More children killed by guns found in the home

[Gabe]

In Texas, in separate incidents a 4-year-old and a 3-year old shot themselves after finding guns in the home. One was in the babysitters house and the other in the mother's purse. Given that the news has had several high profile stories of toddlers killing others and themselves, surely by now people are keeping any guns they have securely locked away and not in their purses?

It seems people think it can't happen to them, and they don't learn from other peoples mistakes. This is why reporters tell the story to prevent others doing the same, yet people are either ignorant or arrogant.

 

[Rainman]

Do people ever learn?

Guns need to be kept fay beyond the reach of children. If it's possible, they [the guns] should be locked up somewhere. Tighter gun laws would see to it that irresponsible people don't get their hands on guns or ammunition. This would solve the problem. But I don't think such laws will be passed any time soon. The NRA will always have its way.

 

[Gabe]

Actually I just read it was three incidents that weekend, all in Texas. Siblings, 5 and 6 years-old were playing and they had toy guns in the back garden, but one was real. The uncle said that they had safes in the house and don't know how it got there.

I just don't think adults are taking enough responsibility. The child is currently in intensive care with a shot to the head, so he may survive, but really? When there are children you double check and tripe check? My friends in the UK are paranoid about electrical sockets and children touching those.

 

[Rainman]

My friends in the UK are paranoid about electrical sockets and children touching those.

That's one thing all Americans should learn from you guys. Electricity sure is dangerous but so are guns and they should be treated so. Or could it be that people are so used to guns that they forget what they are capable of? At the very least when someone knows there'll be kids at home even if they are visiting only for a short time, the gun(s) should be locked away. And the key locked away too so that in case kids do find some key and try it . . .

 

[GemmaRowlands]

I have said this before, and I will say it again - nobody should be able to have a gun unless they need them for their job, for example if you're a farmer or something like that. Even then, all guns and ammunition should be registered, so that people know exactly what you have, and where it's stored. Too many people die because of things like gun crime. In other countries, where guns are not legal, the level of fatality is much lower, because you just cannot get hold of the guns as easily as you can in the US. Something needs to be done to stop so many people dying when they just don't need to, because all life is precious, and if something can be done to mean that it is not lost, then it needs to be done.

 

[Patrick]

Guns should be kept under lock and key, inaccesible to children. Also it should always be treated as loaded. Children must be told from young to stay away from guns and alert an adult they trust when they come across one unattended.

Honestly it's pretty common sense, and it saddens me to know that these deaths could very likely have been avoided.

 

[Gelsemium]

Guns are so common that people tend to leave them anywhere to a point where tragedies like this happen. When will anti-gun measures be taken?

 

[marcamm]

I don't know why anyone who owns guns allows ANYONE to get hold of them!

It's just common sense; surely these owners know the risks of having a gun just lay around anywhere. I don't have the power to bring those lives back. I beg to all gun owners: Please be responsible enough for your actions. Do not leave your things unattended - especiallly weapons!

 

[thegrey1]

I have said this before, and I will say it again - nobody should be able to have a gun unless they need them for their job, for example if you're a farmer or something like that. Even then, all guns and ammunition should be registered, so that people know exactly what you have, and where it's stored. Too many people die because of things like gun crime. In other countries, where guns are not legal, the level of fatality is much lower, because you just cannot get hold of the guns as easily as you can in the US. Something needs to be done to stop so many people dying when they just don't need to, because all life is precious, and if something can be done to mean that it is not lost, then it needs to be done.

1. Read the Constitution! 2. When I was a child, everybody in my family owned a gun.All children were instructed to NEVER touch the gun! We were also told why. We had enough respect for our parents to believe what they told us! It's not guns! It's negligence on the part of the parents.

 

[missbishi]

Sadly, parents seems to be increasingly negligent these days. In the UK, a condition of being granted a firearms licence is that the guns are secured in a police approved lockable cabinet. This is to prevent children or thieves getting hold of them. I think the US could definitely benefit from a similar legislation.

 

[ABC123]

Kids killed by guns found in homes. I read a couple of the posts about this and I kept thinking about growing up with guns in my family's home. My father was and is an outdoorsmen. He has three daughters. We knew what his rifles and shotguns were for and the danger they held. We knew because our dad did not just lock them away, but he educated us about them. In addition, we did not watch T.V. and media that glorified guns and weapons. My older sister had a play gun. It was probably my dad's when he was a child, because it resembled a lone ranger pistol. We actually played cops and robbers with that gun. We pretended to be dead with our tongue out like the looney tunes depicted. However, we knew that in real life it was forever dead when one got shot with a real gun.

Having gun owners register their guns is good, but it does not promote parents to do what parents need to do. Parents need to teach their children about such things. Parents should monitor more what their children are exposed to in media. Parents should simply be more involved with their children. With that said, I do not know the whole story behind the shootings in Texas. I know if kids have their mind set on something that they will fine a way. Also I know parents can be involved and kids still fall under peer pressures and other social pressures.

It would be interesting to compare data on kid shooting from the past to today. In the past kids used guns often to live off the land and for protection. It was like a common tool.

 

[timelord731]

I think it should be required that you have a gun safe in a house with a gun in it, for reasons such as this.

 

[shilpa123]

It is really sad that such things are happening in our society. I do not understand how the parents can be so negligent. I think it should never be the case.

 

[dyanmarie25]

That should be blamed on the parents or any responsible adult in the house. That's a case of serious negligence. I felt bad for those two innocent toddlers whose lives have been destroyed due to their parents' ignorance. Very sad.

 

[hellonamesdan]

If you're making the decision to have a gun or multiple guns or any sort of weapons in your home, you need to be responsible enough to keep them completely out of the hands of children and do everything possible to make sure that no child or no one else for that matter has access to the weapons. It's a serious safety hazard if they're not stored and protected properly.

 

[Josie]

I know many people in the states are very protective of their guns, but I just don't see the point of endangering the innocent to prove a point or prepare for something that has little chance of happening. I'm not saying there aren't bad people out there, but the fact is, your gun is more likely to be used on an innocent person than it is on a bad guy. I couldn't even take the risk. I don't mind guns per se; we're actually going to head to a range soon and I'm giddy to get started, but never will I ever own one. My kids are old enough to know better now, but people with guns in their hands, in the heat of the moment, make very very bad decisions.

 

[GlacialDoom]

This is horrible to hear, but given the gun laws in the US, is not surprising at all. I am not condemning the gun laws, but I think that this is what happens when you give guns to everyone, even to trigger-happy lunatics.