What do you guys think about this Mass. case?

[Tal]

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/accidental_machine_gun_death_o.html

Personally, as bad as I feel for the father, turning an 8 year old loose with a micro Uzi, just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. And now the State is going after the organizer.. :o And this is after the father signed all kinds of waivers to let the kid shoot.

Strange...I remember I didn't get my 1st real gun till I was 12. A single shot J.C. Higgins 410 single shot shotgun for squierrel hunting. And that was after hanging around firearms for years, and listening to my Dad, Grandads, Uncles, preach gun safety..

An 8 year old with a micro uzi??? I don't know...Maybe I'm just old fashioned.. ???

[asmurff]

I think it is great for fathers to teach their kids to shoot, although I think this father used very poor judgement. Instead of taking pictures he should have been right beside the boy prepared for anything. Not having been there to see what happened, what instructions he was given I'll not second guess. I know 8 year olds I'd trust with a .22 or a .410 as long as they were under direct responsible adult supervision. We have a girl at that age group who shoots in our tactical .22 matches, her Uncle is always right at her side, ready! Responsible is the key word, cause I know adults I wouldn't trust with a gun or go shooting with.

The writer of the article screwed up when he said the incident had gotten international attention, excuse me the Brady Brainless Bunch are not international attention, they're lying liberal leftist lunatics.

[edgecrusher]

okay guys, i will chime in on this one. this is my home town, my club, and my fiance works for the superior court and was assigned this case. now i will give you some more facts than masslive, which only reported some facts and left out quite a bit in their "human interest story", they don't always do the best job of "reporting".  first off the club did not assign range officers, the promotional entity did, the sons and nephews of the promoters, 14-22 year olds. the boy assigned to the father and his sons actually recommended the full size 16" uzi for easier control and the father said his son wanted that one and thats what he'll shoot. now i do not agree with the boy that young shooting any auto weapon so my view is out there. the "range officer" then asked the father if he was going to help his son and he said no he was going to tape it. i saw his tape. the boy twice lost control during a burst before the accident and the father did not intervene, and the range officer tried to help by telling the boy how to properly shoulder the weapon, but it was to much and he ended up tucking the folding stock under his arm pit leading to the accident. the father was not charged, the promoter was, and the club which only provided a place for the event was fined and had to contribute to a charity also but was abandoned by the nra for the entire debacle. there are plenty more facts, but the gist of my post is, 1. the "poor" father is an er doctor who said that he and and his sons regularly shoot. why then neglect all 

[edgecrusher]

safety measures at that time then? 2. it was against the law. 3. the club leased their property to the promoters without making sure all laws and club laws were obeyed. i'm sure i missed something, this topic was a heated debate for a while and many of us here got caught up in it. if you have any questions i'll try to answer but my bottom line is this: my daughter is 5, won't shoot till she's a little older, then on a single shot bolt .22lr, learning safety and form. when she's ready she can move to a mag fed bolt .22lr, then onto a semi .22lr. I don't feel that there is any other way. this was a tragic accident that could been prevented.

[Tal]

Wow edgecrusher...That's just so sad... A shame they're going after the club. I just didn't get that part the 1st time I saw it...Like I said.. an 8 year old with a 9mm micro Uzi?? And the father just trying to make the kid happy, sounds like, but didn't think it out..A real shame...Thanks for the info..

[Tal]

The writer of the article screwed up when he said the incident had gotten international attention, excuse me the Brady Brainless Bunch are not international attention, they're lying liberal leftist lunatics.

Now tell us how your really feel Asmurff.. :laugh:

(BTW..I agree totally... :beer:)

[asmurff]

I hate seeing articles like this, because in reading them you know tons of information was left out. Thanks edgecrusher. I can see the exchange with the father over the micro vs the 16" and can read all the years of coaching little league and parents into it.

[asmurff]

Now tell us how your really feel Asmurff.. :laugh:

(BTW..I agree totally... :beer:)

I was being nice I could have strung plenty more adjectives there many not meant for mixed company  >:D

[imschur]

Hey edgecrusher what was the outcome of all this? I thought in the end nothing happened to the father because losing his son was bad enough. What about the guys behind the event? Was there a law modification?

[bdavison]

Sad accident, but it was an accident. There's no doubt the father used poor judgement. He should have known better.

For one, there are youth rifles for a reason. They are designed to be handled by kids. A micro UZI is not a youth rifle, and on full auto....will ALWAYS have insane amounts of muzzle rise. Even for adults, they are difficult to manage. Its likely the little kid didnt have the muscle strength or control to manage that kind of recoil.

I support the kids right to shoot, and the dad's right to enjoy shooting with his son. Its an unfortunate accident, and one that could have been avoided with a little better judgement.

As shooters we all need to start using better judgement when participating in shooting activities. When we dont, we just provide fodder for the anti-gun liberal agenda. Safety FIRST, fun second. ALWAYS. If you cant handle this, you are in the wrong hobby.

[edgecrusher]

the father was not punished or found responsible for negligence, the promoter was found innocent, acquitted by the jury despite all the evidence. they actually felt the father was the one who should have been on trial but never was prosecuted by the d.a., so the only one punished was my club.

[lmao_37]

Why oh why wasnt the father at the kids side just incase something went wrong makes me sad just reading this the father shoud be thinking hard about his bad descision that day and the poor kids was the one who paid the price for the father being a dumb A.