Posted on 02/07/2018 3:51:07 PM PST by nickcarraway
Lawmakers at the Oklahoma State Capitol are considering a bill that would make it illegal to sell or give a child a crossbow.
Officials say the bill was created following the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy in October.
Just before 6 p.m. on Oct. 21st, deputies were called to a Lincoln County home in reference to two young boys being shot with a crossbow.
When officials arrived, they found 10-year-old Austin Almanza dead at the scene.
Officials say 8-year-old Ayden Almanza was also injured by the crossbow, adding that the arrow was still in the boy’s arm when they got to the scene.
Officials said a 13-year-old boy, not related to the victims, fired the crossbow.
RELATED STORY “Please hurry,” 10-year-old Oklahoma boy’s crossbow death under investigation “Traveled across his body and exited over here on the right side, striking Ayden who was standing behind him,” Lincoln County Sheriff Charles Dougherty told KFOR.
Last month, 13-year-old Shane Brooks was charged with first-degree murder in Austin’s death.
Now, an Oklahoma lawmaker says he is working to make sure a crime like this never happens again.
House Bill 3369, which is known as Austin Almanza’s Law, would make it illegal for a child to be sold or given a crossbow unless it is used for hunting animals or fowl or hunter safety classes.
The measure also states that parents cannot intentionally give a crossbow to a child if they are aware of the “substantial risk that the child will use the weapon to commit a criminal offense or if the child has either been adjudicated a delinquent or has been convicted as an adult for any criminal offense that contains as an element that threat or use of physical force.”
During Wednesday’s hearing, that author of the bill, Rep. Kevin Wallace, stressed that the bill would not apply to hunters.
“It would not restrict your youth from ever hunting with a crossbow but they would have to have the proper hunting training, adult supervision,” said Rep. Wallace.
However, others questioned just how far the bill would actually go to protect children.
“A parent can give it to a child, so even if we passed this, it would not have prevented what happened on that tragic day,” said Rep. Cory Williams.
The measure passed the House Judiciary Committee 14 to 7.
There is no word yet on when it could be heard on the House floor.
Rep. Kevin Wallace claims to be a Republican.
https://www.okhouse.gov/Members/District.aspx?District=32
They are calling this the “Joffrey Barratheon” bill.
I’m adding this to the banglist because Representative Wallace claims to be pro-Second Amendment.
It had nothing to do with the weapon - it sounds like this kid would’ve done it with a slingshot or even a knife.
You want to stop this nonsense? Don’t ban the weapon inprison the parents too.
Lordy lordy thank God Massa government’s there to save us from ourselves.
Remember Lawn Darts? Just saying.
one went though my dads gran Torino hood
Constitution of the State of Oklahoma Section II-26: Bearing arms - Carrying weapons.Note the lack of an age on the Citizen.The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereunto legally summoned, shall never be prohibited; but nothing herein contained shall prevent the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons.
I think they were banned when one went into a child’s head. Even still, a kid with a crossbow no matter how much of a toy it is, is dangerous.
Now we reach the heart of the problem: crossbows are not toys.
Coming as a parent I have seven and 10-year-old boys this is 100% on the parents
parents should never ever let their minor children anywhere near anything that has deadly force associated with it.
Bowen arrow crossbow a gun shotgun itaser or anything like that
It’s time for fucking ongresscriterrz to stop making rules for stupid parents
I’ve seen these small cb’s at gun shows. A radio ham up the road from my folks uses the hand held version to fire some string high up into some pines then uses the string to pull up wire for his antenna. I’ve watch that little arrow just zing. Close up it sticks in wood.
Also, didn’t some pope way back ban them in warfare?
Let’s ban forks, because they make people fat.
Should have been obvious and should include all possible legal weapons, large knives, swords, how and arrows etc.
Cross bow bolt will go through a bulletproof vest and stick out the back.
Crossbows today are definitely not toys. They are accurate, strong, and able to drop big game as effectively as an arrow.
But they need to be governed under the same standards as firearms. Which means, lean in the direction of freedom, not forbidding.
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