16-year old North Carolina boy unintentionally shot by 19-year old brother

19-year old Thomas Everhart was playing with a loaded gun in his grandmother's house in Lexington, North Carolina, when he unintentionally discharged the weapon.  The bullet went through his leg, richochetted off the floor, and hit his 16-year old brother, Brandon, in the calf.

From the article:

The sheriff's office reported the shooting occurred near the kitchen table in the grandmother's home. The 19-year-old was "playing with the gun" when it went off, the captain said. 

"When he pulled the hammer back, it slid off his thumb, which caused it to hit the primer and send the shell off," Tarleton said. "(The bullet) hit him and then it ricocheted off the ground and hit his brother." 

Tarleton said the eldest brother was hit in the leg and the younger sibling was struck in a calf area.  

Thomas Everhart was transported to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem.

Both were treated and released.

3-year-old Dies in Unintentional Shooting

A 3-year-old Cleveland, Tennessee girl died after being unintentionally shot in the head.  According to news reports: 

A 911 call at 10:33 a.m. Wednesday by the mother indicated a small girl had been shot in the head.

Deputies, medical personnel and detectives found the child had a wound near her left eye.   She was transported to the hospital for treatment.  She was pronounced dead a short time later.

Three people were in the house at the time of the incident.  The child's mother, a 2-year-old cousin and the victim.  The mother was in another area of the house and the two children were in the room were the shooting occurred.

Police determined that a .45-caliber handgun, recovered at the scene, was involved in the shooting.

UPDATE (6/1/12):  According to this news video, the 3-year old's name was Kendalin Robinson.  She was at the home of Lieutenant Tommie Graham, a Tennessee State Trooper.  She shot herself near her left eye after handling the loaded, unsecured gun, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

9-year-old Unintentionally Shot by Father Dies

A 9-year-old Fort Worth, Texas girl was unintentionally shot by her father.  According to news reports:

A preliminary investigation indicated that the girl's father was taking a firearm from a bag when the weapon fired, striking the girl.

She was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injury.

5-year old Connecticut boy brings replica gun to school for show and tell

A 5-year old boy in Lebanon, Connecticut, was caught with a replica antique gun in his backpack, which he had brought to school to show other kids.  He was caught with it in his backpack on the school bus, on the way home.  Parents were outraged or the lack of notification from the school.

From the article:

According to Connecticut State Police, on Tuesday, May 22, the afternoon bus driver was delivering students to their homes when she became aware that one of the kindergarten students had a gun in his/her backpack.

It was determined that the gun was not loaded or even working. The bus driver returned it to the child’s parents, according to police.
....
In an interview today, State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said the incident was “blown out of proportion” because the gun actually was an antique replica that was incapable of being fired.

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16-year old girl threatened by woman with gun

33-year old Susan Sin Desantiago, a previously law-abiding person, was driving in her home town of Chesterfield, Virginia when she passed three high school girls who had just gotten off the bus.  For some reason, the girls cursed at her, and a shouting match erupted.  Desantiago left, but then came back.  This time there were more teens, and the road was blocked by cars.  More cursing and gestures followed.

That's when Desantiago decided to confront the teens by grabbing the gun in her car, getting out, and waving the gun at them.  At one point she held the gun to the head of a 16-year old girl.

Her husband showed up and took the gun, but the girl who was threatened then punched Desantiago a number of times before being pulled off.

In court, though the girl was admonished for being disrespectful, Desantiago was charged for threatening her, though the sentencing is very light.

From the article:

After about 80 minutes of testimony, Brice sentenced Desantiago — who has no criminal record — to 12 months with 10 months suspended on the brandishing charge and to 12 months with all but two weeks suspended on the assault count. She will be allowed to remain free on bond if defense attorney Vaughan Jones appeals. 

The incident occurred about 15 minutes after a group of Meadowbrook High School students, including the 16-year-old, were dropped at their bus stop and walked through the neighborhood. 

Desantiago testified that she was running late for a 3 p.m. doctor's appointment at Fort Lee and passed three teens as she was driving through the neighborhood in the 5300 block of South Jessup Road. She said the 16-year-old cursed at her, prompting Desantiago to stop to admonish the girl about her language. That led to more cursing, she said. 

After driving away, Desantiago said she turned around after spotting a repairman she had called driving in the neighborhood, and as she passed the teens again, she heard more cursing as they made threatening gestures. 

With her husband on his way to deal with the repairman, Desantiago said she left the house again to make her appointment, but this time about 15 people were in the street and two cars blocked her path. She said she panicked, grabbed the gun from the console and waved it at the crowd to shoo them away. "I was in fear of my life," said the mother of five. 

The 16-year-old testified that Desantiago then walked up to her and placed the gun to her head. "I thought she was going to really shoot me," the girl said. 

At that point, Desantiago's husband arrived and grabbed away the gun, and the girl punched Desantiago in the face; the two immediately began fighting and pulling hair. After Desantiago fell to the ground, two other girls began to kick and hit her. 

Desantiago's husband managed to get his wife to her car, but the girl punched Desantiago several more times through the open car window. A woman at the scene helped pull the teen away. At her lawyer's urging, Desantiago went to Southside Regional Hospital the next day for mostly bruising to her face, neck, shoulder and legs. Photographs of her injuries were introduced at the hearing. 

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney M. Duncan Minton Jr. argued that Desantiago couldn't claim self-defense when she instigated the encounter by pulling a gun and didn't use her cellphone to call 911, or her husband, for help. She also could have turned around her car and driven away. "You don't get to claim self-defense when you're the aggressor," Minton said. 

Art Desantiago testified that the gun his wife used was his, and he had placed it in the console of her car. "I keep it there for my wife," he said.

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Teen girl nearly killed when bullets hit her Seattle home

A teenage girl was getting ready for bed in her Seattle home when gunfire erupted outside.  Several bullets flew through her window, nearly hitting her.

From the article:

The teenager, who asked not to be named, was about to go to bed when a bullet shattered her window. She dropped to the floor and ducked behind a dresser as several more bullets tore through her bedroom wall. Two of the rounds struck the drywall just above the pillows she would have been resting on had she been in bed. 

"It was pretty quick. It lasted just a few seconds. It was scary," said the girl, who thinks the shots may have been intended for another family member.

This is part of a rash of recent gun violence in the Seattle area.

