Australian Politics Forum - US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2

freediver

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US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
May 2^nd, 2013 at 7:35pm

Not an accident in my opinion. This is negligence. WTF are the yanks doing making guns specifically for children?

http://www.news.com.au/world-news/us-boy-5-accidentally-shoots-and-kills-sister-2/story-fndir2ev-1226633510209

A FIVE-year-old boy who was playing with a .22 caliber rifle he'd been given as a gift accidentally shot and killed his two-year-old sister in their Kentucky home, officials said.

The shooting happened on Tuesday in rural Cumberland county and the little girl was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, the state police said.

Cumberland County Coroner Gary White identified the girl as Caroline Starks and said the children's mother was cleaning the house at the time and had stepped outside onto the porch.

"She said no more than three minutes had went by and she actually heard the rifle go off. She ran back in and found the little girl," Mr White told WKYT news.

The rifle had been given to the boy last year and was kept in the corner of a room. The parents didn't realise a shell had been left in it.

"It's a Crickett," he told the Lexington Herald-Leader. "It's a little rifle for a kid...The little boy's used to shooting the little gun."

An autopsy was set to be conducted overnight, but Mr White said he expects the shooting will be ruled accidental.

"Just one of those crazy accidents," Mr White said.

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Amadd

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #1 - May 2^nd, 2013 at 8:59pm

It sounds pretty crazy to be giving a 5yr old a firearm of any sort, let alone a rifle. Even an air rifle or a slingshot can kill.

The reaction seems to be as bemusing as the blatant negligence. Hopefully in future years, when the kid is all screwed up, he will at least be able to blame his dumbass parents.

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polite_gandalf

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #2 - May 2^nd, 2013 at 9:03pm

Yes its f*cked up FD. And yet when I look back at my childhood growing up on a farm, guns were lying around everywhere: a rifle was permanently sitting in our ute in case any rabbits happened to pass by - and also as a handy euthenaser for terminally ill stock. The shotgun (semi automatic) was regularly leaning up against the stove in the kitchen when sparrows and starlings were around. All the other rifles (some high powered) were literally just lying around the house or garage like pieces of furniture. I was completely desensitised to guns - and they were never kept locked away safe from small children. Crazy innit? Though its true I never heard of rifles custom made for 5 year olds.

But anyway, that all changed pretty much overnight when the Port Arthur gun laws were pushed through. The semi automatic shotty went, and metal cabinets with secure locks were bought for the remaining guns we were allowed to keep. I have to say, it was a wake up call for me personally. It changed our culture, and no longer did I think of guns as these normal things that were quite in place just lying around the house and vehicles. The laws were one of the best things for this country IMO - in more ways than one. I now look back on those pre-regulation days with a overwhelming sense of "what the f*ck were we thinking??"

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Outlawing the enemy's uniform - hijab, islamic beard - is not depriving one's own people of their freedoms.

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Life_goes_on

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #3 - May 2^nd, 2013 at 9:15pm

I used to own quite a few firearms - from pistols to ex military weapons.

They were fun for a while to own, but I can't come up with a single reason as to why I should have had any right, or for that matter, need, to actually own them.

I certainly don't feel any less "safe" since I got rid of them.

But our distant cousins, the Americans, seem to think that gun ownership is as important as breathing.

Yanks: they might talk the same language, but they're as foreign as Russians.

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Chard Gold Member Offline Mein Führer! I can walk! Posts: 1077 Alabama, USA Gender:	Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2 Reply #4 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 2:31am Freedriver, explain to me how this is anything other than a case of parental neglect. It's the gun's fault the people who were supposed to be supervising the five year old got lax and failed in their duty as parents.
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JC Denton

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #5 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 3:18am

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They were fun for a while to own, but I can't come up with a single reason as to why I should have had any right, or for that matter, need, to actually own them.

can't you say this about basically everything? what reason does somebody need to own a t.v? if anything televisions and electrial appliances are indirectly and in accumulation quite dangerous as well, due to their energy requirements. people want to own guns because they think they're fun. i don't like the NRA style arguments about "tyranny" and whatnot particularly either, but i think "i want to own a gun because they're fun" is as good as any. question is whether or not that want measures up against the potential utilitarian drawbacks of mass gun ownership; that's something i don't have an answer for.

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polite_gandalf

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #6 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 8:19am

Chard wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 2:31am:

Freedriver, explain to me how this is anything other than a case of parental neglect. It's the gun's fault the people who were supposed to be supervising the five year old got lax and failed in their duty as parents.

Oh Chard, please tell me you are not serious??

