Shoot In A Random Direction. Hit A Child. No Charges.

[Gravekeeper]

http://myfox8.com/2013/05/01/no-char...y-10-year-old/

Um, negligence? Doesn't basic gun safety say "Hey, don't squeeze one off from your front porch"? You shouldn't be firing if you don't know what's in a given direction. Especially if there's a farking *road* in that direction >.>

[Andara Bledin]

So, what's the margin on the guy who fired the gun being good buddies with somebody in a position of authority?

[Duelist925]

So, what's the margin on the guy who fired the gun being good buddies with somebody in a position of authority?

The venn diagram for that would be a circle.

[Hyena Dandy]

Wait, a Venn Diagram for probability within single incident?

Duel, I'm not sure that's how Venn diagrams work.

[Andara Bledin]

Wait, a Venn Diagram for probability within single incident?

Duel, I'm not sure that's how Venn diagrams work.

It's a fancy way of saying he thinks the odds are just about 1:1.

[Greenday]

Are the kid's parents not making a stink about this? That's the only reason I could see why he's not being charged with anything.

[BlaqueKatt]

Um, negligence? Doesn't basic gun safety say "Hey, don't squeeze one off from your front porch"? You shouldn't be firing if you don't know what's in a given direction. Especially if there's a farking *road* in that direction >.>

Yes, yes it does. and people having to prove, demonstratively, knowledge and comprehension of basic firearm safety would eliminate "accidental" shootings, because such a thing doesn't actually exist, there are negligent shootings(and most should be criminally charged, but society falls for the "they've suffered enough", mindset), but not accidental. I have yet to see any case of an "accidental" shooting where the shooter did not violate at least one rule of basic firearm safety.

[crashhelmet]

Regardless of anyone being hit, he should've been charged for an unlawful discharge.

The fact that he fired the weapon in a random direction and not into a designated target (I don't know NC laws, but some places allow you to fire into your own homemade range) or even into the ground (Which still poses its own dangers, but is typically safer than firing parallel to the ground).

I wonder why the kid's parents aren't fighting it as well. Even if I was an NRA nut, I'd want some sort of punishment for his lack of intelligence.

[Andara Bledin]

There are absolutely accidental shootings, even taking your very narrow definition of accident. However, that number is very small in comparison to negligent shootings.

This instance was absolutely a negligent shooting and should be prosecuted as such. Plus, even if the family of the victim aren't raising a stink, the police/district attorney should be. Because that's their job.

Lack of any punishment at all for such a dangerous and incredibly stupid action is, itself, criminal. He shot into a stand of trees that had a field behind it. Any truly responsible gun owner should know the range of their weapons and shouldn't be firing in any direct where they cannot see that that entire range is clear of things they don't want to be hitting.

[BlaqueKatt]

There are absolutely accidental shootings, even taking your very narrow definition of accident. However, that number is very small in comparison to negligent shootings.

here are the rules for basic firearm safety, please explain how any form of accidental shooting could occur while observing them, because I have NEVER come across any.

All guns are always loaded.
Never point a gun at anything you are unwilling to destroy.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire.
Know your target.(this includes what's beyond the target)
Keep your gun at the minimum level of readiness.

The link goes into in depth explanations of these concepts, and further firearm safety rules, the above five are the ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM.

[Nekojin]

Drop discharges are accidental shootings (if someone gets hit). That said, those are vanishingly rare.

[BlaqueKatt]

Drop discharges are accidental shootings (if someone gets hit). That said, those are vanishingly rare.

and unless you are on a range, actively shooting, that violates #5-keep at the minimum stage of readiness. A firearm cannot chamber a round itself, and no round in the chamber means nothing for the firing pin to hit. And most modern firearms go through a drop test to ensure this doesn't happen, the ones that don't have a firing pin block are old models with worn parts, which should not be used until repaired by a licensed gunsmith.

(5) Keep your gun at the minimum level of readiness.

This usually means keeping your gun unloaded when you're not using it.
If you're at the shooting range, keep the action open until just before you start shooting so other shooters can clearly see that your gun is safe.
If you're out hunting, keep the gun unloaded until you get to the hunting area. Keep the firing chamber empty until you need to load it, and the action open until you're ready to shoot.

[HYHYBT]

How is a gun useful for self defense if you keep it unloaded? It's not. So if you're carrying it for that purpose, "minimum level of readiness" cannot rationally mean unloaded.

The second rule is also not always possible. A gun is pointed *somewhere* at all times.

I'm tempted to say the first rule isn't fully possible either. Is there nothing you ever do with a gun that requires it being unloaded? If there are such things, then you CANNOT always treat the gun as if it is loaded. But wording those rules in the absolute-but-impossible sense makes it possible to call accidents when that absolute sense, but not the intent of the rule, is violated "negligence."

[Kheldarson]

The first rule is said like that because a lot of guns chamber a round. So you may have a technically unloaded gun that has one chambered. So you act like it's possible the gun could be fired at any point...even if you're positive you got all the shots out. It's just precaution.

Two follows the first in that "if you are afraid to fire it at Point X, do not point it at Point X." Which is why for walking guns through a store, you'll see them carried barrel up (or down at the floor if the store is two story), because we're willing to let a shot be fired through the ceiling if something went wrong through the check in process.

The next two are still basic precaution...and the fifth...I'm tempted to agree with you, HYHYBT, but I'm not sure how fast you can load a gun so...

[Panacea]

Um, negligence? Doesn't basic gun safety say "Hey, don't squeeze one off from your front porch"? You shouldn't be firing if you don't know what's in a given direction. Especially if there's a farking *road* in that direction >.>

It's North Carolina. 'Nuff said.

I have yet to see any case of an "accidental" shooting where the shooter did not violate at least one rule of basic firearm safety.

This is why from a medical standpoint, we don't refer to these kinds of shootings as "accidents," because accidents are not preventable and unintentional shootings in just about every case are in fact, preventable.

How is a gun useful for self defense if you keep it unloaded? It's not. So if you're carrying it for that purpose, "minimum level of readiness" cannot rationally mean unloaded.

Simple. You engage the safety.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that guns not be kept in the home where children are present, but that if the weapons must be present, then they be secured in a gun safe or with trigger locks, unloaded.

This guy "assumed" that he was firing in a safe direction. He did nothing to make sure it was so. The DA should be filing charges.

I hope the parents sue for medical expenses and damages. This idiot has no business owning a weapon.