When, oh, WHEN will people learn to store their guns safely?

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Preacherman

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From News 6, Florida (http://www.local6.com/news/2810352/detail.html):

Boy Shot In Head During 'Cops-Robbers' Game

Report: Gun Kept In House, In Child's Reach

POSTED: 6:17 AM EST February 2, 2004
UPDATED: 12:58 PM EST February 2, 2004

A 7-year-old boy in Sumter County, Fla., was shot and killed Sunday when his older brother allegedly used a loaded shotgun during a game of "cops and robbers," according to Local 6 News.

Investigators said Mitchell Lanford, 13, found a loaded shotgun inside his home while his parents were away and accidentally shot his brother David in the head.

The Lanford family does not have a phone in their house, so Mitchell carried his brother next door deputy sheriff Darrin Segrest's home -- who is also a cousin.

"I looked at the front window and I seen that it was my cousin lives up here at the corner," Segrest said. "I open the door and he was holding his brother covered in blood."

Segrest then called 911.

David was pronounced dead at Citrus Memorial Hospital.

Investigators said the gun used in the shooting was kept in the home within a child's reach, Local 6 News reported.

"It's clear that the firearm wasn't properly stored based on what we've seen so far," an official told Local 6 News.

Investigators will meet with officials at the state attorney's office to discuss the possibility of charges in the case.
 
criminal negligence

The term is criminal negligence. On the parents part, children need to be taught all guns are loaded, and under a certain age you do not use, play, inspect, or handle firearms without first training and instruction of the proper use and handling of firearms, and adult supervision.

Gun locks do not fix the problem, nor do safes or other cleaver devices to restrict childrens access. Teaching your children that guns are not toys, and they are dangerous from day one, the rules of safe firearm use prevents these tragic accidents. Parents who don't take the time with their kids( I emphasis ) invite these kind of issues.

Hiding guns from your kids doesn't work, you are NOT there 24/7. All of my children even though they were not interested were taught firearms safety. It is really simple DON'T POINT A GUN AT ANYTHING OR ANYBODY YOU DON'T WANT TO KILL. No exceptions. My youngest has been indoctrated into firearm safety, he is not 100% on safety rules, his GOLDEN rule do not touch any guns without his father or mother present. If you think you are clever enough to lock away a firearm from your children think again, I don't think I have any lock, or bank account access number my kids can't figure out given time, and sloppy security procedures in all homes. The answer is they know it is wrong and dangerous and they don't try.

I am sorry for the loss of the parents in this, but they need to understand it is entirely a consequence of their inactions.

California has a Senator Scott who lost a son to a shotgun accident years ago, his response is a typical victim mentality, pass or propose every gun legislation bill he can think of instead of criticizing his own parental shortcomings. Frankly I am I sorry for your loss, now go to jail, your ingorance or parental incompitance does not warrant new legislation just enforcement of existing legislation.

A twisted example is a kitchen knife is a dangerous weapon commonly available in almost every household and not usually stored under lock and key. If a child stabbed a sibling with this obviously dangerous weapon, there are two obvious explainations: either intent to do bodily harm, or gross ingorance of the consequences of the results of his actions. The first scenario is murder, the second is inadequate upbringing. The weapon here is not the problem, it is the family values.

Our households are full of dangers, poisons under your kitchen sink, in your bathroom, gasoline in your garage, medicines, knives in the kitchen, your automobile, electricity, water in the bathtub, any and all of these can kill a child in an accident. It is incumbent on a parent to instruct and protect their children on these dangers, firearms are no exception.
 
Excellent points schromf!
My father always kept a loaded shotgun in the house, and when I was six years old, I knew it was not to be touched. All my cousins knew it and all the neighborhood kids too. Most of them had loaded weapons around their houses and no one got their heads blown off.
We were taught not to mess around with them. We were taught discipline which kept us out of trouble. We were not taught by a television or video games. Nothing inherently wrong with either, but they're not substitutes for good parenting (and I was a TV addict, video games had not yet been invented).
I remember when I was about six, I was rummaging around in the upstairs hallway closet and found what I thought to be a toy derringer. But, as I had never seen it before, I wasn't absolutely sure. So, I did not touch it!
Anyway, since you can't childproof the world, you must worldproof the child.
 
Hey what do you expect? When I was a growing up, adults were encouraging us to act more maturely and take responsibility. These days, adults are being encouraged to get in touch with their inner child.
 
''The Lanford family does not have a phone in their house, so Mitchell carried his brother next door deputy sheriff Darrin Segrest's home -- who is also a cousin.".......''I looked at the front window and I seen that it was my cousin lives up here at the corner,"


holy hickville hell batman!! sad that a parent will leave kids home alone with loaded guns, no safety training, and no phone. some people should never have kids in the first place. i'm betting that the mother and father are cousins too.

Bobby
 
Standing Wolf

Exactly what I was thinking.

The parents are just as culpable though. Some don`t want gun lock laws but still refuse to face the responsibilty gun ownership entails.
 
Thirteen years old. Sheesh! By that age, I'd had my own .22 rifle for over three years. I'd run traplines. I (bleep!) well knew the difference between toys and real guns!

Parental negligence in many areas: Aside from the issue of securing the shotgun, where was the "parenting" about teaching the realities of guns? IMO, children of 13 and 7 are a bit young to be left at home alone. If a 13-year-old is untaught such that he'd point a real gun at someone (empty or not), he's not reliable enough to be left in charge.