Two Seattle children, ages 5 & 7, watch father die from stray bullet

Justin Ferrari was driving through Seattle with his parents in the car with him and his two small children, ages 5 and 7, in the back seat, when they stopped at an intersection.  Two men were arguing there, and one pulled out a gun and started firing.  


One of the bullets struck Justin in the head as his family watched.  He died in his father's arms as the family got out of the vehicle and sought shelter in a neighboring restaurant.

Ferrari, 43, was a father of two, a devoted husband, son, sibling, longtime supporter of Seattle's arts scene and a water-polo player and coach. 

David Hooks, the slain man's father-in-law, said Friday that Ferrari was "very loved." 

"He was a very generous and caring guy," Hooks said by phone from Montana.

The shooting is part of a rash of recent shootings in the Seattle area.

"What we've seen from the beginning of the year is a rise in gun violence. It's deeply concerning," McGinn said. "We have seen 15 murders this year, compared to 21 all of last year. We have solved nine of those 15 murders. We are aggressively working every one of our open cases."

Bullets don't know when to stop.

Ohio 3 year old shoots himself with gun found in home

Will these ever end? Another toddler has found a gun and shot himself. This three year old Ohio boy found a gun on top of the T.V. set:

The station says that family members say the gun was sitting on top of a television.

Knox County Sheriff's Capt. David Shaffer says a firearm was recovered from the house. He says the shooting is an "unfortunate accident."

The incident is being investigated.

Unfortunate is hardly the word for this irresponsible accident.

Every gun in the hands of a child or teen must first pass through the hands of an adult.

7-year old girl shot in Chicago gang drive-by

A 7-year old girl was playing in front of her home in Chicago when a car full of young males drove up and started shooting, hitting her in the arm.  Another shooting happened soon after.  Both are thought to be gang-related.

From the article:

At about 4:20 p.m., a white four-door car pulled up to a group of boys near the intersection of West 69th Street and South Artesian Avenue and fired shots, police said, citing preliminary information.

A bullet hit the 7-year-old as she played in the front of her home on South Artesian Avenue, police said.

Paramedics initially took the girl in good condition to Holy Cross Hospital, police said, adding that she may have been transported to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

More than an hour later, two men were shot about two blocks south of the drive-by in the 2500 block of West 71st Street.

A 22-year-old man was in serious condition after he suffered gunshot wounds to the buttocks, arm and leg, police said. A 25-year-old man was in good condition after being shot in the hand. Both men were taken to Holy Cross Hospital, police said.

Police said the shooting was gang-related and they were looking into the possibility that it may be connected to the shooting of the 7-year-old girl.

“There are several gang factions in that area and we’re having problems with all of them,” a police officer said.

As of Saturday night, no one was in custody for both shootings, which are being investigated by Area Central detectives.

This shooting was part of a weekend of bloodshed in Chicago, where 4 people were shot dead and 28 were injured.

Two 17-year old boys shot, one died, in Chicago

Two 17-year old boys were shot in a gunfight in Chicago.  One boy, Jeffrey Triplett, was killed, the other is in critical condition.

From the article:

The 17-year-old boys were shot around 2:15 a.m. in the 1500 block of South Millard Avenue, according to police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

Police said a large crowd surrounded the two boys when they arrived at the scene, said Mirabelli. Both boys were unresponsive, he said.

One was shot in the lower back and later died, Mirabelli said. Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified him as Jeffrey Triplett.

The other boy was shot several times and taken to the hospital in critical condition.

These boys were part of a bloody weekend in Chicago, where a total of 4 are dead and 28 wounded in shootings.

17-year old girl shot and killed in Tulsa

A 17-year old girl was riding in a car in Tulsa when a bullet pass through the rear of the car, through the passenger seat, and through her chest, killing her.  Police have not identified who the shooter is or what a motive may have been.  The girl had just graduated high school.

(link to news video)

Three Louisiana boys firing rifles in the woods unintentionally hit man

A man in Slidell, Louisiana, was working outside of his business when he was shot in the back and hospitalized.  Police investigated and found three boys, ages 12, 13, and 15, shooting rifles in the woods nearby.  Police believe it was unintentional.

From the article:

The shooting happened around noon near a wooded area off Camp Villere Road in the Slidell area.  Investigators say the three teens were shooting rifles in a wooded area when one of the bullets reportedly struck an employee of  a nearby business who was standing outside.  The man who worked at Friction Stir Link suffered a gunshot wound to his upper back.  He remains at a south shore hospital,  and his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. 

Following the shooting, deputies were dispatched to the scene and immediately began canvassing the area.  A witness reported to one of the deputies that he saw three juveniles carrying two rifles enter a trail into a wooded area near his home. 

The three juveniles were located at a home near the other end of the trail.  Investigators interviewed the three boys, aged 12, 13 and 15, in the presence of their parents.  All three admitted to firing a .22 caliber rifle in the direction of the business.  Last night, the three boys were transported to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center and each booked with one count of Negligent Injuring and one count of Illegal Use of Weapons.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

14-year old Pennsylvania boy shot and wounded multiple times

A 14-year old boy in Marietta, Pennsylvania, was shot and wounded multiple times, but survived.

From the article:

A 14-year-old boy shot in Marietta on May 4 was released from Hershey Medical Center on Friday and is expected to make a full recovery, Susquehanna Regional police Lt. Stephen Englert said.

The boy was shot in his home in the 400 block of East Market Street, police said. He was hit in the arm and the chest.

Police have not said how many times he was shot or explained the circumstances of the shooting.

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10-year old boy wounded in Stockton shooting

A Mother's Day celebration was taking place in a home in Stockton, California, when shots rang out.  A 10-year old boy was grazed in the head, a 30-year old man was wounded in the leg, and another stray bullet hit a home.

Sixth-grade boy shot and wounded in gunfight in a NYC shoe store

A man, Brian Harper, and his sixth-grade son, Julian, were shopping for shoes in a New York City shoe store when they noticed a security guard and another man arguing over a cell phone charger.  The man left, only to return later and pull out a gun.  The security guard pulled out his own handgun, a .9mm, and a gunfight erupted.  When the shooting had ended, neither the guard nor the other man had been hit, apparently.

The father tried to shield his son.  A bullet passed through the leg of his pants but didn't wound him.  His son, though, was wounded by a bullet.  Another customer, 34-year-old teacher Christopher Townsend, was grazed in the left forearm as well.  Both were treated and released.

