Another dead child thanks to unsecured firearms

[BehindBlueI's]

IMPD: Child fatally shot by child inside apt. on city's north side - TheIndyChannel.com

Another example of young children and unsecured firearms leading to tragedy. The "it will never happen to me" mentality is strong, yet it does happen to someone with all to much frequency. These are the facts that drive the statistics the anti-gun crowd uses about being less safe with a gun in the house, as they make no distinction between RESPONSIBLE and IRRESPONSIBLE gun owners. Another tragic death, another child with that burden for the rest of his life, and more fuel for the fire. Irresponsibility costs us all.

 

[88GT]

And yet I see no one calling for the elimination of cars.

 

[Arthur Dent]

Or bath tubs, swimming pools, homes with stairs...

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

And yet I see no one calling for the elimination of cars.

IMO that's because it doesn't make the rounds on the daily news channels. Most of the people calling for an outright ban on guns in the home just see the news story day in and day out. Somebody shot here, there, up there, and down here...then some kid finds a parents unsecured gun and game over. Too much for some people to think about so they just take a zero tolerance/no thought view on the whole situation instead of thinking rationally.

 

[Cameramonkey]

And yet I see no one calling for the elimination of cars.

Or bath tubs, swimming pools, homes with stairs...

Its because there isnt a faction of the population that hates cars, tubs, pools, etc.

 

[Dead Duck]

or Hammers...

 

[ljk]

And yet I see no one calling for the elimination of cars.

Or bath tubs, swimming pools, homes with stairs...

you let your 6-yo kid drive?

so there are babysitters, barriers, locks and doors.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Its because there isnt a faction of the population that hates cars, tubs, pools, etc.

I take that back. There IS a faction of the population that hates bathtubs. I seem to encounter quite a few of them at the gun shows.

 

[Bennettjh]

I take that back. There IS a faction of the population that hates bathtubs. I seem to encounter quite a few of them at the gun shows.

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

There's responsibility too. I taught my daughter from the time she could walk about guns, I also kept them secure, on my person or put away. I also let her handle them in a safe and controlled environment. I took away the mysticism. Now my daughter shoots with me, on a fairly regular basis.

 

[Bigtanker]

This is real people. I survived one of these "found moms gun in the closet" incidents, simply by the grace of God. I was blessed. Many are not. Lock up your freaking guns!



Yes. That is a bullet path through my hair.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

you let your 6-yo kid drive?

so there are babysitters, barriers, locks and doors.

When we were kids, we played in dad's car a lot. It's been awhile, but I remember stories of kids hurting one another by knocking cars out of gear, releasing the parking brake, or somebody leaving the keys in the ignition.

I hate hearing these stories like the one in the OP. And I agree with CameraMonkey, guns and gun related accidents are uniquely scrutinized almost over any other type of accident.

 

[Bennettjh]

They've linked three more gun and kid-related stories in that article. Just something interesting.

 

[Bennettjh]

There's responsibility too. I taught my daughter from the time she could walk about guns, I also kept them secure, on my person or put away. I also let her handle them in a safe and controlled environment. I took away the mysticism. Now my daughter shoots with me, on a fairly regular basis.

Good. That's the way it should go, IMHO.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

They've linked three more gun and kid-related stories in that article. Just something interesting.

More fuel for the fire.

 

[ljk]

Kids are Kids, there are 1000 ways to die young, one just hope it doesn't happen to theirs.

Adults do more stupid things than kids, but the differences are the responsibilities.

I have 2 boys, they will be 2 and 4 in a few months. when I got back home, it only takes me 30 extra seconds to lock my piece up. if that's too much work for me, probably I shouldn't have it taken out of the safe to begin with.

 

[88GT]

Kids are Kids, there are 1000 ways to die young, one just hope it doesn't happen to theirs.

Adults do more stupid things than kids, but the differences are the responsibilities.

I have 2 boys, they will be 2 and 4 in a few months. when I got back home, it only takes me 30 extra seconds to lock my piece up. if that's too much work for me, probably I shouldn't have it taken out of the safe to begin with.

What we have in the OP is a lack of education. Locking up firearms is a half-assed solution. If you don't firearm-proof your kids, what are you going to do when they do encounter one that isn't locked up?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Yup, that's the takeaway. Kids die. Nothing you can do about it. Cast about for other ways they die instead of admitting guns are dangerous.

Funny thing is there have been pushes to make the others safer. Child safety seats for cars. Mandatory fencing around pools, etc.

It won't happen to me and when it happens to someone else it's just the cost of doing business.

 

[mrjarrell]

Train your children and do not lock them away where a responsible kid can't get to them. You may just be saving their lives.

8/01 When Gun Safety Locks Kill | Op-ed Pieces

 

[Denny347]

Train your children and do not lock them away where a responsible kid can't get to them. You may just be saving their lives.

8/01 When Gun Safety Locks Kill | Op-ed Pieces

Considering the lack of parenting I see in general, we are giving many gun owners WAY TOO MUCH credit in their ability to teach their kids something like this. For many gun owners, locking them up is the most responsible thing they will be able to muster up.