Shooting Instructor Dies After 9-year-old girl fired an uzi at him.

[Norm0931]

Wow, Judge, jury, and executioner in this place. Do we really need to join the Eric Holder ranks of stupid prosecution? Several poor decisions killed a guy and probably left a kid a traumatized gun hater. bubblegum happens. Is it really necessary to start deciding who to blame and what they should be charged with? The anti-gunners are already calling for the arrest of the parents and murder charges. We really shouldn't be joining them.

 

[WashCoDad]

The "instructor" paid the ultimate price of his bosses/business policies .

Bringing up the mom/dad/girl on charges is nuts!!!

Best to leave it to the civil courts in my mind .

 

[etrain16]

This is all just a very sad display of poor judgement. Ultimately the range owners will be held liable for allowing someone to fire a gun they clearly were unable to control. They've probably allowed this type of thing many times before in the name of making more money. Now a man is dead, his family has lost a husband? Father? The little girl is going to be scared for life as are her parents. All due to poor judgment. Very sad indeed that not a single adult in this situation could see this as a bad idea.

 

[billt]

If you go on Google Earth this is the place:

35 43' 23.00" N

114 29' 08.53" W

It's a rest stop / gas station / shooting range type place. You can see the built up berms in the back of the place.

 

[Will_Power]

All due to poor judgment. Very sad indeed that not a single adult in this situation could see this as a bad idea.

Exactly.

 

[Chee-to]

Just heard on TV, shooting range changed their rules, now shooters of auto weapons have to be a minimum of 5 foot tall, and 12 years of age...

 

[IronMonster]

I think I would have been old enough at 12, Problem is most of today's kids don't seem like they would be old enough at 18

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

I know it sounds sexist but I have girls, one of them is around that age. Odds are this was not the kid's idea in the first place. Dad must have had to coax her. Not saying young girls can't have an interest in shooting sports but it's not the norm.
I'm gently trying to get my 10 year old girl interested. We are at the talking about it stage, soon she may get to shoot the Marlin .22. Can't imagine a full auto in her hands. She can't hardly follow instructions on loading a dishwasher why would I put an UZI in her hands.

Poor kid with stupid parents taking her to a stupid business. Any full auto shot by a kid should be mounted and locked into a tripod with limited range.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I scooched on over in the family sedan once (pre straight jacket child seat days yadda) and ran my Dad over (he tried to stop the car or something).. squished him good/just about killed him.. I was about two years old.
You just can't be too careful about anything especially with kids.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Meanwhile, grandmaw and little sis just killed a passel with an automobile.. every day. oopsies!

 

[freestoneangler]

Great, more raw meat to attract the flies . A truly sad situation no matter how you slice it.

 

[AMProducts]

The title of this story should read "man kills self with 9 year old girl".

I've run classes instructing police how to use machineguns (namely the M4 carbine) and generally, for their first shots, I won't put more than 3-rounds in the magazine.

 

[FourTeeFive]

He was an "instructor". It was his decision who to instruct, how to instruct, and what to use to instruct. The family assumes this person, as an instructor at a business, is qualified to make all of these decisions.

The vast majority of us gun owners think otherwise. This is a business that intentionally advertises and appeals to the uninformed, so you can get your picture or video taken while firing a "machine gun". Its basic premise is dangerous; using inexperienced people firing guns, especially full-auto, as a "fun" thing to do for poseurs who want to show their friends a photo or video. Obviously this type of business has to hire people who will go along with this absurd concept of a firing range. And in the end at least one more more people will suffer for it.

 

[mjbskwim]

The title of this story should read "man kills self with 9 year old girl".

I won't put more than 3-rounds in the magazine.

Thank you,I was thinking that the day it came out,why not start out with at least 3rnd bursts at least?

 

[NoFlinch]

He was an "instructor". It was his decision who to instruct, how to instruct, and what to use to instruct. The family assumes this person, as an instructor at a business, is qualified to make all of these decisions.

EXACTLY!

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

The business/instructor is mostly at fault here of course. They pass themselves off as experts and lure people with the promise of a scary/exciting yet SAFE time. Much like an amusement park ride.

The parents I've read were familiar with guns. Were they familiar enough to know about muzzle rise on full auto and how hard it is for little hands to hold onto certain guns, like an UZI, who knows?

They have a lifetime to be asking themselves that question. I'm not a fan of Counseling/ Psychology but in this case........
That kid needs to have it drilled into her head that she is in no way to blame, even if it means blaming her parents. And if that takes many long sessions with a shrink, so be it!

 

[Certaindeaf]

I heard that they changed a rule.. at the hand grenade range, you can't throw like a little girl. true story

 

[Chee-to]

I heard that they changed a rule.. at the hand grenade range, you can't throw like a little girl. true story

 

[SCARed]

Wow. Kinda amazed by some of the comments in here on a gun forum. According to some, events like the Saddle Butte machine gun shoot should NEVER take place since the majority of people there are inexperienced.
There's numerous kids at that events a well, younger than 9 even, shooting full auto. So it CAN be done safely.

IMO, places like this are essential to the shooting sports. I would bet there are many kids introduced at places just like this by families/parents that are ambivalent to firearms and don't own any themselves.
Granted, range safety is of utmost importance, and this place seems to be lacking. BUT, this incident aside, I'll bet this range had better safety protocols than most people set for themselves when they are out at the local shooting spot in the woods. Who would want to take their 9yo up to Browns Camp for their first time shooting?