Both the shooters had their weapons illegally.

11-year old Alabama boy unintentionally shot in face with shotgun

Devin Grady, age 11

Two 11-year old boys were "hunting snakes" in the woods after school, near Huntsville, Alabama.  They had a loaded .410 gauge shotgun with them.  That's when one boy accidentally shot the other in the face with the gun.  (updated) The victim, Devin Grady, has since died from his injury.

From the article and news video:

The boys were reportedly hunting snakes with a shotgun when one of them shot the other in the face.


Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin said this is a terrible tragedy and prayers go out to both families.

“One boy is fighting for his life in the hospital and the other is left to deal with the reality that he shot his best friend,” Franklin told WHNT News 19 from the scene. The investigation continues. The names of the boys have not been released.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

UPDATE (6/11/12):  Devin has now died from his injury.

15-year old New York girl wounded in leg by gunfire

A 15-year old girl was in an altercation and was shot in the leg, in Troy, New York.

From the article:

Police believe the girl was shot after some sort of altercation at the intersection, and that she was not the intended target.

After the shooting, DeWolf said the girl walked over to the nearby Arnold E. Fallon Apartments and called authorities.

She was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment. Her wounds are not believed to be life threatening.

Police have no suspects at this time.

According to this article and video, she was not the intended target.  Rather the argument was between two men when one pulled out a handgun and fired 3-5 shots.  The girl was waiting at a neighboring bus stop.  When the shooting started, she ran from the scene but was shot nonetheless.

One man displayed a hand gun and fired three to five shots and one of those shots hit the girl who was waiting for a bus. Police said one suspect took off on River Street in a white car. They said the girl started running as soon as she saw the hand gun but she was hit by the stray bullet.

“There were quite a few people out on the street, it was a fairly comfortable evening,” said Captain John Cooney of the Troy Police Department. “Thank God there weren’t any other victims in this case, but to think of a child running from the scene of such a violent event and being struck down certainly has made an impact to our detectives and energizes them and their efforts on this case.”

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14-year old Rochester girl shot four times

A 14-year old girl was walking with friends in Rochester, New York, when she was shot four times.  Thankfully she survived.  Police are still searching for the shooter.

From the article:

The female victim and several others were walking from a corner store to the teen’s home when she heard popping sounds and realized she had been shot.

The girl suffered four gunshot wounds.  She was taken to the hospital and later released.

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17-year old Milwaukee girl shot and injured

From an article:

The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating a nonfatal shooting that occurred late Saturday or early Sunday in the area of N. 53rd St. and W. Rohr Ave.

Police Capt. Rebecca L. Pixley said a 17-year old Milwaukee girl suffered a gunshot wound to the right ankle. She was being treated at a hospital.

Police are searching for suspects.

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12-year old Chicago boy shot in head and killed

A 12-year old boy was playing outside in south Chicago when, for unknown reasons, someone shot him in the head, killing him.

From the article:

The boy, whose name is not yet being released, was playing outside at 8028 S. Brandon Av., and had begun walking home, when two men approached through a gangway and opened fire, police said.

The boy was shot in the head and killed, according to police.

No one had been arrested as of Sunday morning.

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13-year old New Orleans boy shot in the knee

A 13-year old boy was walking down a New Orleans, Louisiana street when he was shot and wounded in the knee.

From the article:

Police tell FOX 8 News that the boy was walking down Bundy from Chef Menteur Highway when he passed the perpetrator.  For some reason, the perp fired a gun at the boy, who was wounded behind his left knee.

A friend transported the victim to Lake Forest and Crowder Blvds., where they spotted a police officer around 8:17 p.m.  The office called EMS, which transported the boy to a local hospital.  He was last reported in stable condition.

Investigators have not named a suspect or a motive for the shooting.

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13-year old Tulsa boy killed in drive-by

Jordan Sigli, age 13

13-year old Jordan Sigli told his mom he was going to an evening church service in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but instead went to a 17-year old's birthday party at a sports bar.  Stepping out of the car, he was shot in the chest in a drive-by shooting, apparently not the target of the shooter.  He soon died in the hospital.

From the article:

Jordan Sigli, a sixth-grader at Emerson Elementary School, died early Tuesday at OSU Medical Center after multiple surgeries, family members and police said.

"I can't believe this," Michelle Sigli said. "I thought he was going to Greenwood (Christian Center) with a friend. I told him to be back before curfew, and he said, 'OK, Mom.'

"The next thing I know, I'm waking up and my oldest son's telling me that Jordan's been shot."

Police said a friend's mother was dropping Jordan Sigli off in the parking lot of Tanzi Sports Bar, 3205 N. Peoria Ave, for a 17-year-old's birthday party when at least one shooter in a passing car opened fire on a crowd that had gathered outside.

The woman then drove him to the hospital, Walker said.

Although no one else was hit, police said they had no evidence that he was the target. It was more likely to be someone in the crowd who had some connection to the shooters, Walker said.

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Grandmother shoots 17 year old grandson

This may be the first time a story like this has been reported on this blog. A Michigan 74 year old grandmother shot and killed her grandson after an argument in the home where they were both living. The boy was living with his grandparents to finish high school. From the story:

According to police, Jon and his grandmother were the only ones home and got into an argument late yesterday. The grandmother shot Jon several times with a handgun, which was recovered at the home.

Jon called 911 Friday to report he had been shot. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital around 6:00 p.m.

The grandfather was not home at the time of the shooting, but because police are still gathering evidence there, he has to stay out until they are done.

His grandmother was then taken to the hospital for observation, checked out and then taken into police custody. She is on medication for diabetes and a thyroid problem.

The home is in a gated community near Maple and Halsted roads. Jamie Rogers has lived next door to him since they were kids.

12-year old Georgia boy accidentally shoots himself next to elementary school

A 12-year old boy in Dekalb County, Georgia, was found shot in the upper leg next to an elementary school, in what authorities believe may be an unintentional self-inflicted wound.  He was with two teen boys, ages 16 and 17, and apparently was preparing to commit a robbery.

From the article:

A 12-year-old boy in Dekalb County, Georgia was a victim of a gunshot wound Thursday.  

It happened in a wooded area between an apartment complex and an elementary school.
The child was not a student at the school, and authorities believe he may have been skipping school altogether.  

Two teens were detained by police.  

