Okay you don't have kids but this guy is bucked up in the head, the first thought is "it's one of the kids"...always.
I'm sorry, this doesn't make any sense to me.
I do have a security system that's always set though.
I've been awakened by grand babies staring at me, eyeball to eyeball, and nothing has frightened me enough to grab my weapon.
Something's just not right here! I'm not comfortable with this story.
She's shot in the chest? Must be a very tall 5 year old.
Just what was he aiming at on an adult, I wonder?
I can't believe he would shoot through the door, especially since there was at least one small child in the house. He should have checked to see if it was her. He had another grown man sleeping right there, so he should have realized that man would have confronted an intruder before he got to their room. I'm sure he feels bad, but if he is prosecuted, I don't feel sorry for him.
death of any child in situation like this really get to me.
it pain me to read about a child is dead as result of the parent.
Tragic beyond words. Truly horrible.
The best advice is the one you have already covered.
Be 100% sure of your target before you pull a trigger. Never ASSUME anything.
This is sad beyond belief.
And like so many others have said, I would also never shoot at anything I haven't identified.
A truly sad story, but I would like to see some posts from those who were saved through gun self defence.
IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET
Although I have sympathy for this family - I must say this idiot has dealt a blow to the cause of gun ownership. This is EXACTLY the type of case that gets plastered all over the media and dredged up every time further gun restriction legislation comes up.
The step-father, at minimum, should be charged with negligible homicide. Sure, it was an accident (I hope!), but he was obviously negligent in his action.
On the other hand - IF more comes out through the investigation - the SOB would deserve death row....
My husband kept his S&W Sigma loaded but not chambered. His thought was that forcing himself to go through the extra step would ensure that he could positively ID the "target" in a dark room - which could have very well have been me coming back from a trip to the bathroom.
Tragic. Sad.
I don't buy it.
He was shooting for the intruder's knees right?
More like one less mouth to feed.
Lock the idiot up for at least 20 years.
If he was so worried, why didn't he check on the kids before shooting?
No way is this an accident. He just wanted to get rid of the step-kid...
The guy is just a plain old chicken sh*t cowardly sonovabitch. His child is asleep in another part of the house and instead of being concerned about her safety as he sees his door being open he blows her away in fear for his own safety. What a POS!
There is not one rational excuse for what happened here, and the least he should be charged with is involuntary homicide.
I am one hundred percent defender of the second amendment, but in needless tragedies such as this, I feel the Perp should be made an example of and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Whatever the sentence he recieves, it should include the removal of his trigger finger, up to his elbows.
I'm not buying it. The chest of a 5 year old is mighty low. Was he expecting to hit the "intruder" in the shins?
Hmmmm ... a STEPFATHER .... !
A-Gun? Is this a street name or a common Hispanic name? Somebody must be after this fool if he's so quick to fire.
He shot through to door, without even raising his voice to say 'Who's there?'
This story stinks to high heaven.