Toddler Shoots Tot In Toy Dispute

[P12]

AP) A 2-year-old was shot by his 4-year-old brother, who may not have known the difference between a real and toy gun, police said.

The 2-year-old, who suffered a single gunshot wound to the temple, was in critical condition Saturday night at Ben Taub Hospital. The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon at a home in southwest Houston.

Police Sgt. Cameron Grysen said the boys had been arguing when the 2-year-old threw a toy at his brother. The mother thought the boys had returned to their room, but they had instead gone to her room, where the older boy took a loaded gun from the woman's purse.

"The 4-year-old was angry ... he went and got the gun, put it to his brother's head and shot the gun," Grysen said.

The mother told police she had the .32-caliber automatic to protect her family because of recent neighborhood burglaries, and that Saturday was the one day that she did not secure the weapon. She could face criminal charges.

Authorities said the 4-year-old didn't seem to understand what he had done.

"He's wondering where his brother is, and when his brother's coming back," Grysen said.

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The story

Children should be gun-proofed. Also, we need to all make sure our weapons are secure if they are not one us.

This should hit the spin machine soon.

 

[ProactiveReactionary]

The mother told police she had the .32-caliber automatic to protect her family because of recent neighborhood burglaries, and that Saturday was the one day that she did not secure the weapon. She could face criminal charges.

and thats all it takes...one time to not ensure the kids cant get ahold of it and bang...lives are ended/changed forever.

her fault, she should pay the price. sucks to be her.

 

[TMM]

criminal charges? christ... can't do anything to the 4-year-old, so let's blame the mother. it's her purse, her room- it's the damn kid's fault...

or maybe i just have a low tolerance for children...
~TMM

 

[jondwright]

The kid is 4!!!! What do you want to do to him? The mother was negligent. Her negligence cost a life. You don't think that warrants charges?

 

[gigmike]

Assessing fault on a 4 year old who can barely reason, brilliant!

 

[Stand_Watie]

Where does a four year old learn that the solution to a dispute is to put a gun to someone's head and pull the trigger? Mom watches adult t.v. in front of the kids?

 

[q102josh]

wow thats really horrible. first off it isnt the kid's fault, and it isnt the gun's fault. it's the woman's fault 100%. *** was she thinkin keepin a loaded gun within access of her little children? COCKED AND UNLOCKED even! its just totally unbelievable. heh the gun must have had a pretty light trigger pull if it could be fired by a little 4 year old. that woman SHOULD face murder charges, its all her fault.

 

[ProactiveReactionary]

Where does a four year old learn that the solution to a dispute is to put a gun to someone's head and pull the trigger?

now that you've asked the question, im curious about that myself. where does a four year old learn this??? since four year olds dont have much of a social life outside day care/their parents environment i'm going to guess they picked this up as a result of being around their parents.

not much different than the teenager who shot his brother over a video game here years ago. *** did he learn that if you get mad its ok to get a gun and shoot a person over something as stupid as a video game?

i'd love to blame the entertainment industry but we know parents ultimately are responsible for what their kids watch and listen to. being a parent isnt easy but noone say it was all fun and games. as a parent you have to be right 100%, every time, you cant make a mistake and when you do you have to pay for it.

 

[Standing Wolf]

...Saturday was the one day that she did not secure the weapon.

Yeah. Right. No doubt about it.

 

[Bear Gulch]

mom SHOULD be charged!

 

[nico]

Sounds like wreckless endangerment at the very least. The child (surprisingly) hasn't died according to the article btw.

 

[Bear Gulch]

WHile the kid would not be charged, if substantial evidenceof neglect by mom was evident, the child could be placed in foster care.