14 year old boy shot in Australia

[Aaron12]

A 14-year-old boy made a "frantic" triple 0 call to police after his school friend was fatally shot near Sydney, police say.

Paramedics tried desperately to save the boy, also aged 14, after receiving a call to the Orangeville house in the city's south-west about 10.15pm (AEDT) on Saturday. But the boy died.

The other 14-year old was arrested and taken to Camden police station where, after declining to make a statement, he was charged with murder.

"The young person under legal advice did not want to speak and did not want to provide a statement to the police, which is his right," Superintendent Ian Foscholo told reporters in Camden today.

"And so consequently the police have got to go down a particular line of inquiry, which they did and that resulted in the murder charge."

A firearm was seized from the crime scene, but police wouldn't say what model it was or who owned it.

The boy was conditionally bailed to report at Campbelltown Children's Court on January 5.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/boy-14-shot-dead/2008/12/07/1228584615363.html

just heard on the news then the weapon used was a shot gun of some kind, remember check to see if its not loaded, and check again.

RIP

 

[indoorsoccerfrea]

its a crying shame. all it takes is once...
i don't know the laws in australia, but can they charge someone with murder if they don't know what actually happened?

 

[lanternlad1]

But thats impossible! They banned guns in Australia! There is no possible way a criminal could have used one!

<sarcasm/off>

 

[UnclePete]

But thats impossible! They banned guns in Australia! There is no possible way a criminal could have used one!

Coventional break-barrel shotguns are not banned in Australia.

 

[General Geoff]

Yet.

 

[natural marksman]

OMG! This happened in my city, a couple of kilometres due south of the suburb I live in.

They haven't banned guns completely here in Australia. You can still buy guns of all varieties except full automatics, and semi auto's are very difficult. Shotguns are common as well. My uncle has a few shotguns himself...

This is such a sad story. But I find it hard to believe that these kids had such easy access to the weapon. According to gun laws here, It should have been locked up in a fire-proof safe or locker (which should be bolted to the floor) locked with a secure padlock or combination lock. The ammo should have been stored the same way, in a seperate safe and both safes should be stored out of sight.

If they got a hold of the weapon so easily (the article doesn't say?), then the accident was because of an irresponsible gun owner not supervising these kids and not having his weapons secured.

I feel for the families of both the kids, and for the gun owner who will have to live with the fact that his/her gun had killed someone.

 

[longdayjake]

For those that think that the US is a bad place to live in just go somewhere that the police charge you with murder simply because you won't talk to them. Kind of makes you greatful for the 5th amendment.

 

[lacoochee]

I feel for the families of both the kids, and for the gun owner who will have to live with the fact that his/her gun had killed someone.

Sorry, was going to let it go, but the gun killed no one, the inexperienced 14 year old killed someone.

How many 14 year old boys/girls died yesterday in Australia in a senseless car accident? Where is the national outrage over that? How many young children diesd last year in the US and Australia in backyard pools? Why haven't they been banned?

Perhaps if Australia didn't have this weird phobia of guns in general one of these young lads might have been less inclined to be stupidly killed by an inanimate object.

 

[withdrawn34]

We don't know what happened (as in, what the questioning was), but if I had to guess, I'd say this kid basically made the mistake of saying "hey man, you gotta see this!"

He probably, knowing nothing of firearms, shot his friend on accident. As such, charged with murder (although in the states it might be manslaughter - but charges can always be adjusted in court).

Who knows. At any rate, a true tragedy. People really need to take responsibility for their firearms. In addition, they need to teach their kids if possible - I mean, the kid was *14*, its not like he was 4. He should have known better anyway.