Girl in costume at Halloween party shot, Sat 10/20/2012

[Craig_AR]

Article link:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/10/2...ter-being-mistaken-for-skunk/?test=latestnews
"FREEDOM, Pa. – Police say a costumed 9-year-old girl was accidentally shot outside a western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk."
...
"Leindecker says the man hadn't been drinking and he doesn't know whether charges will be filed."
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Of course he should be charged! Irresponsible use of a gun like that must be dealt with in court. The action is enough to demand a hearing. The court can deal with issues of intent, accident, etc.

Craig

 

[jon_in_wv]

That is a tough one. What he did may be just purely stupid and not criminal. I would think and investigation and the prosecuting attorney will make that choice not a bunch of posturing on a gun forum.

 

[justice06rr]

An over-zealous relative shooting a 9-yr old girl he thought was a skunk.. its quite possible he may get prosecuted. It really all depends on the young girl's family and how well she recovers.

Very unfortunate for the little girl, not so much for the shooter. Hope she recovers completely.

 

[Nickel Plated]

Why would you shoot even if it was a skunk?

I really don't get that mentality of people who take a gun with them when doing yard work or something to shoot gophers or skunks. Like plinking at animals. I guess if it's there you might as well kill it.

Anyway hope she gets through it OK.

 

[carbine85]

I think this falls into the category of negligent stupidity and he should be prosecuted. How do you mistake a 9 year at a halloween party for a skunk.
When the kids are around put away the guns.

 

[Pilot]

From what I read the girl will be fine, but this was a really, really stupid act.

 

[Godsgunman]

He didn't follow a basic rule; know/identify your target. He "thought" it was a skunk? Must be one huge skunk, 9 yr olds aren't that small. If I were the parents charges would be filed, clear case of negligence in my book.

 

[mdauben]

I really don't get that mentality of people who take a gun with them when doing yard work or something to shoot gophers or skunks.

Have you ever had a skunk take up residence in the crawlspace under your home? Gophers can do all sorts of damage to landscaping and I understand are a positive hazard if you keep horses. Both have their place in nature but neither are wecome neighbors around most people's homes and I see no reason not to dispose of such pests in a quick and humane way.

As long as I know what I'm shooting at.

 

[stumpers]

When the kids are around put away the guns.

With that reasoning, I hope you do not carry a weapon in public. There are kids everywhere: cars in traffic, grocery stores, shopping malls, playgrounds at parks, restaurant parking lots, walking around the streets and sidewalks, etc. These are also places I do not normally go without carrying.

I most definitely do not disarm myself when I am around children. The only time I remove my carry gun is when I go to the elementary school to pick up my son - for legal reasons, not safety reasons.

I really don't get that mentality of people who take a gun with them when doing yard work or something to shoot gophers or skunks.

Aggressive stray dogs, rabid wild animals, and any other number of reasons mentioned previously and nothing "Like plinking at animals." Plinking at animals is against the hunting regulations in Wisconsin and probably some other state and municipal laws and ordinances, and I have never seen someone plinking at animals just to kill them.

 

[Cosmoline]

"Be sure of your target..." There you go.

I'm dressing up for the first time since 1979. Going as Tor Johnson. I wonder if I need to put a sign up telling people if you shoot me, you'll just make me mad. Already gave a woman a near-coronary with this beauty from Death Studios:



But it does give rise to some real concerns. The costumes are getting so danged good these days it might not be a bad idea to do something to remind people you're not actually a giant Swedish monster out to smash them. The mentally ill or extremely drunk do pose a bit of a threat if you're going around in one of these outfits. And the legal issues of defending yourself while dressed up are dicey. Aside from the whole toy gun/real gun problem.

 

[stumpers]

The main point I was going to put out before I got sidetracked with the unthoughtful responses about no guns around children and plinking animals for fun was that the man who shot the child should be prosecuted for whatever PA law provides. If I were the parents and it happened where I live, I would push the DA to charge reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, everything related to illegal and reckless discharge of a gun. I would want attempted murder charges, but the intent isn't there. I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a felony conviction and prison, not jail.

 

[Art Eatman]

Not germane to this forum.