Boy, 3, fatally shoots self in car at gas station

[Jazzy]

A 3-year-old boy fatally shot himself with a gun he found in a car while his family stopped for gas early Wednesday in Tacoma, police said. It was western Washington's third recent shooting by a child.



It is incredible in light of the other ones, said Tacoma police Officer Naveed Benjamin. You would think people would take more care, not less.



The Tacoma-area family had stopped for gas about 12:30 a.m. The father put his pistol under the seat and got out to pump gas while the mother went inside the convenience store, Benjamin said.



They left their son and their infant daughter in the car. The boy climbed out of his child seat, found the gun and shot himself in the head, police said. He was declared dead at a hospital. The girl was not injured.



Detectives questioned the parents and have called the shooting a tragic accident, Benjamin said. The father has a concealed weapons permit, and no charges are anticipated, he said.



Washington does not have a law specifically concerning child access to firearms.



Full article: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162...self-in-car-at-gas-station/?tag=re1.discussed



Another senseless tragedy due to an irresponsible firearm owner. All this father had to do was unload and lock the pistol in the glove box. The mother (IMO) is also at fault here for leaving her kids alone in a car with a loaded pistol.

 

[Evil Eye]

CWP or not, both of these parents should be charged with something.

Indeed.

Maybe child neglect?

 

[Evil Eye]

At the very least.

Obviously, but within the current legal framework.

 

[Bluezone777]

For all we know, these could be responsible people that just made one big fuck up and are going to pay that price forever. I truly can't get behind any sort of legal punishment with the facts I have. It's just not clear cut that they were truly irresponsible versus people who just made what ended up being a terrible mistake. I am not saying that there isn't the possibility of a case here but I just don't know what type of people we are talking about here. The law needs a guilty beyond reasonable doubt in order to convict. I think there is enough doubt with what we have so far to ensure a not guilty verdict which is probably why there is no charges being filed.

 

[Bluezone777]

Are you perfect by chance? You are basically stating you need to be perfect and no one is unless God or Jesus posts on this forum. I wasn't aware they were a member here.



Oh and this is the story the anti gun advocates will run with to prove that having guns legal is a bad thing even if that's farther form the truth. Emotions always seem to overpower logic at the worst of times. This is probably going to be one of them.



If not thinking everything out every second of every day was a crime then we would all be jail. Not every instance of stupidity is deserving of a jail sentence. As annoying as stupidity is, I don't think it's deserving of a jail sentence nor do I think it will solve anything but put more stress on an already overtaxed justice system.

 

[Bluezone777]

Personally I don't own a weapon nor have I taken any classes which I assume you plan on using as a way of telling me I have no right to any opinion on the matter because I am stupid/uneducated in your view on this. Please do me a favor and prove me wrong as it would be appreciated. I think some of it is pretty common sense stuff though I do admit some of it is probably stuff that is beyond just having common sense.



We have this complex of needing to have revenge on everyone who does someone wrong even if the wronging was unintentional. I get he's stupid but I don't see how the law is going to prove that he alone was responsible. For all we know, the mother went into the convenience store on her own without letting him know she was also going to be gone while his back was turned. If that is the case then the blame lies with the mother who left the kids alone with a loaded gun. We don't know every last detail and it's tiny details like this that can swing the blame to either side. It's why i don't hang them first and then look at the evidence second nor allow emotions to overrule logical thought.