IRAQI CHILD SHOT WHILE POINTING AN AK-47 AT U.S. FORCES

CENTCOM ^ | Nov. 28, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

	NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

November 28, 2003
Release Number: 03-11-49


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


IRAQI CHILD SHOT WHILE POINTING AN AK-47 AT U.S. FORCES

AR RAMADI, Iraq – Elements of the 1st Infantry Division conducted a mission in Ar Ramadi today. While on patrol, the soldiers witnessed two men with weapons running into a nearby residence. The soldiers followed the men in order to apprehend them for questioning.

Upon approaching the house, a seven-year-old child came out with an AK-47 rifle pointed at the soldiers. A soldier responded in self-defense and shot the child in the foot. The child was rushed to the nearest army medical facility for treatment and further evacuated by air to Baghdad.

This incident is currently under investigation.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Upon approaching the house, a seven-year-old child came out with an AK-47 rifle pointed at the soldiers.

The adult who gave this child a gun and sent him outside should be gut shot and left in the desert to die.

(yeah, I'm in a real bad mood. I get like that when people abuse kids)

[First_Salute]

The soldier did well; and I am very glad that the child is alive.

[Ex-Dem]

Sounds like the soldier made a judgement call, the right one, I would say. I hope when the kid grows up, he'll understand and appreciate that the soldier spared his life, when he could have just as easily killed him. That's the difference between our guys and the thugs they're fighting.

[Eaker]

Here is my 13yo daughter with a fully automatic suppressed Uzi.

Here she is at 9yo shooting a .40s&w Glock.

I have seen her shoot an apple at 75ft with the first round out of a pistol that she has never seen before.

There is a purpose behind training children to be ready for life rather than shielding them from it.

[boxerblues]

This child is luky to be alive, the person who handed him the AK47 needs to be shot and not in the foot

[Centurion2000]

Upon approaching the house, a seven-year-old child came out with an AK-47 rifle pointed at the soldiers. A soldier responded in self-defense and shot the child in the foot. The child was rushed to the nearest army medical facility for treatment and further evacuated by air to Baghdad.

This incident is currently under investigation.

Yup, investigation; like why did the soldier open up a three round burst to this kid ?

No mercy for this child from me ..... you pick up a man's weapon you take your chances.

[Eaker]

Not to slight my son...........

[solitas]

A great Rule of Life:

Learn (not to point guns at soldiers) by doing (something as stupid as pointing guns at soldiers).

LOL!

[Cronos]

a gun is a gun. I was on the other thread which talked about an alleged massacre by Tiger Force in Vietnam, but this is NOT the same. Why?
a. A real gun was pointed at a soldier.
b. The soldier should be HONOURED as he put his mates out of danger AND he did NOT kill the child.

That's a very brave, very noble thing he did.

[Centurion2000]

This child is luky to be alive, the person who handed him the AK47 needs to be shot and not in the foot

After seeing a little bit more of the details about how it looks like the bad guys might have just handed him a weapon and sent him out there, you have a very good point. Don't kill the kid ... skin the bastard who sent him out there alive.

[Delta 21]

Try teaching that lesson to the palistinians.

Their David and Goliath mentality is skewed by the fact that the power of the Allmighty may have something to do with the trajectory of the rock.

[Delta 21]

You are doing something right! Keep it up!

[cajun-jack]

not viscious, but they did the same damn thing in nam...g.i. softy, won't shoot little kid...little kid can kill many......it is sad that these people have no moral conscious when it comes to children, but the American G.I. had better come to grips with it.

Objective #one: stay alive

Objective #two: cry when you have time

close your eyes, pull the trigger...feel really bad later on, but at least you can still feel.

In war, we are just too damn good for our own good!!!!!!!!

[Cannoneer No. 4]

4GW targets public opinion

Americans are suckers for kids

[SeeRushToldU_So]

I agree that training would dictate center mass, but some troops have been thinking long and hard and may be deviating from their training because they don't want to wake up every night with a dead child's face haunting them.

I agree. I served right after Vietnam War, I served with an E-6, one night he got really drunk, and while crying he told me of him killing a child that was coming at him with a grenade that was missing a pin. It haunted him terribly.

[skinkinthegrass]

thanks, for the report... :|

[CharliefromKS]

Thank you for posting this.

[Eaker]

It haunted him terribly.

Not too long ago I was surrounded by three young gangbangers. Things went down hill and I drew my concealed weapon. I violated my training somewhat because I wasn't aiming at center mass. I was aiming at the leader's face as I had to be able to watch his eyes.

He finally backed down when he realized that he was literally at death's door. I was about two pounds of trigger pull from discharge.

I still see his face and I did not kill him.

[Jeff Head]

Here's me with my then 11 year old son, teaching him to shoot a "gun like that" in the mountains of Nevada in 2000.

Best time to teach them is when they are young so they develop a firm appreciation and respect for firearms and realize that are not "toys".

When he (and my other kids ) were very young, about when they were five, I would typically either take them with me hunting, or show them afterwards what a high velocity bullet does to a dear or an elk. and explain that it would be even more traumatic to a human. It's a bloody thing to see...and watching me field dress the carcass of tha animal was a messy thing for them to see at five...but they learned.

Jared has been shooting since he was 7 or 8, as have my othe five, older children.

[Eaker]

Thanks and if you are interested there are several more pics of FReepers and their kids enjoying the sport of shooting here.

Take care and a heartfelt thanks for your service to our country!!!