US four-year old shoots child dead

A four-year-old US girl shot and killed her four-year-old cousin in what authorities have called a tragic and avoidable accident.

The children were playing at their grandfather's home in Detroit on Thursday afternoon when the girl found a loaded rifle under a bed.

The boy was shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead in hospital.

Police have said they are investigating whether to press charges. It was not immediately known who owned the gun.

"This is a very senseless... incident that could have been avoided," he said, adding the accident reinforced the need to keep firearms secure, especially around children.

US four-year old shoots child dead

Just another statistic.

CJCrawley

A four-year-old US girl shot and killed her four-year-old cousin in what authorities have called a tragic and avoidable accident.

The children were playing at their grandfather's home in Detroit on Thursday afternoon when the girl found a loaded rifle under a bed.

The boy was shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead in hospital.

Police have said they are investigating whether to press charges. It was not immediately known who owned the gun.

"This is a very senseless... incident that could have been avoided," he said, adding the accident reinforced the need to keep firearms secure, especially around children.

US four-year old shoots child dead

Just another statistic.

Of course it's unavoidable, DON'T buy guns and have them in the house.

Simple really.

Just another clear case of extremely poor parenting, more and more common in today's society. Stupid friggin people doing stupid friggin things. Would you leave a butcher knife where a child could access it? no you would not, and anything else such as a weapon? no a semi-intelligent real parent would NEVER let this happen. There is one culprit here, the stupid parent, If they cared even a little about the children, let them feel the pain, then prosecute....adults should act like adults, no excuse is good enough....

reply to post by blupblup


Or rather, prosecute inept gun owners. Its not the guns fault the ammo was left in it and the gun was not locked away,

Guns are not the problem, the idiots who misuse them are.

reply to post by blupblup


I'll take my chances with my guns , thanks for your concern.

This is a tragedy, and one that could have been avoided. However, there are a few things that can be stated:

While this is a tragedy, it is only going to add fuel to a blaze that is going right now. Those who are anti gun and more gun control will use it to point out the problems with owning a fire arm in the home. And there are more questions than answers.

I for one, would like to know whose fire arm it was, and the other question is, if it is in the home, what was it doing under the bed, and why was it loaded?

All of the main issues of gun safety is not present, and should be answered before we speculate as to one way or another.

Or better yet. store your guns unloaded and very high out of reach of children and store your ammo somewhere very far away from the guns.

A friend of mine when I was about 10 found his dads gun and shot his sister, he was just like playing cowboys, it really messed him up for many many years.

reply to post by CJCrawley



Since it happened in Detroit I seriously doubt anyone will be getting off with the Affluenza defense. Rich people who kill the poor are entitled and suffer from a disease. Poor folk die (especially black) years in our obnoxious prison system.

Responsible gun owners shoot people in movie theaters because they shouldn't have been sending a message before the movie started with the hidden gun the theater said was not allowed.

I have several guns around the house. Only one is loaded and it's stored high in a cabinet in my bedroom. No chance of a kid finding or reaching it. All my other guns are unloaded and in cases with the ammo locked in a safe. This is a bad parent giving good parents a bad name.

blupblup

CJCrawley

A four-year-old US girl shot and killed her four-year-old cousin in what authorities have called a tragic and avoidable accident.

The children were playing at their grandfather's home in Detroit on Thursday afternoon when the girl found a loaded rifle under a bed.

The boy was shot once in the chest and was pronounced dead in hospital.

Police have said they are investigating whether to press charges. It was not immediately known who owned the gun.

"This is a very senseless... incident that could have been avoided," he said, adding the accident reinforced the need to keep firearms secure, especially around children.

US four-year old shoots child dead

Just another statistic.

Of course it's unavoidable, DON'T buy guns and have them in the house.

Simple really.

Of course it's unavoidable,, OWN guns, and store them safely and responsibly...

Simple really.




IMHO, this person that owned that rifle had no business having one.
I never have a loaded gun at my house or in public. PERIOD! Unless I plan to shoot seconds later.
The only time I have one loaded is in the woods or bush around dangerous animals. If my gun is loaded I plan on shooting or killing something immediately!

Your statement is poorly shortsighted

reply to post by teslahowitzer


Yes, stupid people. Bad parents.

