Too old to be armed?

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Mn Fats

Mn Fats

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No one is. Friendly reminder to seniors to keep protection at all times if your able. No one is too old (or young) to be a victim.

My great uncle passed away yesterday. I was informed he got put in a home for veterans and got into a fight. He was hard of hearing so he had his tv a bit loud. As I understand it a fellow vet 30 years younger snapped and attacked my great uncle shoving him to the floor.

He broke his hip and some ribs. He was just too old to recover and passed away. 96 years old. He flew 49 bomber missions in WW2. Survived the Nazis. Gets killed by an intolerant roommate cause his tv was too loud.

I wanted to take another family trip to Texas so my son could hear his incredible war stories. A gun, maybe even pepper spray and he'd still be around a little while yet.
 
I don't think it is a question of age, it is a question of being able to own and handle firearms in a responsible manner.

If you can do that, and you have the minimum dexterity and physical prowess required to control the firearm safely then age doesn't come into it.

The element of this story that muddies the waters is the fact that the deceased was in a care facility.
Would residents be allowed to keep firearms there? If so, under what conditions?
What is the facility's appetite for risk? If shots are fired on the premises and a third party is injured, who gets sued?
 
Mn Fats

My condolences to you and your family.

Most senior care facilities around here (my father in law is currently in one), do not permit weapons of any kind on the premises. This applies to residents, visitors, and staff.
 
hso said:
That's the issue. Is someone able to handle a firearm safely.
Click to expand...

Ahh, but here's the rub. Just who gets to determine if someone can, due to age or infirmity, safely handle a firearm. The individual, their family, the government? It's an individual right so it should be up to the individual.
 
Good lord that's a terrible way to lose someone. I'm really sorry man.

I worked with a woman who volunteered and was in her 80's. She'd get to the office at 5:00 am and drive an hour to do it. She lived alone out in the woods and always answered her door with a 38 in her hand. Tough old gal. When she had to go to an old folks home she was pissed she couldn't have her gun.

I hope justice is served to the guy who attacked your great uncle.
 
bannockburn said:
Most senior care facilities around here (my father in law is currently in one), do not permit weapons of any kind on the premises. This applies to residents, visitors, and staff.
Click to expand...

The problem with that is of course that a person who still has physical strength still has weapons, albeit internal. If denied an external weapon, the physically weaker person is at the mercy of the other.
 
JohnBiltz said:
In this case the elephant in the room is dementia.
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Yes. That's the big issue with the extreme elderly. Dementia and Alzheimer's. It sneaks up on a person gradually. He's not able to determine for himself whether he can still safely have a gun. His family has to intervene, and if he doesn't have a family there's a serious problem.

In the OP's scenario, it's not at all clear what purpose a gun would have served. What was the old guy supposed to do, shoot his roommate? Then we would also have a tragedy, only from another direction.

The facility is to blame, for allowing the situation to get out of hand in the first place.
 
Mn Fats said:
No one is. Friendly reminder to seniors to keep protection at all times if your able. No one is too old (or young) to be a victim.

My great uncle passed away yesterday. I was informed he got put in a home for veterans and got into a fight. He was hard of hearing so he had his tv a bit loud. As I understand it a fellow vet 30 years younger snapped and attacked my great uncle shoving him to the floor.

He broke his hip and some ribs. He was just too old to recover and passed away. 96 years old. He flew 49 bomber missions in WW2. Survived the Nazis. Gets killed by an intolerant roommate cause his tv was too loud.

I wanted to take another family trip to Texas so my son could hear his incredible war stories. A gun, maybe even pepper spray and he'd still be around a little while yet.
Click to expand...
So sorry to hear this terrible news.
My God bless your uncle.
Prayers for everyone involved.
We all live in the shadows of that gallant and fearless generation.
 
This happens all too often with our veterans. They survive the hell of war just to be taken out by someone back home for a stupid reason. Could be in commission of a crime or just a fluke altercation like this or even while trying to help someone else cope (Chris Kyle). No matter how it happens its truely tragic.
 