And I'm snob enough to wonder about people who live where phones are available yet not have one. Incompetence in economic areas makes me suspect incompetence in other areas, as well...

Art
 
Tragedy. 13 yo is old enough to have been taught to know better.

A twisted example is a kitchen knife is a dangerous weapon commonly available in almost every household and not usually stored under lock and key. If a child stabbed a sibling with this obviously dangerous weapon, there are two obvious explainations: either intent to do bodily harm, or gross ingorance of the consequences of the results of his actions. The first scenario is murder, the second is inadequate upbringing. The weapon here is not the problem, it is the family values.
Click to expand...

This happened tp me when I was a kid. Me & my two brothers all had rubber knives and were outside knife fighting. The younger neighbor kid came over and wanted to play too. We huffed and puffed "sure, you need a knife..." Next thing I know, he's back and reaching towards me with a huge kitchen knife and opened up my arm.. Still have the scar.:uhoh:
 
I used to get in debates over this kind of stuff in the old days over at TFL. Over there, there were a group that thought you just teach a kid from the time they are little and leave your guns out and loaded--they won't mess with them and you'll be a responsible parent. I always tried to take the position that kids are kids and do stupid things regardless of how they were trained (although this one sounds stupider than usual). It's a parent responsibility to keep guns secure so things like this don't happen. Fortunately, I don't see much of the "leave 'em layin' around" position espoused over here, and for that I am ecstatic.

As a mental health professional, I can tell you I've dealt with a few persons involved in accidental gun deaths of sibings or family members. Once you gain someone's confidence, you too often learn that many of these playful accidents were no accidents at all.

RJ
 
I've dealt with a few persons involved in accidental gun deaths of sibings or family members. Once you gain someone's confidence, you too often learn that many of these playful accidents were no accidents at all.
Click to expand...

:what:

I believe you, Capt. Bligh...but that's still a very chilling thing to consider...:uhoh:
 
My answer to accidental shootings would be to teach safe gun handling. It would prbably do a lot more good than someone who just shows up for a plug for his product less than once a month.

Oh, just thought I'd add the fact that I didnt see any safety shotshells at your website. How can they use a product that doesnt exist?
 
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The best safety device, and the only one we really need, is between our ears.

I can honestly say that I grew up around guns, my dad kept loaded guns, and I had my own .22LR at a young age, and I never, ever considered "playing" cops and robber or war games. Ever, never, nada. In fact, climbin' in the closet where daddy's guns were was verboten (implicit not explicit).

And I was not taught strict gun safety through long lectures by my dad or government-required safety training. In fact, I think the only thing my dad ever said was something to the effect of "whatever you shoot you kill. "

I am ranting because my son must attend a 14 HOUR course on gun safety, required by the gov, of course. He has been handling guns for years. I have taken him hunting. I have loaded guns in the house. He does not seem interested in the guns until range/hunting time.

But I must admit that I have a telephone :rolleyes:
 
I too wonder just how I will store my "go-to" gun when I have kids. I dont think about it much now, but I will have to someday.


And like I said in another post, lodging something in the action or barrel of my firearm is not something I will ever do intentionally or recommend.:scrutiny:
 
What a shame!

As Peter Paul and Mary sang, when will they ever learn, when will they eeeever learn?

THEY PROBABLY LEFT HOT IRONS OUT TOO, PROBABLY DIDN'T PUT UP KNIVES AFTER USING THEM, ETC. I IMAGINE THEIR MEDICINE CABINETS WERE LEFT OPEN AND EASILY REACHED.

Sorry for yelling, these stories make me so damned mad. :mad:
 
And don't forget to put those little plastic plugs in the electrical outlets so junior doesn't stick his fingers in there and kill himself.

modern definition of gun accident = "I pointed it at him and pulled the trigger and it went off." Well, duh.

Maybe it's the kids who should be locked up and not the guns. :)

John
 
"it was an accident"

is the excuse of the older sibling who meant to hurt his younger sibling.
The punk kid in FL who shot his teacher in the face with a raven .25 said it was an accident.
I worked in a mental hospital for criminal teens,we had this girl,13yrs old she killed 2 cousins by "accident".
It's a bunch of Bison excrement,he shot his little brother,who knows why,but it wasn't an accident,not at 13yrs old.
 
This "safety bullet" deal sounds downright dangerous. In a stressful situation I doubt like hell I'm taking the time to rack a slide twice or manually advance a a cylinder twice. I don't thing it is a wise idea to purposely jam ones firearm.
 
A thirteen year old?

At thirteen, I certainly had access to my father's 12 guage. We lived in a rural area, where if we had to call the police they would likely take a considerable amount of time to show up.

If something bad happened I knew where the shotgun was and how to use it.

That kid should have known better than to ever aim a gun at another person, unless it was self defense, and he had no other choice.

At age thirteen, most gun locks are of limited use. They might prevent spur of the moment actions, but if a thirteen year lod wants access to a gun, most gun locks won't stand up long against tools commonly found around the house.
 
My answer to accidental shootings would be to teach safe gun handling.
Click to expand...
Agree, but can I bring up a pet peeve of mine?

There’s no such thing as an accidental shooting. All shootings are either intentional or negligent.
 
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