Terrible. It does seem that these boys were not taught how to use these safely, nor was anyone around to keep them within the rules.
I agree with you, however, I find it very hard to believe that a bb gun could put a bb through a skull and into the brain at 40 feet. I have hit squirrels at 30 feet with 10 pumps in the gun, and had them just run away.....smoething about this story is incorrect