Four-Year-Old Girl Shoots Herself at Sam's Club

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Did a quick search and didn't see this posted.
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Columbia (WLTX) -- The City of Columbia Police Department says a four-year-old girl had shot herself at a Sam's Club in Columbia, and they say the child is now in critical condition.

Investigators say the shooting happened inside the Sam's Club on Harbison Boulevard at approximately 10:50 a.m.

According to police, the girl was being taken around the store in a shopping cart by her grandmother. Police say the grandmother had a gun in her purse.

While the grandmother was pushing the girl near the pharmacy area, officers say the little girl took the gun out of the purse and shot herself in the chest.

The girl is in critical condition, but police have been told by family members that the girl suffered no damage to her major organs.

Investigators are looking at store surveillance video to get more details of what led up to the shooting. There were also eyewitnesses.

Police say the grandmother has a valid weapons permit. No charges have been filed in the case.

Sam's Club was closed during the initial investigation, but the store has been re-opened.

WLTX.com will have more information as it becomes available.

http://www.wltx.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=62877

Tragic :( This could have been avoided by either keeping the gun on her person or keeping an eye on the kid. Be sure to read the comments section, lots of intelligent discourse there :rolleyes:
 
Tragic, and more ammunition for the gun banners unfortunately.

It's too bad that the little girl's parents and grandparents didn't want to damage her self esteem by teaching her to keep her hands to herself and out of other people's stuff. The grandmother could most certainly have been more careful and observant too.
 
This just goes to show there its never too young to teach kids about gun safety and responsibility.

I hope she pulls through ok and my thoughts are with her and her family:(
 
WOW, I guess its not a good idea to just trow a gun in a bag and let children play with it.
That is wild, but I feel so bad for that family and the grandmother as I am sure she is loosing her mind.
She should have at least had her purse zipped up and not her her grandchild in it.

Keep your guns away from kids.

I hope the kid pulls through with nothing wrong.
 
I really can't imagine a worse way to carry a gun than in a purse.

I might make an exception for purses made with a compartment specifically for guns and with a reinforced strap, but to toss a gun in with all the other junk and subject to being left behind or lost (or played with by a toddler!) is insane.
 
Sad news. Tottlers have stronger thumbs than index fingers. A natural grip with the thumb on the trigger points the gun at the holders chest/head.
 
I always shudder when I read of these kind of stories. My son is 3 1/2 and so it hits close to home. I have already been teaching him about firearms and at his current age, he knows never to touch unless I am with him. He has his toys and knows that if he wants to see a real one, I will sit down with him. No forbidden fruit. But good golly reading something like this makes the heart ache!

Ash
 
Why was she not watching the kid?

Or, if she was doing something that would prevent her from watching the kid, why did she not take her purse?

She knew there was a gun in there. I don't think it's too much to ask for her to be a little bit more responsible about leaving a gun easily accessible to a 4 year old. You wouldn't leave a bottle of pills open near a kid, so why a loaded gun?

Even if the little girl had been taught something about firearm safety, she's still 4.

I hope she's ok.

Moral of the story: Having a gun on or near you is a right, but it is also a responsibility!
 
This just goes to show there its never too young to teach kids about gun safety and responsibility.
Click to expand...

Yes there is an age limit and its not the same for every kid.
If it was, all kids would do equaly the same in school on comprehension.

This is sad for not only the kid getting hurt, but the irresponsible grandmother throws another log on the fire of the gun ban safety freaks.
 
Poor, little thing. I pray that she makes it.

This is why, as the mother of intelligent, small children, I will NOT carry off-body.

It takes about 2 seconds, maybe less, for a bright and determined kid to get into something they know perfectly well that they aren't allowed into. No matter how well-disciplined they are, they test rules and try power games to see who is really in charge.

I'll bet grandma turned her back for less than 30 seconds to get something off the shelf or to compare prices. That's all it takes with a kid. :(
 
Unattended child overdoses on grandmas medicine in purse

I hope the girl makes it.

Negligence on the grandmother's part. This could happen with a gun, or just as easily with scissors, medicine, etc. Unfortunately the blame will fall squarely on the gun rather than negligence behavior:

1) Purse carry is about the worst way to carry, considering purse snatchings and such;

2) Who leaves their child and purse unattended in a store for a length of period where this can happen?

Just for starters...

Yep, irresponsible behavior can cost us ALL of our CCW rights.
 
...
And a light trigger.
Click to expand...

My 2yo can pull the trigger on a cap pistol that is heavier than the trigger on DH's S&W M&P. Even more, he can cock the hammer.

He can't rack the slide on the airsoft pistol I use for dry-fire practice in the living room, but he knows that he needs to if it is going to go, "click".

Little kids are stronger than people think.
 
Yes there is an age limit and its not the same for every kid.
If it was, all kids would do equaly the same in school on comprehension.
Click to expand...

That may be true, but I think 4 years old is not too young to be instructed on the dangers of inappropriate behavior if you have firearms around. Of course if the child is not your own and you are not aware if the parents have taken it upon themselves to teach about guns then in that case the responsibility falls on the gun owners shoulder to make sure the gun is not accessible to the child.
 
It's too bad that the little girl's parents and grandparents didn't want to damage her self esteem by teaching her to keep her hands to herself and out of other people's stuff. The grandmother could most certainly have been more careful and observant too.
Click to expand...
Dude. She's FOUR.

Mike
 
Dude. She's FOUR.

My child is two and has been taught that knifes, the stove and electical sockets are not to play with. She also knows that Mom is going to catch her if she gets into something she is not supposed to.
Click to expand...

But all kids are different...We had a thread that talked about letting their kids carry around a pocket knife when they were 2.
 
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