Initially the boy told authorities he'd been shot by an unknown black male, but now police say he may have accidentally shot himself in the upper leg.

This comes as schools in the Atlanta area are on high alert, after an attempted sniper incident Monday involving children boarding a school bus in Clayton County.

From another article:

A 12-year-old Atlanta boy was shot in the buttocks Thursday as he skipped school to commit burglaries with two teenage accomplices, police said.  

The shot was fired in the woods near Montclair Elementary School, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.  

It was not immediately clear what type of weapon was involved or who fired it. The two other boys were aged 16 and 17.  

The three "skipped school with the intention of committing some burglaries," DeKalb police lieutenant Pam Kunz was quoted as saying.  

The 12-year-old was taken to an Atlanta hospital where he was listed in "serious to moderate condition," DeKalb Public Safety Director William Miller added. 

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

3-year old boy shot by 14-year old uncle while trying to "teach him about gun safety"

A 14-year old boy stole a .25-caliber handgun from a dealer and hidden it in his room, in Urbana, Illinois.  His 3-year old nephew, Mekhi Woods, found the handgun.  The boys lived together in the same home.  Thinking he could teach the toddler about gun safety, the teen took the gun and aimed it at the boy.  Unfortunately, it was still loaded.  He shot the boy in the forehead.  The toddler soon died from his wound.

From the article:

State’s Attorney Julia Rietz said the youth had taken the magazine out of the .25-caliber handgun that he had stolen in February from a Rantoul drug dealer’s home but apparently didn’t realize it was still loaded.

Rietz said the teen told Urbana police that Mekhi had been playing with the gun, which the teen kept in his room.

“He pointed it at the child and pulled the trigger, wanting to scare him and teach him about gun safety, not knowing there was a round in the chamber,” she said.

Rietz said after the round hit the toddler in the forehead, the teen scooped the child up and ran outdoors with him, handing his limp body to a young female friend he knew from school.

Assistant State’s Attorney Chris Kanis told Ladd in court that the child was still breathing, although the breathing was labored and the child had an obvious open wound to the forehead.

When the first officer arrived, the girl handed the wounded boy to him. At the same time, the teen was outside still holding the gun and yelling hysterically that he had shot his nephew and was going to shoot himself, Kanis said.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Washington teen dead and another injured while in car

Tiana Montgomery, age 17

Another 17 year old teen, Tiana Montgomery, was shot to death while in a car with an 18 year old boy who was injured in this shooting. From the article:

The victims called 911 as they drove to the Shoreline Police Department for help.  Deputies stopped the car on Aurora Avenue and 185th Street and the victims were transported to Harborview Medical Center, where Montgomery died from her injuries.

The boy and Montgomery had been shot in the back, shoulders and legs and their car was hit with bullets.

"I honestly don't know who or why.  That's what I've been asking other people. That's what other kids at our school have been asking each other is, 'why?'" said Seamon said. "(Montgomery) was working hard just to make sure that, you know, she would maintain and just walk with the rest of her class. She was a very good person."

Too many teens will not get to walk with their classmates to get their high school diplomas. More will likely come out about this case. Meanwhile, this young woman will be missed by her friends and family.

From another article:

According to court documents and the police report, Edwards and Montgomery and another friend had agreed to meet Cooley and two of his friends in the parking lot so they could return a cell phone that belonged to Cooley's friend.

Cooley and his friends were waiting in Cooley's blue Ford Mustang when Edwards and Montgomery arrived, and one of those friends got into an argument with Montgomery as she sat in the driver's seat of the SUV.

Prior to this meeting, Edwards had only met Cooley once before, court documents say.

Cooley then walked over to the passenger side of the SUV, where Edwards was sitting, and racked back the slide of a handgun, according to court documents.

Edwards then got out of the SUV to confront Cooley, and that's when Cooley opened fire at Edwards, hitting him in the knee, court papers say.

Edwards screamed and turned to jump back into the passenger seat of the SUV, and he was shot at least two more times in the back, court papers say. Altogether, several shots were fired.

As Edwards got back into the SUV, Montgomery drove out of the parking lot at high speed. She was crying and telling Edwards she had been shot, too.

She then passed out, and the SUV came to a stop. Despite his injuries, Edwards was able to get into the driver's seat and drive toward the local police station. When he saw patrol cars responding to the shooting, he flagged them down.

Medics were immediately called to begin emergency treatment, but Montgomery died of her injuries. Edwards was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition.

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Florida mom kills her 4 kids and then herself

Pebbles Johnson (17), Jaxs Johnson (15), Joel Johnson (12), and Jazzlyn Johnson (13)

This crime scene in Florida was an awful and senseless shooting of 4 children by their mother. Read more below:

 Investigators are taking a closer look at a recent domestic abuse call involving a 33-year-old mother who apparently went on a shooting spree and killed her four children and herself during an early morning confrontation, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office investigators report.

How does a parent shoot her own child? It is beyond belief. More from the story:

The Port St. John shootings were the single worst instance of multiple homicides to take place in Brevard County since the April 1987 shootings in Palm Bay involving William Cruse. Cruse killed six people, including two Palm Bay police officers, during a shooting spree. It also was the second fatal shooting to take place in Port St. John -- an enclave of residential areas off of U.S. 1 in north Brevard -- in the past week.

The residents of Port St. John must be in shock at these recent shootings. Guns and domestic problems just do not go together.

UPDATE (5/18/12):  Some more details on what happened that fateful day.  A neighbor had called 911, but refused to give refuge to three of the children who wound up shot.  From the article (we've added the bolding where names are identified):

The caller's husband told a dispatcher in the 911 call that the children were frantically trying to enter their house. 

"They tried to break in our front door to get in, I guess to try to get away from her — whoever's got the gun," he told the dispatcher. "So I grabbed my gun and ran outside and one's laying there bleeding at the front door." 

The dispatcher then asked where the bleeding child went and was told that "he went back to the residence." 

That's because the mother — Tonya Thomas, 33 — had come out of her house and called the children home, Brevard County Sheriff's officials said. 

The children complied and when deputies went to Thomas' house, they found her dead of a self-inflicted wound. Her children — Jaxs Johnson, 15; Jazzlyn Johnson, 13; and Joel Johnson, 12 — were fatally shot inside the house. A fourth child, Pebbles Johnson, 17, was found shot to death in the front yard of a neighbor's house. 

