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W.Va. man killed 3-year-old son during shooting game, police say
The Times-West Virginian ^ | 12-01-08 | staff

Posted on 12/05/2008 7:40:24 PM PST by atomic conspiracy

BECKLEY — A 3-year-old Raleigh County boy was fatally shot by his father as the two were playing a game that involved a shotgun, police said.

Gary Wayne Garretson, 44, of Coal City is being held at Southern Regional Jail on charges of death of a child by parent by child abuse. His bond was set at $500,000.

Raleigh County Deputies were called to Garretson's Coal City Road home Saturday afternoon where they found the toddler, identified as Anthony Garretson, already dead, according to a complaint filed in Raleigh County Magistrate Court.

The boy had been shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun, according to the complaint.

Gary Garretson told deputies that he did not know the shotgun was loaded when he pointed it in his son's direction and pulled the trigger, the complaint said.

Garretson told police "he had done this in the past as a bit of a game with his son, saying that he was going to get him," the complaint said.

The toddler would respond, "You can't get me, daddy," according to the complaint.

Officials from the Raleigh County Sheriff's Department have not released any other details.

Deputies said no one else was in the home when the shooting occurred.

Garretson does not have an attorney listed, according to the county magistrate's office.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: West Virginia
KEYWORDS: ashotgunisnotatoy; dontplaywithguns; grief
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This is the saddest story I have seen in some time, absolutely heartbreaking. According to DBPK, the little boy's mother, Darlene Garretson, had died just four months ago.
1 posted on 12/05/2008 7:40:24 PM PST by atomic conspiracy
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To: atomic conspiracy

I read this story elsewhere earlier in the week. Honestly, I don’t believe the father’s story at all.


2 posted on 12/05/2008 7:42:30 PM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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To: atomic conspiracy
Gary Garretson told deputies that he did not know the shotgun was loaded when he pointed it in his son's direction and pulled the trigger, the complaint said.

Charge the thug with murder.

3 posted on 12/05/2008 7:44:00 PM PST by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at I00 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: atomic conspiracy

need i say what everyone who owns a gun is thinking... you treat EVERY gun as if it is loaded, and you don’t point ANY gun at anything you don’t intend to kill. PERIOD. There was no excuse for this tragedy.


4 posted on 12/05/2008 7:44:33 PM PST by Awestruck (Now if we can only get the rest of the "republican" leaders to stand up to the liberals.)
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To: Emmett McCarthy

Nope.

Even if he’s telling the truth it should be prosecuted as premeditated murder just because the guy is stupid enough to be a danger to those around him.


5 posted on 12/05/2008 7:45:08 PM PST by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: atomic conspiracy

On second thought I deleted my own reply. Was not horrible, but not too kind, either.


6 posted on 12/05/2008 7:45:12 PM PST by Hegemony Cricket (The emporer has no pedigree.)
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To: atomic conspiracy
senseless, just senseless.
7 posted on 12/05/2008 7:45:33 PM PST by bankcritic (Never spend your money before you have it. - Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Awestruck

What you said. It’s the first thing my father taught me.


8 posted on 12/05/2008 7:46:38 PM PST by Bahbah (Typical white person-Snow white)
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To: atomic conspiracy
*If* the story is true:
He was playing games with a gun. This sounds like one of those stories created to ban weapons.

9 posted on 12/05/2008 7:46:53 PM PST by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* 'I love you guys')
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To: atomic conspiracy
RIP


10 posted on 12/05/2008 7:50:27 PM PST by BykrBayb (May God have mercy on our souls. ~ Þ)
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To: Awestruck
"you treat EVERY gun as if it is loaded"

I don't treat EVERY gun as if it were loaded. I make it a habit to check any gun that I pick up, or is handed to me to see if it's loaded. If not, then I can relax with it. If I don't know whether or not a gun is loaded, I treat it as if it is.

11 posted on 12/05/2008 7:51:47 PM PST by KoRn
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To: atomic conspiracy
Gary Garretson told deputies that he did not know the shotgun was loaded when he pointed it in his son's direction and pulled the trigger, the complaint said. Garretson told police "he had done this in the past as a bit of a game with his son, saying that he was going to get him," the complaint said. The toddler would respond, "You can't get me, daddy," according to the complaint.

Looks like daddy "got him".

12 posted on 12/05/2008 7:52:51 PM PST by ColdWater
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To: atomic conspiracy; fieldmarshaldj; Impy

This man should be sterilized, at the very least. He doesn’t even have the intelligence to care for a pet, let alone raise a child.


13 posted on 12/05/2008 7:53:15 PM PST by Clintonfatigued (If Islam conquers the world, the Earth will be at peace because the human race will be killed off.)
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To: KoRn
I don't treat EVERY gun as if it were loaded. I make it a habit to check any gun that I pick up, or is handed to me to see if it's loaded. If not, then I can relax with it.

You can never 'relax' with a gun.

14 posted on 12/05/2008 7:54:19 PM PST by ColdWater
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To: atomic conspiracy
Rule #1 Always treat EVERY gun as if it were loaded.

Rule #2 Don't play with guns.

Even if you are SURE the gun is not loaded, CHECK AGAIN.

15 posted on 12/05/2008 7:55:25 PM PST by smokingfrog (Buy'em cheap. Bury'em deep.)
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To: bankcritic

If he’s lying, throw the book at him. And in any case, if he has any sort of conscience he has to live with the knowledge that a stupid game resulted in the death of his own child. If it were me, that would be worse than any punishment the judicial system could prescribe.


16 posted on 12/05/2008 7:56:04 PM PST by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (Raisin' my lonely dennil floss...)
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To: Clintonfatigued
This man should be sterilized.

After that, they can strap him to a gurney and stick a needle in his arm.

17 posted on 12/05/2008 7:58:15 PM PST by trumandogz (The Democrats are driving us to Socialism at I00 MPH -The GOP is driving us to Socialism at 97.5 MPH)
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To: atomic conspiracy

wth


18 posted on 12/05/2008 8:00:45 PM PST by happinesswithoutpeace (You are receiving this broadcast as a dream)
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To: bankcritic

People who abuse weapons should not be allowed to own them.
There is no right to endanger everyone else. His own kid geez what an imbecile. What kind of man points a real gun at a kid?


19 posted on 12/05/2008 8:04:38 PM PST by arrogantsob (Hero vs Zero)
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To: KoRn
I (don't) treat EVERY gun as if it were loaded.

People keep on saying that and then start arguing over semantics. It goes without saying, you should find out if your gun is loaded or not, not only for safety but also so that you know exactly what you need to do in order to fire it.

I believe what's important is his second admonition. Never point a gun (loaded or unloaded) at a person whose life you do not intend to threaten!

20 posted on 12/05/2008 8:07:29 PM PST by mwilli20 (The communists used to call it "voluntary work")
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