is terrible terrible news. As a father I can sympathize with trying to teach children about what's dangerous and what is safe. I seldom tell my kid not to try something moderately dangerous (like the danger of falling from a bike or the danger of breaking a toy) because it is important that they make mistakes and learn to be responsible. It is also important that they learn to engage in something somewhat risky while calculating the risk, that is part of adult life and sooner or later they will make risk assessments whether they are ready or not.

Any life threatening situations, weapons, electricity, boiling water, fire, I think children should be verbally taught the risks and dangers of those things rather than being kept in the dark about it, while being physically kept away from such things. I think that's common sense for any father or mother.

As somebody with undecided feelings about fire arms (but who does not own one) I think it is terribly foolish to give a child a weapon of such high power! I hope this serves as a lesson so that it does not happen again, ever!

-rrr

Originally posted by E-ville
we should not ban somthing just because it kills people, if that were the case cars would be banned, they kill far more people than guns..

Now even hand guns are very useful, my Dad goes on week long deep woods hikes, they take a 9mm handgun with them for protection from whatever wild animals may attack like bears or bobcats.. he has a license for it and operates it safely.. why would you ban something just because some people abuse it.. when these same devices protect so many others.

Come on the argument that guns kill people is dumb, cars kill more people than guns hands down and we don't see talk of banning cars. And specifically people that use cars and get killed are licensed and trained, just like guns.. and just like guns non licensed and trained people can operate a gun too..

You can ban stuff becuse a few people are hurt by it.. if that the case we might as well start banning religion and foods and certain professions like lawyers, coops and heck government, they hurt people too..

I am personally not invested on any side of the gun argument. But the car argument misses the interesting point that guns do not have a primary purpose other than to harm living organisms, while cars can only be used to harm by either accidental use, negligence or misuse, where the primary use is merely transportation.

I think that what the typical anti gun proponent objects to is the psychological state required to decide that you have to be ready to kill another person (if you own a gun for defense, not sports, as is typically the case). And what a good number of pro gun people don't understand is that if you own a gun you *HAVE* to be ready to kill and be ready to live with the consequences, it is not just something you own to feel tougher, as it is human nature to be a little fetishist with tools of all kinds, including guns. Killing a person, I've heard is terribly messy and psychologically damaging and in some cases may result in a conviction even when used responsibly in self defense. That is what you have to be ready for if you think you need a gun to defend yourself, to watch another person die and to watch your life fall apart in exchange for saving yourself from conceivably worse harm.

Conversely, the mistake that the anti gun make is taking for granted civilized normal friendly life, without knowing that nothing stops your neighbor from totally going postal and setting your home on fire or something. So, whether you own a gun or not, we all have to live with the small risk that we may have to harm another person in order to save our own lives, we just happen to be lucky that civilization seems to be holding together.... but who knows for how much longer

Regardless of where you stand on the argument, anybody who think owning a gun is an easy decision has't really given the idea much thought. The decision is terribly difficult to come to terms with.

-rrr

reply to post by Allred5923


My heart goes out to you and yours, despite the matter or fact tone, it is clearly biting. I won't comment on your case out of respect, however, I was shattered when I first read the article. Despite my bias as a European regarding firearms, I'm going to refrain from passing judgment here.

[edit on 29-10-2008 by Oscitate]

Terrible tradgedy.

I am fearful about irresponsible gun owners and children. I was grateful to our pediatrician for bringing this up for us when my son was about 5 yrs old and was beginning to visit friends in there homes. Our Dr told us to teach our son to immediately let an adult know if they ever found a "real" gun and ofcourse to never touch or play with guns etc. Also, part of my responsibility is to know about the adults to whom I entrust my children.

My God an 8 yr old with an Uzi...just unbelievable. I grew up around weapons and I am amazed more children aren't injured and killed by the reckless behavior of some the "adults" I know.

Just damn stupid! How the hell do you let an 8yr old shoot an uzi WITHOUT overseeing this! I have my South African colors for Bisley (.22 long rifle). I have also shot big game in Africa. You NEVER let a youngster shoot any weapon without supervision - Rule 101!

I feel for the father, I truly do! But it is his fault.....This is so sad

ATTENTION!!!!

Everyone, please remember...

ONCE AGAIN...

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The topic of this thread happens to be:
Boy, 8, Shoots Self With Uzi at Gun Show

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reply to post by Hastobemoretolife


A Sad Day
Our respects to the family.
How many times have you met a Child under 10 that has the mental capacity to do a ADULTS job or task, (like drive anything and NEVER hitting ANYTHING) or do a month without throwing a tantrum or crying.
One that can always understand the variables, advantages or dangers and consequences of ..say...shooting a gun or...I don't know... speaking.
(not many I'm thinkin)
Hell... how many ADULTS have you met that CAN'T understand all of the variables, dangers and consequences of their actions (A few for some of you me included (I'm probably screwing up right now)

The World population as a whole is pretty stupid.
Teaching kids about guns seads killers*. and thats stupid! (*kills anything they don't eat.)
allowing the government to have total control of our guns is stupid. we need to control our own
brace your self ( I hope I'm wrong ) but I think with the "cool" guns and the sometimes fanatical behavior of the majority of gunclub owner/members, alot more kids/parents/neighbors/friends/ex friends may be at risk in the future
My suggestion is for the gun manufactures to make and supply for free a GPS transmitter that tracks/records when every gun made is fired/biometrics/won't fire at 98 deg C
that way all the people that are legit don't have to worry.

Kids should be kept away from guns
No big advantage comes from their EARLY exposure to guns.
no advantage that out ways the chance of them getting killed or maimed.

I hope people pay heed to this incident
And this poor family's loss may save many other children's lives

you would of thought guns would be fixed in position so accidents like this dont happen, especialy when giving such a powerfull gun to a child.

The kid could of just as easily turned and shot anyone for that fact.

Sad loss

reply to post by bknapple32


That boy was a message about what guns are for. He said it loudest of all. Dignity and respect demands he be given full honors, he died defending the right to do it with a fire arm. He was a true hero!