Boy finds key to gun safe and shoots self in head

[Cougfan2]

Just another reminder that you even if you think you are doing everything right as far as making firearms secure around kids, never underestimate their ingenuity and curiosity.

SHELTON, Wash. -- A 6-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the head after managing to unlock his parents' gun safe on Tuesday.

Deputies and medics were called Tuesday morning to the home in the 2200 block of West Star Lake Drive in a rural area near Lystair Lake west of Shelton.

Mason County sheriff's deputies said the boy suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Investigators said the boys' mother was taking a nap with her infant daughter when the incident occurred. The 6-year-old boy apparently found the key to a locked gun safe, unlocked the safe and pulled out a pistol, said sheriff's spokesman Dean Byrd.

The victim's 8-year-old brother reportedly told detectives his younger brother was looking at the loaded pistol when it went off, hitting him in the head.

Neighbors said they didn't hear the gunshot, and didn't know anything was wrong until the victim's older brother came running.

"The oldest boy came running over, screaming, 'Bob!'" said neighbor Bob Johnson.

The boy was listed in critical condition.

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[SOTC]

Oh wow! Thats terrible.

 

[SavageGerbil]

So, uh, not to be insensitive, but who here's parents hadn't taught them by the time they were old enough to swipe keys and break into stuff what could happen if you screw around with guns unsupervised?

 

[Cougfan2]

So, uh, not to be insensitive, but who here's parents hadn't taught them by the time they were old enough to swipe keys and break into stuff what could happen if you screw around with guns unsupervised?

Point taken. It sounds like that parents had tried to do the right thing, but that was the point I was trying to make about never underestimating a kid's curiosity. For all we know the parents may have warned the kids repeatedly about not touching guns unless the parents were there to supervise. I know I sure as heck did things my dad told me never to do when I was their age. Luckily the worst it ever got me was an *** whoopin'.

 

[Joe Link]

Very sad, I too blame the parents.

By age 4 or 5 I knew how to shoot and clean my .22 rifle. I knew where the firearms were kept in both my parents and my grandparents house, none of them locked and a couple loaded. I also knew I wouldn't be able to sit down for a week if I ever touched a gun unsupervised or without permission. Proper education is far more of a deterrent than any lock and key.

 

[SavageGerbil]

For sure, I know until I was old enough to understand consequences my parents pretty much went with the "we'll have fun with them, but if you don't know exactly what you're doing it may explode or do something equally malicious to you of its own will" kinda teachings, once I was older of course this was modified to match up with the additional capacity for care that comes with getting a little older. My sympathies for the parents for sure, noone needs this kind of misfortune.

Whoopin' is a good teacher, too bad its a criminal act these days, its much less scarring than a gunshot wound, but thats a subject for another day

 

[2506]

For sure, I know until I was old enough to understand consequences my parents pretty much went with the "we'll have fun with them, but if you don't know exactly what you're doing it may explode or do something equally malicious to you of its own will" kinda teachings, once I was older of course this was modified to match up with the additional capacity for care that comes with getting a little older. My sympathies for the parents for sure, noone needs this kind of misfortune.

Whoopin' is a good teacher, too bad its a criminal act these days, its much less scarring than a gunshot wound, but thats a subject for another day

I must concur. I knew if I so much as looked at my dad's guns when he wasn't around there'd be **** to pay when he got home. He kept them in his closet back in the day. Different era.

 

[Throckmorton]

Very sad to read this,sure hope a small miracle occurs and he's ok.

You can preach and teach gun safety to kids,but kids will be kids,and they WILL get into things that are 'forbidden'.
don't EVER think they won't.
my dad was a cop,we were raised around guns,and taught to be safe and to LEAVE THEM ALONE.
nope,I did not always leave them alone,but I was always safe with them,thanks to his teachings.

Please,those of you with kids,or teens even,never ever trust them to be safe,no matter how much you've taught them.It happens in the blink of an eye.

 

[56kninja]

At that age.. my dad told me if I ever found a gun I should not touch it, and then go and tell him.

That's what I did when I found his .357 laying out on his bed..

I don't think it was loaded as he didn't even keep his guns in one piece most of the time when I was young.

Can't say my brother got the point of gun safety as much as I did though..

 

[absoluterik07]

I was never raised around guns but my dad was and taught me to never touch them without an adult and when I went to my friends and his dad had one we found it and didn't touch it. I was always cautious of my parents warnings when it came to things that I knew could kill me. I truly hope that this boy pulls through and is ok.

