Boy Accidentally Shoots, Kills 3-Year-Old Sister, Chicago Police Say

The Associated Press ^ | July 1, 2002

[TheDon]

Jul 1, 2002

Boy Accidentally Shoots, Kills 3-Year-Old Sister, Chicago Police Say The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) - A 6-year-old boy playing with his grandfather's handgun accidentally shot and killed his 3-year-old sister, police said. The shooting happened Sunday evening after the children's mother stepped out of the room, police said.

The girl climbed the headboard of a bed, found the gun in its case and removed it, police said. Her brother took it away from her and was playing with it when it discharged, striking the girl in the head, police said.

The coroner's office pronounced her dead at the scene.

Police have ruled the shooting accidental and no charges will be filed.

The gun will not be returned to the grandfather because it was unregistered and he did not have a valid Illinois firearm owner ID card, police said.

The grandfather told police he had the gun because of several break-ins at the grocery store he operates, police Capt. Fred Konet said. The family lives in an apartment above the grocery, Konet said.

[white trash redneck]

And the lgical response is to enact more legislation to disarm honest law-abiding citizens. See, I can think like a DemocRAT!

[RonF]

This guy is an idiot. Leaving a loaded, unlocked gun in a household with children risks just this kind of thing. By my lights the grandfather should be charged with manslaughter.

[Revelation 911]

gramps should be prosecuted for owning an unregistered handgun

Prayers to the family - this is so sad & could have been avoided with normal safety procedures

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

This guy is an idiot. Leaving a loaded, unlocked gun in a household with children risks just this kind of thing. By my lights the grandfather should be charged with manslaughter.

With all due respect, the mother and father of these children are the 'idiots'. Failing to educate young children in firearm saftey is exactly what faciliates this type of tragic mishap. Had that child been taught early on what a firearm is capable of, how to respect a weapon, as well as what to do when one is found, he might have instead removed the gun from his sisters' hands, taken her and run from the room to inform an adult.

[EBUCK]

Yup. They should have been educated but even that isn't enough to ensure their safety. That gun should at least have been out of reach AFAIC.

EBUCK

[AshleyTodd]

Even though one may educate their OWN children, one cannot assume friends of the children will be educated; therefore loaded guns should not be accessible if children are going to be present.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

That gun should at least have been out of reach...

Ok, I'll agree with that. Gramps ignored the first rule of firearm ownership-Always, always, always know where your gun is...

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

one cannot assume friends of the children will be educated

A good point, but in this case, an invalid one. This was not a friend, but a brother and sister.

Now, don't get me wrong, responsible ownership of any weapon is dependant on knowing where your weapon is at all times. Obviously grandpa forgot that part. Nontheless, had these children been educated on firearm saftey, it could have provided an additional window of opportunity in prevention of a tragic accident such as this.

Stories like this, if nothing else, give me a chance to reaffirm to my own children [4,6 and 8] our firearm rules.

This sort of accident should never happen IMO...and my heart cries for the family.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Even though one may educate their OWN children, one cannot assume friends of the children will be educated; therefore loaded guns should not be accessible if children are going to be present."

Wrong--(or at least it used to be). Growing up in the rural South, we NEVER locked guns up. They were ALWAYS ready and loaded--preferably near the entrance doors. We kids and ALL OUR FRIENDS that visited knew that, and there was NEVER a problem, as we had ALL been trained from about age four to know the difference between real and toy guns, and taught responsible safety around them. The failure rests COMPLETELY with the "victim disarmament" (gun-control) crowd in trying to promote a "store it unloaded and with the ammunition in a separate place" mindset instead of "its always loaded, so act responsibly" mindset.

[TheBattman]

Just got to love un-supervised children...

[EBUCK]

We all don't live in the south. My neighbors are vehement anti-gun nuts (they should be crapping in their pants come the evening of the 4th). Their kids are always over at our house and mine over at thiers. Their kids are trained in the use and saftey of firearms about as well as a 6 month old puppy is. When they are over, the guns are out of reach and un loaded. As a safety precaution and for my peace of mind.

It's going to pretty funny when they all end up over at my house seeking "protection" one of these days. I'll let them in and protect them but I'll make a few good points regarding the proper place guns have in our society.

EBUCK

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

"store it unloaded and with the ammunition in a separate place...

Sigh. Don't you just hate that argument??

I can just imagine it...'Oh, excuse me Mr. Rapist, Mr. Murderer, Mr. Killer-Intent-on-My-Death, but I just need one itty-bitty minute to unlock my gun safe, remove the trigger lock, unlock my ammo box, and insert my round in the chamber first...you don't mind waiting for me to arm myself, do you?

/Sarcasm_Off>

[AshleyTodd]

My statement was neither invalid nor wrong. The simple fact of the matter is, there are many, many people these days who know nothing about guns, and they do not teach their children gun safety. Anyone who owns guns, and has children who have their friends over, should always keep that in mind, and keep loaded guns away from them.

[RonF]

I am a proponent of teaching children gun safety. My son has both his Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting merit badges. However, in my opinion, 7 is a little young to depend solely on a kid's training and judgement for life and death decisions. There should have been other precautions taken. Whether this is a trigger lock or other means is certainly debatable, but I would be loath at that age to depend on a child's own judgement alone.

[shaggy eel]

,,, well, it could have happened on vacation.

[FreeTally]

The failure rests COMPLETELY with the "victim disarmament" (gun-control) crowd in trying to promote a "store it unloaded and with the ammunition in a separate place" mindset instead of "its always loaded, so act responsibly" mindset.

Yep! Make it a mystery, and they will find it and play with it. Teach them respect for firearms, and this kind of crap simply doesn't happen.

[Doomonyou]

gramps should be prosecuted for owning an unregistered handgun

Wrong. Gramps should be procecuted for being an idiot. Why should handguns be registered? You're not one of "those people" are you?

[mombonn]

Just got to love un-supervised children...

The mother stepped out of the room according to the article. She is entitled to a potty break, I do believe. When my kids were 6 and 3, there were times when they were in another room.

[On the Road to Serfdom]

It does not read to me like they were on vacation.