Firing arms instructor killed by 9 year old

[Ohsheepdog]

Knkali, well put post, & I agree with what you said. A select few that shoot with me are given the chance, & only when my fellow instructor & I personally know the individual, have shot with them before and/or have proven themselves safe with other weapons & have the ability to listen & do exactly as they are instructed. Keep in mind as well, I didn't say I let 9 year olds shoot them, I said some minors.

[knkali]

Knkali, well put post, & I agree with what you said. A select few that shoot with me are given the chance, & only when my fellow instructor & I personally know the individual, have shot with them before and/or have proven themselves safe with other weapons & have the ability to listen & do exactly as they are instructed. Keep in mind as well, I didn't say I let 9 year olds shoot them, I said some minors.

understood...

[Longitude Zero]

Not every joy in life has to be shared with everyone at any time. Sometimes waiting is needed. There are reasons that kids have to be a certain height before they can go on certain carnival rides. So be it with firearms. Just because they can doesn't mean they should. Perhaps you should reconsider what your minimum age limit is that you are willing to instruct children with fully auto firearms. Take this tragedy and make something positive from it. The lack of empathy that you feel here is not what it appears to be. Instead, I propose that what you are feeling here from the forum members is outrage for what just happened. After the initial anger subsides, the empathy will automatically trickle in. I know that is what is happening to me regarding this tragedy. I saw the incident on video. It was horrible. Words cannot describe how sickening it was to watch. I learned that things happen very fast. I am not sure that a well placed hand on shoulder or muzzle is adequate given the fractions of a second needed to react to prevent such a terrible thing to happen again. Furthermore, there is a bit of self interest going on here that we need to address. We have all been around long enough to know that a tragedy should never go to waste in order to take away personal liberties. We will soon have pundits and legislation being ready to be passed with minimum age limits that children can shoot or risk child protection services coming to take your kid away. Also, this is another feather in the anti-gunnners cap as to the evil of these weapons in civilian's hands. No one wanted to say this but I feel we can respectfully do so now. Finally, I see the State pressing charges on the parents. I hope this is not the case. They have paid enough for what has happened.

Absolutely agree.

[knkali]

and so it starts....
http://news.msn.com/us/gun-tourism-g...n-recent-years

[marcinstl]

the family was on vacation and for something to do, mom and dad signed off on their 9 yr. old daughter shooting an automatic weapon with minimal training by a marginal instructor at a very marginally operated range. (what if you were shooting in the next lane? comfortable with a 9 yr. old and Uzi next door? did you get sprayed to? good grief). what's the Army term I'm looking for to describe this, hmmm, "Cluster Fuxx"? little girl in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people.
now the little girl has to testify at trials, go to therapy and worst of all go back home with the "parents". good luck to the little girl in 9 more years she can get out of there and keep on going.

[wyntrout]

It has only been a year or so since an 8-year-ld boy fatally shot himself in the head with a full-auto Uzi in a similar situation... just crazy. A BB bun or AirSoft full-auto maybe, but a 9mm is just too much... maybe even a 22LR full-auto would be too much.

Wynn

[ltxi]

The first full auto I fired was an issue Grease Gun. Well Now!! And I was a trained shooter adult.

I think the comment about the parents not being gun people, not understanding, and trusting the instructor was correct. So I'll back off my "they're morons" comment go with "too trusting". This is most firmly on range management and the instructor.

[TheLastDaze]

This is most firmly on range management and the instructor.

agreed.... keep your whits about you while around guns, especially kids with guns....

I've been handloading for about two months now and nothing keeps me focused more then loading and shooting...

[yqtszhj]

I feel bad for the guy, i really do, can't take back what happened, Just gotta hope that sopme damn good cmes from this, I'm not sure what though. IMO common sense should have prevailed here, not making a quick buck... Its sad, this was a young man to, not some ol foggy like Muggsy who is expendable. Just sayin

I have to say ole jocko has the best post so far. Well stated. You must have been hanging out with Greg while you were away.

[downtownv]

and so it starts....
http://news.msn.com/us/gun-tourism-g...n-recent-years

Front page on the Newark Star Ledger, too!

[ltxi]

I have to say ole jocko has the best post so far. Well stated. You must have been hanging out with Greg while you were away.

Methinks ole jocko be going soft in his old age. Unlike "no pity here" me.

[DanTana]

How tragic and sad. This should of been prevented. Hard to believe an experience instructor would give a fully auto weapon to a first time shooter, and small child at that. Should of kept it at single shot.

[b4uqzme]

The first full auto I fired was an issue Grease Gun. Well Now!! And I was a trained shooter adult.

I think the comment about the parents not being gun people, not understanding, and trusting the instructor was correct. So I'll back off my "they're morons" comment go with "too trusting". This is most firmly on range management and the instructor.

Responsibility is firearms rule #1: the range, the instructor, the parents... Even with everyone attempting responsibility, accidents (negligence) will happen. I have a backyard range. Some friends, after a few beers, wanted to go shoot. "Nope! You are welcome to come back any day." I may seem like a jerk today but I may have just saved your life.

[TheLastDaze]

Responsibility is firearms rule #1: the range, the instructor, the parents... Even with everyone attempting responsibility, accidents (negligence) will happen. I have a backyard range. Some friends, after a few beers, wanted to go shoot. "Nope! You are welcome to come back any day." I may seem like a jerk today but I may have just saved your life.

good man... that's really hard to do when you're buzzed, normally Its like yeah man that's cool as everything is OKAY when you're buzzed but when it comes to guns, umm not so much.... Wished more people thought like that when cars are involved.... as it is a deadly weapon...

[ltxi]

I've long had a firm rule...never operate anything with whirling blades after the third beer. Euphemistically phrased...it extends.