Authorities said they have no motive for the killings and are not sure why the children followed the mother's orders to return back to their house.

UPDATE (5/22/12):  More details on the shooting from CNN:

The Florida woman who killed her four children before committing suicide last week used jacketed hollow-point bullets fired at very close range, no more than 2 feet away, according to the Brevard County District Medical Examiner. 

Medical Examiner Sajid Qaiser said Tonya Thomas, 33, fired a Taurus .38-caliber gun, hitting her children 18 times before taking her own life. Most of the wounds on Pebbles Johnson, 17; Jaxs Johnson, 15; Jazzlyn Johnson, 13; and Joel Johnson, 12, were on the fronts of their bodies, indicating they were shot as their mother faced them, Qaiser said. 

Qaiser said none of the children or their mother had major defensive wounds, indicating that there was no significant struggle before or during the shootings. Thomas then placed the gun in her mouth and pulled the trigger, killing herself.
....
Jazzlyn was shot the most, seven times. The gunshots perforated her lung three times as well as her spleen, pancreas, stomach and spine, Qaiser said. 

Joel was shot five times. Jaxs took three bullets in his chest. 

“Many of the shots were taken at contact range," Qaiser said. "You can tell from the wounds and the clothing that the muzzle of the gun was pressed against the clothing, the body."
Pebbles was also shot three times. 

Gun store owner Herb Stratton told Florida Today that the Taurus .38-caliber can hold six shots, meaning Thomas reloaded three times during the shootings.

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8-year old Pennsylvania boy critically injured when 14-year old friend shoots him with BB gun

Two boys, ages 8 and 14, were shooting cans with a BB gun in Towanda, Pennsylvania, when the older boy unintentionally shot the younger one.  The BB went almost all the way through the boy's body and nearly hit his spine.

From the article:

Pennsylvania State Police are investigating what they're calling an accidental shooting in Bradford County.

Troopers were called to the Towanda Memorial Hospital Sunday, for an incident that happened over the weekend.

Two brothers, aged 8 and 14 years old, were shooting cans with BB guns in their backyard on Mason Street, when the older boy shot the younger boy in the stomach.

The boys ran into the house to tell their mom.

After the 8-year-old complained he was having trouble breathing his parents took him to the emergency room.

X-rays reveal the BB went through his body, just missing his spine.

Troopers continue to investigate.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

17-year old Waco boy shot in head and killed

A 17-year old boy was with friends at a residence in Waco, Texas, when some other young men attacked and shot at the group, hitting the 17-year old in the back of the head.  He later died from his wound.

From the article:

A 17-year-old young man was gunned down in the 1400 block of Princeton when a fight broke out between the 17-year-old and some other young men.

They left the residence but came back. A suspect jumped out of the car and started shooting at the teen and his friends.

The victim was wounded in the back of the head. His friends and loved ones rushed him to the hospital, but on the way they collided with a couple of cars on 1-35 and New Road.

A tire was blown out and their car stopped near a local restaurant. They called for help and a loved one described what happened next.

"A lady pulled to the side and helped him out, it was a nurse, they took him and put him on the ground to try to give him CPR, next thing you know the ambulance came and took him to the hospital and we are heading that way now to find out."

Waco PD have not released the teen's name and have not confirmed the condition of the young man or whether or not any arrests have been made.

A large group of the wounded teen's friends and family gathered at Hillcrest to wait for word on his condition.

A friend of the family called News Channel 25 and reported the teen passed away.

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Using children's toys to hide guns

What are we to make of the fact that some people are willing to use children's toys to hide guns from the TSA at airport screenings? There is a video showing how this disassembled gun was found by a screener in a stuffed animal at a Rhode Island airport.  No wonder they make small children and older people go through thorough screening. Some object to that but there was a recent incident of a weapon found in the hollow tube of an elderly person's walker. What was the father of this child thinking? What did he want a gun for on his travels? Why conceal it in his child's toys?

2 year old Cleveland boy shot while in his home

This two year old was just sitting in his house when a bullet from outside came through the house and hit him in the head. His adult babysitter was also hit with a bullet. From the article:

The 48-year-old woman was baby sitting the child when they were shot about 2 p.m., police said. The woman was hit in the hand and the child was shot in the head. Both are being treated at University Hospitals Case Medical Center. No further information about their conditions or identities is yet available.

The woman's teenage son was in a verbal fight with three men earlier in the afternoon, and she separated the group and went into the house, in the 1000 block of East 76th Street, according to police. Shortly after, someone shot a gun into the home, and a single shot hit her and the child.

Children should be safe from bullets inside of their own homes. And bullets should not be flying in the streets of our communities no matter who is shooting them.

UPDATE (5/15/12):  According to a different article, the boy's name is Di'rico Washington, and the shooting happened as a result of an accident from inside the home.

Teen aged boy shot by brother in hunting accident

These boys were Turkey hunting in New York when things went wrong. One brother accidentally shot the other in the face while on the hunt. From the article:

Caleb Fox, of Sherman Street in Penn Yan, was out hunting with his 12-year-old brother David Fox, at approximately 6 a.m. on farm land at 954 City Hill Road in the Town of Torrey when the incident occurred, according to the Yates County Sheriff’s Office.

While they were hunting, David Fox thought he saw a turkey walking through a wooded area and fired. The moving object turned out to be his brother, who was struck in the face and right shoulder by pellets.

This is not the first time accidents like this have occurred during hunting trips. Young children do hunt and usually with parental supervision. There is no mention of whether parents were with the boys. Children need to be trained, like adults, about hunting and making sure of the target before shooting.

16-year old Illinois boy shot in the head

A 16-year old boy in Rockford, Illinois, was found shot in the head, and is now in critical condition.

From the article:

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the head Friday night on Rockford’s northwest side.

Rockford Police officers were called to the 1900 block of Riverside Boulevard around 11:40 p.m. Friday after the shooting. The boy, whose name was not released, was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police are searching for the suspected shooter. The investigation is ongoing.

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11-year old Utah girl threatened by armed robber

An 11-year old girl at home, alone, in Sandy, Utah, confronted an intruder, who then threatened her by putting a gun at her chest.  She ran to a neighbor and was unharmed.  The intruder escaped.

From the article:

The girl was in her home near 9200 South and 2300 East watching TV.

The girl told police she went to the kitchen to get a snack around 2:45 p.m. She noticed her back door was open, and then she saw a man with a gun.