Nevertheless, a 4-year old child lies in a premature coffin.

Given that there are so many stupid, irresponsible people, shouldn't there be something written into your laws to safeguard the innocent?

Like TIGHTEN UP LAWS ON GUN OWNERSHIP...perhaps?

reply to post by CJCrawley


I read stories like this and it makes my heart drop. How can some gun owners be so irresponsible? If you have kids or you have relatives who have kids and visit with you, lock up your guns! Even keeping them out of reach can be a problem if you have teenagers who visit.

I'm sure that grandfather is feeling sick for leaving his rifle loaded under his bed. Kids have a way of getting into everything when they're not being supervised. It only takes a few minutes for a child to discover a gun and think it's a toy. This little girl is going to have to carry the burden of having known she shot her cousin. Even though it was an accident, the guilt will probably way heavily on this girl her entire life.

What a sad story.

That is terrible, thought guns are required to be in gun safe, who keeps a loaded rifle under bed anyway?

Hoosierdaddy71
I have several guns around the house. Only one is loaded and it's stored high in a cabinet in my bedroom. No chance of a kid finding or reaching it. All my other guns are unloaded and in cases with the ammo locked in a safe. This is a bad parent giving good parents a bad name.

I might be wrong, But. if you have children in your house you are just as guilty of mis-handling a gun in your home.

Does it have a trigger lock? with a key not right next to it?

Are you the only person in your house?

I don't want to be the one to say it, but if there is a kid in your house and they find it and shoot their self or someone, are you willing to live with that regret or take the consequence of the law?

Not saying you are, but seems very irresponsible to me IMO

reply to post by CHRIS69za


Same kind of person that stores a loaded gun high in a bedroom cabinet...

No offense sir, but take it as a insult if you want.

AK907ICECOLD

Hoosierdaddy71
I have several guns around the house. Only one is loaded and it's stored high in a cabinet in my bedroom. No chance of a kid finding or reaching it. All my other guns are unloaded and in cases with the ammo locked in a safe. This is a bad parent giving good parents a bad name.

I might be wrong, But. if you have children in your house you are just as guilty of mis-handling a gun in your home.

Does it have a trigger lock? with a key not right next to it?

Are you the only person in your house?

I don't want to be the one to say it, but if there is a kid in your house and they find it and shoot their self or someone, are you willing to live with that regret or take the consequence of the law?

Not saying you are, but seems very irresponsible to me IMO

I call an unloaded gun a club....
I also have a kid in my house that is trained to use guns safely.
She also knows how to handle the kitchen knives, the hammer in my toolbox and a bucket full of water.

reply to post by blupblup
and back to reality, thanks for bad advice! I'll keep my guns thank you very much! Its all in how you care for the guns, and the children. Here is some sound advice, use common sense when keeping firearms in the house with kids, end of story! But then again, I'm jumping the gun on this a bit. Common sense is like a super power this day and age. It's the many idiots that ruin it for the few!

Let's imagine a plausible scenario for this happened and see where
we can place the blame.

Let's say grandma and grandpa live together in Detroit. Grandpa
fears for his safety in this dangerous area and keeps a gun loaded
under the bed. He doesn't tell grandma because she is so afraid
of guns that she would rather face a criminal unarmed than
to possess one.

So grandpa leaves for the day, the daughter calls to see if
grandma can baby-sit for the day. Grandma accepts.
The children come over. Grandma tells them to play while
she makes PB and J's.

*BANG*

Child's dead, who's to blame?

reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71


Okay, sorry for the assumption. Yes, I know that model. Very easy to reload!

Well, it is good for protection up until a person ups the ante. If I may ask, if somebody breaks into your house with a loaded gun. How will you and your kids defend yourself. Asking in respect, I would like to know.

Sometimes getting into a safe is not prompt enough.

I am a bit confused on "bucket of water", or it that to be a novelty joke?
For Christmas I gave all my young nieces and nephews a key chain called a destabilizer, it works well over 100% of the time if its in your hand and its not a toy. It's awesome, and they love it. I tell them its right there when you need it and even a 9 year old girl can break ribs, and possibly kill an attacker with it.

If you do not know what I am talking about, here's a pic, and it's $10.00 for two and available to anyone with an address.