Tot, 5, packs a pistol

New York Daily News ^ | 5/21/05 | OREN YANIV and CARRIE MELAGO

[freespirited]

A 5-year-old Queens boy arrived home from kindergarten with a little something extra in his backpack - a loaded handgun, police said yesterday. Another kindergartner had given the .45-caliber semiautomatic to little Christian Park at Public School 16 in Corona on Wednesday.

"He said, 'Give it back to me tomorrow,'" Christian told the Daily News. "I put it in the bag."

Christian's mother, 29-year-old Eloisa Marquez, assumed the silver gun was a toy when she spotted it in her youngest son's black backpack.

"When I touched it, I realized it was real," she said.

Marquez immediately called the school and police, who yesterday arrested the father of the boy who brought the weapon to school.

Tesfari Davis, 25, of Corona, was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. His son, also named Tesfari Davis, was given an in-school suspension, officials said.

The Department of Education is investigating the gun incident. And parents said the school sent home a letter Thursday describing what happened.

Although the gun never discharged and no one was hurt, Christian's mother was horrified that her child would be exposed to weapons.

"I'm scared because my son is only 5," she said.

And the incident shook up little Christian, who said, "When the police came, I was scared."

[freespirited]

Just damn.

[sharktrager]

All I ever got was an extra cookie.

[thebaron512]

How about a trip to the local gun safety location? I'm sorry, that is NYC, oops...

Something about this story does not completely add up, but whatever....

[yarddog]

I never went to kindergarten but the best thing anyone ever gave me in grammar school was a magnifying glass. I would have been tickled with a .45, or even a .22.

[SIDENET]

Christian's mother was horrified that her child would be exposed to weapons.

In Queens? Heck, maybe he should have kept the .45.

[trussell]

What doesn't add up?

The child was given a gun by a classmate, they are 5 years old...not very wise about guns at that age.

[TXnMA]

This is the second "5-year-old tales gun to school" story in a week!

Those kids and ther classmates definitely need to be introduced to

"Eddie Eagle"

What is The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program?

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program teaches children in pre-K through third grade four important steps to take if they find a gun. These steps are presented by the program's mascot, Eddie Eagle®, in an easy-to-remember format consisting of the following simple rules:

If you see a gun:

STOP!
Don't Touch.
Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult.

Begun in 1988, The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program has reached more than 17 million total today -- in all 50 states. This program was developed through the combined efforts of such qualified professionals as clinical psychologists, reading specialists, teachers, curriculum specialists, urban housing safety officials, and law enforcement personnel.

Anyone may teach The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, and NRA membership is not required.

[solitas]

All we had were our fingers (up hill, both ways, barefoot, in the snow, yadda yadda yadda) and we played cops & robbers and cowboys & indians with impunity.

If a kid these days even POINTS a finger at another kid he's suspended, arrested, maced, tasered, hauled-off to a mindcontrol facility, parents are arrested and sued, etc.

Go figure.

[yarddog]

After I retired, I did a little substitute teaching just to see how I would like it.

A totally different world.