"She reached for her cellphone, (and) the male suspect knocked her hand away from the phone," said Sandy Police Sgt. John Arnold, "… (He) actually put a gun to her chest and told her not to call, not to pick up the phone."

Arnold said the girl turned and ran out the front door to a neighbor's house. But the next-door neighbors weren't home, so she kept running until she found a familiar face two doors down.
"Their door was unlocked," Kim Jensen, the girl's mother, said. "My daughter walked right in through the front door and started yelling, 'You need to call the cops!'"

The neighbors, startled, jumped into action. "She was so hysterical, and she told my husband, 'I need your help! Somebody put a gun at me!'" neighbor Michelle Benson said. "So he called the cops and was able to calm her down after about five minutes."

By the time officers arrived, the man was gone. But he didn't get away with anything from the home.

"(We're) getting the impression that he wasn't expecting to have anyone in the residence at the time," Arnold said.

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17-year old California boy killed in gang attack

A 17-year old boy was shot and killed during a gang attack, in Norwalk, California.

From the article:

A 17-year-old boy was shot six times in Norwalk in what officials believe was a gang-related attack.

City News Service reports that the boy, whose name hasn't been released, was hit with six bullets in the abdomen at about 8:45 p.m. yesterday. The attack occurred near Mapledale Street and Gard Avenue.

The boy was taken to the hospital, but authorities say that they don't have any more information about the motive for the assault, nor do they have any suspects.

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14-year old boy shot to death in attempt to rob a drug dealer

A 14-year old boy in Orangeburg, South Carolina, is dead after an attempt by him and two others, including his 17-year old brother, to rob a drug dealer.  The boy was carrying a rifle when he was shot.

From the article:

Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said the boy was carrying a rifle when he was killed just before midnight Monday.

Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said the boy was carrying a rifle when he was killed just before midnight Monday.

Authorities say the boy was with two men, 20-year-old John Riley and his 17-year-old brother, when he was shot. The sheriff says the men initially told police the shooting was random, but later admitted they spent Monday planning to rob a drug dealer. Both have been charged with armed robbery.

Ravenell says the dealer, 26-year-old Calvin Busby, also was arrested. It wasn't clear if any of the suspects had attorneys.

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5-year old girl watches as father commits suicide in Florida

The partner of Timothy Arnold, named Linda Losacano, had been missing since April 14.  Officers went to their home as part of an investigation and heard gunshots.  Entering the home, they found a 5-year old girl, unharmed, and took her from the residence.  When SWAT entered the home afterward, they found Arnold dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Losacano is still missing.  The girl is with child protective services.

10-year old boy found loaded gun in Idaho park and took it to school

A 10-year old boy, Jessie Abraham, found a loaded gun in a park in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and held onto it for a couple days in his backpack.  He was caught with the weapon at school.

From the article:

An Idaho Falls mom says her 10-year-old son was too afraid of police to turn in a gun he found at Central Park last Tuesday.

Jayme Abraham said her son Jessie instead kept the handgun in his backpack, until administrators at Dora Erikson Elementary found it on Thursday. Abraham said she was surprised to learn her 10-year-old had stashed the handgun he found in his backpack. She said she wants other parents and the community to know why." 

He doesn't trust the police," she said during an interview on Monday. "He's witnessed people be arrested, he's just afraid of them." 

Abraham said fear stopped Jessie from telling police he'd found the gun after school on Tuesday." 

I should have as a parent searched his backpack and questioned him further, but I didn't," she said. 

Abraham works as a pet groomer just a handful of blocks west of Central Park in Idaho Falls. Last week she said Jessie dropped his backpack at her shop after playing kickball with some friends in the park. She didn't know it, but he'd found a loaded handgun in a pine tree." 

I just want everybody to understand, the gun was loaded in the park, he unloaded it, he didn't know what else to do," said Abraham. "I think we need to inform our kids as parents and as the public." 

Jessie later told his mom he didn't feel comfortable leaving a gun in the park so he picked it up, unloaded it and put it in his bag. 

Abraham said her son was waiting to tell his dad about the gun. She said as a parent she wishes Jessie had known it was safe to tell someone else.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

3-year old girl injured by gang crossfire in Connecticut

A 3-year old was with her mother in Bridgeport, Connecticut, when they got caught in the crossfire of a gang shooting, where a gunman opened fire on a man on the street, shooting around 25 rounds, according to a witness.

The girl was injured in the buttocks but is expected to recover.

UPDATE (5/13/12):  According to a follow-up news video, the toddler's name is Caitlin Gordon, and her mother as Partina Murphy.  A 20-year old young man was also shot in the hand.  The incident happened in front of an elementary school.

12-year old Texas girl shot in thigh by stray bullet from outside home

A 12-year old girl was in her home in Hempstead, Texas, when she heard gunshots.  A bullet then tore into the house and hit her in the thigh.  She is expected to recover.

4-year old gets father's gun and fires it while visiting a Fairbanks pawn shop

A father and his 4-year old son were visiting a pawn shop in Fairbanks, Alaska.  The boy was playing with the 1-year old son of a store employee when somehow the 1-year old got hold of the 4-year old's father's loaded, unsecured .38 Special revolver, then passed it to the 4-year old, who fired a shot.  Luckily, no one was injured.

From the article:

A revolver went off in the hands of a 4-year-old boy who was playing with it Sunday in a South Fairbanks pawn shop, according to Fairbanks police.

The bullet went into the ceiling and no one was hurt, but police are forwarding a misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge against pawn shop employee Jaclyn Johnson, 24, to the district attorney's office.

Fairbanks police received a call at 1:21 p.m. from Alaska Fast Cash on the Old Richardson Highway for a report that a boy had fired a Smith & Wesson .38 Special, said Sgt. Bruce Barnett, who did not personally respond to the call but reviewed the report and spoke with an officer who did.

Police responded and spoke with the father of the boy, who said he was at the store talking to an employee when saw his son playing with Johnson’s 1-year-old son.

It was the younger boy who was first in possession of the gun, Barnett said. He then passed it to the 4-year-old.

The boy’s father told police he then heard a loud bang and saw his son was holding a silver gun.

The gun was Johnson’s personal weapon, Barnett said.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

(thanks to the "Guns Are Soooo Great!" blog for the head's up on this one)

17-year old boy shot and killed in Anaheim

A 17-year old boy was found shot in Anaheim, later dying from his injury. 