They are manufacturing and marketing little guns specifically aimed (no pun intended) at small children - and you don't see any inherent problems in that??

FFS, I even saw one coloured a pretty pink for little girls. These killing machines are basically being marketed as toys. What sort of a f*cked up society is this??

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A resident Islam critic who claims to represent western values said:
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Outlawing the enemy's uniform - hijab, islamic beard - is not depriving one's own people of their freedoms.

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polite_gandalf

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #7 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 8:24am

JC Denton wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 3:18am:

can't you say this about basically everything? what reason does somebody need to own a t.v? if anything televisions and electrial appliances are indirectly and in accumulation quite dangerous as well, due to their energy requirements. people want to own guns because they think they're fun.

Oh I just love this line of argument. Like you can just pick up a TV, point it towards someone and kill them instantly.

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A resident Islam critic who claims to represent western values said:
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Outlawing the enemy's uniform - hijab, islamic beard - is not depriving one's own people of their freedoms.

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Peter Freedman

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #8 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 9:26am

Next will come the argument that cars and knives should be banned.

Guns may be "fun" but they are lethal weapons designed to kill. For parents to give one to a small boy is crazy and shows how mad America has become.

Now that boy has to live with having killed his sister. I trust the parents will be prosecuted, but probably not.

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polite_gandalf

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #9 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 10:22am

Peter Freedman wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 9:26am:

I trust the parents will be prosecuted, but probably not.

they will have to live with the "oh how stupid were we to put a gun in the hands of our 5 year old boy" bad taste in their mouth for the rest of their lives. That is punishment enough. Cricketts, on the other hand, will continue making millions irresponsibly selling guns as toys with a free conscience.

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A resident Islam critic who claims to represent western values said:
Quote:

Outlawing the enemy's uniform - hijab, islamic beard - is not depriving one's own people of their freedoms.

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FriYAY Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 7395	Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2 Reply #10 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 11:47am Tragic. I feel for the little boy, so, so sad. I’d like to kick the parents arses till their noses bleed.
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Chimp_Logic

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #11 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 12:36pm

Chard wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 2:31am:

Freedriver, explain to me how this is anything other than a case of parental neglect. It's the gun's fault the people who were supposed to be supervising the five year old got lax and failed in their duty as parents.

...of course, that's all it is.

Guns should be compulsory in every home, school yard and class room from the age of 2 onwards

Nuclear devices should also be available to whoever can afford them and maintain them properly in their back yards

Its in the constitution - you are allowed to defend yourself

Personally I prefer an Apache helicopter with a full range of computer guided missiles and machine gun artillery.

Parents need to be close by though

we need someone to blame in case something goes wrong

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Dsmithy70

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #12 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 12:40pm

Seems they are busy modifying now

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http://www.crickett.com/

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greggerypeccary

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #13 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 2:32pm

polite_gandalf wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 8:24am:

JC Denton wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 3:18am:

can't you say this about basically everything? what reason does somebody need to own a t.v? if anything televisions and electrial appliances are indirectly and in accumulation quite dangerous as well, due to their energy requirements. people want to own guns because they think they're fun.

Oh I just love this line of argument. Like you can just pick up a TV, point it towards someone and kill them instantly.

Depends what's on, I suppose.

This would bore me to death in 30 seconds flat:

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Chard

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Re: US boy, 5, accidentally shoots and kills sister, 2
Reply #14 - May 3^rd, 2013 at 4:55pm

polite_gandalf wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 8:19am:

Chard wrote on May 3^rd, 2013 at 2:31am:

Freedriver, explain to me how this is anything other than a case of parental neglect. It's the gun's fault the people who were supposed to be supervising the five year old got lax and failed in their duty as parents.

Oh Chard, please tell me you are not serious??

They are manufacturing and marketing little guns specifically aimed (no pun intended) at small children - and you don't see any inherent problems in that??

And it still comes down to adults purchasing them, purchasing the ammunition, and then properly suprrvising their child.

Quote:

FFS, I even saw one coloured a pretty pink for little girls. These killing machines are basically being marketed as toys. What sort of a f*cked up society is this??

No, they aren't being marketed as toys and you're either the most clueless bastard ever or the most dishonest asshole in the thread for saying such. By all means, show me where Cricket, on any of their products, says "this is a toy, adult supervision is not required", otherwise you're full of poo. Given that this is the second thread I've called you on your bullshit I'm begining to suspect that you know f*ck all about the topic of firearms.

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Deterrence is the art of producing in the mind of the enemy... the FEAR to attack.

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