 

[Cougfan2]

Very sad to read this,sure hope a small miracle occurs and he's ok.

You can preach and teach gun safety to kids,but kids will be kids,and they WILL get into things that are 'forbidden'.
don't EVER think they won't.
my dad was a cop,we were raised around guns,and taught to be safe and to LEAVE THEM ALONE.
nope,I did not always leave them alone,but I was always safe with them,thanks to his teachings.

Please,those of you with kids,or teens even,never ever trust them to be safe,no matter how much you've taught them.It happens in the blink of an eye.

You said it better than I did. I too was taught about guns and gun safety at a very young age. When I was 12 I had a gun rack on the wall in my bedroom with my .22 rifle and 20 ga. shotgun in it. I did some things my dad told me not to do from time to time, but it NEVER involved any unsafe gun handling.

 

[Russianfist]

I've raised my kids opposite that of my folks in this case. They kept the guns under lock and key and the ammo was hidden. I aways found myself hunting for them when I was young because I wanted to see why they were so bad. It was natural curiosity. When I became a parent I realized that my kids most likely would do the same thing so they were taught from a very young age about guns and how to handle them correctly. The guns are not hidden and accessible. Funny thing happened, they take little interest in them these days. That shotgun leaned in the corner may as well be a broom to them.

I still keep a good eye on things just incase though and a good refresher course on handling and safety from time to time is a good thing.

I am heartbroken for this family and the child. I recall being 6 and in to EVERYTHING! I can also tell you from personal experience that no matter how hard you kid proof a house they will find it and get in to it, sometimes in just mere seconds. You could blame the parents but it sounds like they were trying to do the right thing by keeping locked up.

So sad

 

[SICARIO]

It is certainly a sad thing. My daughter is 3, and knows very well what a gun is, and doesn't bat an eye when she sees them in the garage. What I am worried about is cousins or friends coming over. I keep them safe for that reason alone.

 

[Trlsmn]

Very sad, the guilt from this will be the ruin of this family in the end. I don't keep my guns loaded even in the safe.

I unfortunately I was not taught gun safety as a child but I did teach my children gun safety. I'm told that as a very small child I took the parents keys and attempted to start the car, the only thing stopping me was not inserting the correct key.

Perhaps this is a good reason to consider a combination safe instead of a key.

 

[Dave Workman]

Be prepared for this incident to come up in January down in Olympia.

 

[Cougfan2]

Be prepared for this incident to come up in January down in Olympia.

Yep. Never miss an opportunity to use someone's tragedy to further restrict our rights or make someone a criminal as the result of a tragic accident.

 

[Dave Workman]

Yep. Never miss an opportunity to use someone's tragedy to further restrict our rights or make someone a criminal as the result of a tragic accident.

Yep.
I'm stunned these people can stand up, considering all of the blood they seem to dance in....
:angry:

 

[sprice37]

My philosophy on the situation is simple and I am sure I will get flamed for it. A person always wants what they cannot have. The way I treat this in my home is simple. When my daughter wants to clean, fondle, etc. a firearm (usally hers) I let her. She has not once tried to get it without asking and I fully believe that she will not because she knows when she wants it she can have it read (finger f**k it) for the adults. oh yeah my guns are locked up

Flame on.

 

[Dave Workman]

My philosophy on the situation is simple and I am sure I will get flamed for it. A person always wants what they cannot have. The way I treat this in my home is simple. When my daughter wants to clean, fondle, etc. a firearm (usally hers) I let her. She has not once tried to get it without asking and I fully believe that she will not because she knows when she wants it she can have it read (finger f**k it) for the adults. oh yeah my guns are locked up

Flame on.

Seems like the same principle I practiced when my boys were younger, and it is what I have counseled others to do during gun safety courses I taught.

it removes the "forbidden fruit" aspect.
And then I told 'em to take the kids to the range, teach them to shoot, and when you get home, tell them that they are responsible for CLEANING the guns.

Boy, howdy, did that ever turn the kids off! Sort of like being told to wash their own dishes or do their own laundry.

Works like a charm!

 

[Sawdust]

Regardless of how or why this happened......My prayers go out to that child and his family. This is a tragedy no matter how it happened. Whether it happened with a gun, knife, toy or Dad's tools, this little boy is hurt.

May God Bless and care for them.