From the article:

About 10 p m. Friday, Anaheim police dispatchers received several calls from people who said they'd heard gunshots in the area of the 200 block of East Florence Avenue, Dunn said.

One of the witnesses indicated that there was an injured person in a driveway at the intersection of Claudina Street and Lorraine Drive. Officers found the teen, suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to UCI Medical Center where he died, Dunn said. The boy's identity has not been released pending notification of his family.

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5-year old girl nearly killed when shot in head with BB gun by 7-year old brother

It was touch-and-go for 5-year old, named Aye, after she and her 7-year old brother found a pump-action BB rifle in the kitchen of a Hershey, Pennsylvania home.  The brother shot Aye in the head, and the BB penetrated her skull and into her brain.  Adults were home at the time.  Aye almost died, but it looks now like she will survive.

From an article and news video:

Around 6:00 Wednesday night, Louis Martinez's life turned hectic when his seven-year-old grandson shot his five-year-old granddaughter, Aye, in the head with a BB gun. The kids found the gun in the kitchen of their home on Dauphin Street.

Aye was hit in the forehead where police say the BB penetrated her skull and brain. Adults were home when it happened, but no charges have been filed.

“She knows who I am. She knows who my wife is. She knows her father and mother,” explained Martinez. “So she's doing great. How much of a relief is it? I can't even say how much of a relief it is.”

“They should be treated as a regular fire arm,” explained Lancaster Police Lieutenant Jarrad Berkihiser, talking about BB guns. He said the BB gun the kids had was no toy. It could fire a BB nearly 700 feet per second. And there are some that can shoot upward of 1200, almost as fast as a regular bullet.

“People should not be complacent because it's called a BB gun or a pellet gun,” urged Berkihiser. “They can cause serious injury.”

Related articles and videos HERE and HERE.  From the first link:

Lt. Berkihiser says when this happened, the gun was unsecure in the child's home. He says that the BB gun is an air rifle that can fire a BB at 680 feet per second. He says BB and pellet guns aren't toys. He says they are especially dangerous with children who have softer bones than adults.

"Manufacturers do put warnings on their BB guns and pellet guns that they could cause serious injury or even death and this is a prime example," he said. "Just because it's not a regular firearm, you don't need to show ID, you don't need to go through a background check to actually purchase one, they may just leave them lying around and you should be treating them as an actual firearm."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Man threatends teen girls with gun during fight in Pennsylvania

A fight broke out between teen girls in Darby, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including a girl who was 15.  Some other teen girls tried to intervene, but a man , 22-year old Karl Slater, pulled out a gun and threatened the girls not to intervene.

From the article:

The 15-year-old girl and some friends were walking up the street when they saw a classmate with another group. The victim and her friends turned around to leave the scene but the classmate rushed up and allegedly hit the victim multiple times from behind.

The 15-year-old was knocked to the ground where the classmate and a younger sister continued the beating, according to police.

At this time a two other girls pulled up and jumped out to help defend the victim as other tried to step in to end the fight.

But, police say a man in his 20s came up to the rumble, pulled out a gun and said that he would shoot anyone who stepped in to stop the fight. The girls then stood by as the victim was beaten further by the sisters.

When cops arrived the man with the gun was gone but someone had recorded cell phone video of the street fight including capturing the man with the gun.

One of the alleged attackers was arrested while the victim got some medical attention for bruises. Neither girl was identified since both are juveniles.

The man who allegedly had the gun was later identified as Karl Slater, 22, of Darby. He was arrested Wednesday and arraigned Thursday on multiple counts of simple assault, terroristic threats and weapons charges, according to court documents.

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12-year old San Antonio boy shoots self in chest

A 12-year old boy shot himself in his chest at home in San Antonio, Texas, in an apparent unintentional shooting.

From the article:

Police were called to the home in the 500 block of Mahota Drive near Highway 90 and Hunt Lane just before 8:00 p.m. Friday.

According to investigators, the boy was alone in a bedroom when others in the house heard the gunshot. When they went to check on him, they found him in the room with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The boy was taken to Unversity Hospital in unknown condition.

For now, police are calling this an accidental shooting.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Texas one year old shoots three year old brother

Just when you think you've read it all, you find something like this in the news. A one year old- yes, a one year old, found a gun in his parents' truck and shot his three year old brother. From the article:

Investigators say the three-year-old was shot by his one-year-old little brother who got a hold of a gun inside his father's truck.

Family and Protective Services says the children got inside their father's truck and the one-year-old grabbed a pistol in the seat. The gun went off, and the bullet hit his big brother.

 E.J. Badeaux heard the shot fire from his home next door. "So I came out here and the neighbor across the street came down, and the little boy was laying on the ground." says Badeaux.

 Neighbors say the boys' parents panicked. "She was in shock. She got on the phone called 911," says Badeaux.

 12 News HD spoke with the childs' father who says "We have spent our entire lives trying to protect our children. In a split second, everything we worked for was in danger, including our childs' lives." 

Aldredge says he and his wife have not left his son's side since he's been in the hospital.

Accident aside, Pulliam says the one-year-old has been placed with relatives during the investigation. "It was a tragic accident, but it also could have been prevented if proper precautions could have been used with a gun in the house," says Pulliam. Pulliam says children are curious and says everyone needs to make sure your guns are locked in a safe when children are around.

Police say they don't know if the parents had a license to carry the gun.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services says this is the youngest shooting victim case they have seen.

Well, if the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services had read this blog, they would see other incidents of three year olds shooting themselves or others with guns found laying around for their little hands to find. This is tragic, as are all shootings of and by children, but when a one year old can get his hands on a gun, something is terribly wrong.

All guns in the hands of children and teens must first go through the hands of an adult.

3-year old New Orleans girl shot in foot by aunt who was playing with a gun

A 3-year old girl (news video says 2-years old) was at home with her aunt when the aunt decided to "play" with a double-barreled shotgun, in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The gun went off unintentionally hitting the girl in the foot.

From the article and news video:

Police said the toddler was shot in the foot by her great aunt, 52-year-old Elaine Lee, when she was playing with the gun at her home.

The girl is in stable condition. 

Lee was arrested on charges of negligent injury and child endangerment.

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7-year old girl shot while playing with gun with 3-year old brother; parents try to cover it up

7-year old Shariya Jackson and her 3-year old brother found a loaded, unsecured handgun in their parents' bed.  One of them discharged the gun, hitting Shariya in the back.

