Always treat it like it's loaded

[crapstang]

http://news.yahoo.com/5-old-boy-shoots-2-old-sister-ky-161229579.html

BURKESVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A 5-year-old boy accidentally shot his 2-year-old sister to death in rural southern Kentucky with a rifle he had received as a gift last year, authorities said.

The children's mother was home at the time of the shooting Tuesday afternoon but had stepped out to the front porch for a few minutes and "she heard the gun go off," Cumberland County Coroner Gary White said. He said the rifle was kept in a corner and the family didn't realize a bullet was left inside it.

White told the Lexington Herald-Leader the boy received the .22-caliber rifle as a gift.

"It's a Crickett," White said, referring to a company that specifically makes guns, clothes and books for children. "It's a little rifle for a kid. ... The little boy's used to shooting the little gun."

The shooting, while accidental, highlights a cultural divide in the gun debate. While many suburban and urban areas work to keep guns out of the hands of children, it's not uncommon for youths in rural areas to own guns for target practice and hunting.

"Down in Kentucky where we're from, you know, guns are passed down from generation to generation. You start at a young age with guns for hunting and everything," White said Wednesday. What is more unusual than a child having a gun, he said, is "that a kid would get shot with it."

"Accidents happen with guns. They thought the gun was actually unloaded, and it wasn't," the coroner said.

White said the girl died of a single gunshot wound to the chest area.

In a brief news release, state police said the shooting occurred when the boy was "playing" with the rifle, but did not elaborate. It is not clear whether any charges will be filed, said Kentucky State Police spokesman Trooper Billy Gregory.
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It's a very sad accident, but it shows the need to stress the "always loaded" rule more.

[Buick355]

Real fucking smart to let your 5 year old play with a loaded gun unsupervised, or leave it where he can get to it. Parents should face child endangerment charges.

[MustangPoser]

5 Year old Kid getting gun as birthday = not against

5 Year old kid having access to said gun = total bullshit

Parents should face charges. Should have been in a gun safe with a trigger lock, and unloaded.

[Sleeper]

I was running around the woods with a gun at that age. Growing up all of our guns where in a wooden cabnit with no lock no nothing. We knew better than to mess with them unless we where practicing, or out hunting.

Rip to the child.

[crapstang]

Parents should face charges. Should have been in a gun safe with a trigger lock, and unloaded.

5 years old is the age to stress the need to respect guns. Giving a kid one at that age and expecting them not to play with it is plain dumb. Just give them a BB gun a couple years down the road, and then once they have proved their respect, give them a .22.

I have had guns around me all of my life, but I was taught to respect them by the age I could reach one. If I didn't know how to use it, I didn't touch it, which was most of the time.

[sosoe]

And this story brought to you by dfwmustangs.net/Yahoo/NBC/FOX/, News anchor shitstang..

[GhostTX]

I continue to teach my kids about guns every time I get them out. Even at times, remove the ability to fire the gun and leave it out to see what they do. They haven't disappointed me yet (coming to me or the wife to say a gun was left out and not jacking with it).

[crapstang]

I continue to teach my kids about guns every time I get them out. Even at times, remove the ability to fire the gun and leave it out to see what they do. They haven't disappointed me yet (coming to me or the wife to say a gun was left out and not jacking with it).

That's awesome. It's nice to see people teaching their kids how to approach something like this, rather than hide in fear from it. Ignorance won't fix the problem, ever.

[UserX]

Guns should be locked up around kids at all times, end of story. This is the parents fault, very sad.

[GhostTX]

That's awesome. It's nice to see people teaching their kids how to approach something like this, rather than hide in fear from it. Ignorance won't fix the problem, ever.

Teach them to respect it. Remove the curious and "awe" about it and reduce (and hopefully remove) the risk.

I've still only got my eldest on a BB gun, but she never goes into the backyard without her safety glasses on and makes sure her younger brother is wearing his glasses or is well enough back when she plinks cans. Yes, she's earned that level of trust.

[Sleeper]

And this story brought to you by dfwmustangs.net/Yahoo/NBC/FOX/, News anchor shitstang..

I'm actually starting to think that taliwacker is taking over the yahoo re-postings.

[ram57ta]

The children's mother was home at the time of the shooting Tuesday afternoon but had stepped out to the front porch for a few minutes and "she heard the gun go off,

This is Kentucky....momma prolly stepped out to smoke some meth and down some moonshine. Sad....but any half ass parent should know better than to have guns (rifles, pistols, etc) just laying around hidden behind doors that a child can get to. Parents should know whether guns laying around the house are loaded or not...and if they aren't smart enough to check or figure it out...they shouldn't have them (guns OR kids).

[MustangPoser]

I continue to teach my kids about guns every time I get them out. Even at times, remove the ability to fire the gun and leave it out to see what they do. They haven't disappointed me yet (coming to me or the wife to say a gun was left out and not jacking with it).

That's how my brother is. He has dragged his 13 year old to the range several times just to make sure she knows how to handle and treat firearms. It's one of those things, even if she doesn't care to shoot or touch guns, in the future if someone is at their house and they find a gun she won't be an idiot and let them play with it.

"Oh your dads gun. I grew up around guns, check out what I can do. Pop"

[dee]

My daughter is 3 and knows not to touch a gun. She has seen up close what they can do while hunting with me or my dad, she knows that if you shoot something it's dead and there is no fixing it. When she is big enough physically and mentally she will learn to shoot but there will never be a gun readily accessible for a child.

[Wicked98Snake]

Sad that the child has been put in a position for this to even happen, now he will have the memory of killing his sister for life.