Odd Job said:
I don't think it is a question of age, it is a question of being able to own and handle firearms in a responsible manner.

If you can do that, and you have the minimum dexterity and physical prowess required to control the firearm safely then age doesn't come into it.

The element of this story that muddies the waters is the fact that the deceased was in a care facility.
Would residents be allowed to keep firearms there? If so, under what conditions?
What is the facility's appetite for risk? If shots are fired on the premises and a third party is injured, who gets sued?
Click to expand...
Agreed. That's why I wrote "If your able". I guess I never thought about the rules of the home. If the staff was doing thier job I'd never have to wonder "what if". Sad.

460Shooter said:
I hope justice is served to the guy who attacked your great uncle.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately no. Justice will not be served. His daughter was his closest family member (he outlived the others) and she's a witch with a capital B. The only reason he was in a home was because she sold his house that he had put in her name. She's happy to have the money.

My mother asked what she planned to do and She said "Well the man apologized". No charges will be pressed unless a niece or nephew pursues it. You'd think the home would have to take some responsibility but Idk if they reported it or what the deal is.

AlexanderA said:
Yes. That's the big issue with the extreme elderly. Dementia and Alzheimer's. It sneaks up on a person gradually. He's not able to determine for himself whether he can still safely have a gun. His family has to intervene, and if he doesn't have a family there's a serious problem.
Click to expand...
I suppose. But he was mentally sound. Flew his plane into his 70's. Drove truck into his 80's. Just...couldnt hear that well.
AlexanderA said:
In the OP's scenario, it's not at all clear what purpose a gun would have served. What was the old guy supposed to do, shoot his roommate? Then we would also have a tragedy, only from another direction.
Click to expand...
It'd be just like any other self defense situation. Act accordingly. Tragedy in the other direction? Yeah, some idiot who picks fights, hits and shoves frail old men might not be on this earth anymore. Tragic.

Tommygunn said:
Sorry about your loss, MN fats.

I can't help but wonder about the legal repurcussions against the person who shoved your great uncle down. Typically that would be some type of homicide .... maybe 3rd degree murder? Anything happen to him?
Click to expand...
Right, It's got to be something. Unfortunately, we'll never know...

I appreciate all your kind words guys and gals. Good group of people here.
 
Mn Fats said:
No one is. Friendly reminder to seniors to keep protection at all times if your able. No one is too old (or young) to be a victim.

My great uncle passed away yesterday. I was informed he got put in a home for veterans and got into a fight. He was hard of hearing so he had his tv a bit loud. As I understand it a fellow vet 30 years younger snapped and attacked my great uncle shoving him to the floor.

He broke his hip and some ribs. He was just too old to recover and passed away. 96 years old. He flew 49 bomber missions in WW2. Survived the Nazis. Gets killed by an intolerant roommate cause his tv was too loud.

I wanted to take another family trip to Texas so my son could hear his incredible war stories. A gun, maybe even pepper spray and he'd still be around a little while yet.
Click to expand...

Sorry for your loss! Sounds like quite the career! Will the gent that caused his injuries and ultimately his death be prosecuted?
 
Sorry for your loss.A sad way to go for a member of the Greatest Generation. Age isn't the determining factor, as OddJob already mentioned, it's responsibility. A friend, who my son worked for, used to carry, and he and I were basically our church's unofficial security. He developed Alzheimer's last year, and his wife wisely locked his guns up.
 
Sorry to hear. I do think this topic appears in this forum from time to time. And i think the answer is always the same. Dementia and physical infirmity can make for a potentially dangerous situation when firearms are involved.

Even if the person is sharp mentally, it is quite possible that muscular atrophy, palsy, or loss of muscle mass and tone associated with the upper ranges of old age can make shooting a dicey proposition.

Yes, I think there are times when one may be “too old to be armed”. But that is a decision not to be taken lightly.
 
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