Attempting to cover up the shooting, the parents made the children, including Shariya, walk half a mile away to claim it was the result of a drive-by.  Probably because the step-father had a criminal record that included firearms charges.

From a write-up at the Ohh Shoot blog:

7-year-old Shariya Jackson, of Cincinnati, Ohio was shot in the back while playing with a gun with her 3-year-old brother. The children found the loaded, unlocked handgun on their parent's bed. It had been left there by Ricky Singleton, their step-father. 

After the shooting Singleton and the girl's mother, Tangie Jackson, attempted to cover up the incident. They hid the gun in a closet and made their children, including the injured Shariya, walk half a mile away from their home before calling the police. They originally told police Shariya was injured in a drive-by shooting. But police didn't buy the story. 

Shariya was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and Singleton and Jackson were arrested and charged with tampering with evidence, endangering children and obstructing official business. Singleton has a lengthy criminal record, including previous firearm charges.

(A related news article)

(another related news video)

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

10-year old girl injured in leg by bullet in Washington, D.C.

A 10-year old girl was riding with her mother when a car pulled up alongside and opened fire, hitting their vehicle two or three times.  One of those bullets grazed the girl's leg.

From the article and news video:

The woman told officials she was in a Dodge Ram pickup truck with the 10-year-old victim when three women and a man pulled up next to her in a white vehicle. She said that's where the shots came from.

News4's Tracee Wilkins counted at least two bullet holes in the Dodge Ram.

The driver of the Dodge Ram police she then drove three miles across town to the 6th District Police Station, although officials say the 5th District Police Station was closer.

Authorities said the victim and the driver of Dodge Ram share the same last name, but are not saying how they are related.

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16-year old girl shot in face while horseback riding in San Antonio

A 16-year old girl was riding a horse at a race track in San Antonio, Texas, when she was shot in the face by an unknown assailant with a BB gun.

From the article:

This happened around 6:30 Sunday evening in southwest Bexar County at a race track behind the Los Amigos Ballroom, located between Von Ormy and Lytle off I-35. The 16-year old girl was riding a horse when she was hit.

While witnesses and police looked for the shooter, they came up empty-handed. The girl is expected to be OK.

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4-year old Colorado boy killed by father in murder/suicide

Michael David Bristol, age 4

A 4-year old boy, Michael David Bristol, was shot and killed in a murder/suicide by his father, Kevin Ray Bristol.  There's no indication of a motive, nor any problems or warning signs associated with the father, but he did have a criminal record of theft and DUI, and police had been called to the home for some unreported issues.

From the article and video:

According to Thornton Police, Bristol's wife found them and called 911.

"Something woke her up, not sure what that was. She checked on her husband and child and they were suffering from gunshot wounds," Officer Matt Barnes with Thornton Police said.

Barnes says she found Bristol and Michael in a back bedroom together. It is unknown at this time where Mrs. Bristol was at the time of the murder-suicide. Police originally told 9NEWS Mrs. Bristol heard "noise" and went to check on her husband and son. Police have not said if Mrs. Bristol heard gunshots that prompted her to check in her family.

There were no other children in the home. Barnes says investigators also found another handgun inside the home, but he did not know if they are registered.

9NEWS has learned that Bristol worked for Thornton Home Repair for six or seven years. His employer said he was a good employee.

"They kind of kept to themselves. They were a younger couple," David Arguello, a neighbor, said. "He was a nice guy. I'd be out here shoveling snow, and he'd come out and help me out, didn't have to ask him."

"They got along good, he got an attachment for the back of his motorcycle for his son to sit in, a carrier-type thing, they dressed alike, they did everything together. It's just sad and crazy that something like this would happen," Nathon Archuleta, a neighbor, said.

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17-year old Iowa boy unintentionally shot and killed by 17-year old friend

Hunter True, age 17

17-year old Hunter True and his friend, 17-year old Nicklaus Lala, were in their father's cabin in Nora Springs, Iowa, handling a loaded, unsecured .22-caliber rifle.  Lala unintentionally discharged the weapon, striking Hunter in the abdomen, killing him.

From the article:

The shooting death of Hunter True, 17, of Mason City, last month near Rudd has been ruled accidental.

Nicklaus Lala, 17, of Mason City, was handling a .22-caliber rifle that discharged, but “probable cause for filing of criminal charges does not exist,” Floyd County Attorney Normand Klemesrud said in a statement released Wednesday.

True and Lala were in a cabin at 1545 Foothill Ave. owned by Lala’s father, Jay. The incident happened about 7:45 p.m. April 22.

A bullet struck True in the lower abdomen, according to Klemesrud, and Lala called an ambulance.

True was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City, where he died as a result of his injury.

The Floyd County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation investigated the incident.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

Man tries to sneak gun parts on plane inside of son's stuffed animals

A man and his 4-year old son were going through the TSA security checkpoint in the airport of Warwick, Rhode Island when TSA agents found something shocking.  The boy's three stuffed animals weren't just stuffed with cotton, but with the gun parts and ammo to assemble a .40-caliber handgun! 

Amazingly, the TSA only confiscated the gun parts then allowed the man and son to continue with their flight!

From the CNN article:

A TSA officer watched as a carry-on bag containing a stuffed teddy bear, a bunny rabbit and a Mickey Mouse toy went through a checkpoint X-ray machine Monday. The officer spotted the disassembled firearm components and ammunition concealed inside each of the stuffed animals, the TSA said.

Officers notified the Rhode Island Airport Police and conducted a search of the bag.

Inside the toys, officials say, they found the mainframe of a .40-caliber firearm, a magazine with two .40-caliber rounds, a firing pin and a slide.

The TSA says law enforcement officers interviewed the man, who stated he was unaware that there were gun parts inside the toys.

The items were confiscated and the father and son were allowed to continue their flight to Detroit.

Law enforcement agents continue to investigate the incident.

"This is just another example that threats can appear anywhere, and this is why TSA officers take a closer look at everything," the agency said in a news release. "It's also an example that shows that even though TSA has modified the screening process for children 12 and under, the security process is still just as effective."

The man claimed it was the result of a domestic dispute, somehow. 

Aren't the TSA paid to prevent potential dangers to flights?  Shouldn't they be suspicious that this man might have intended to reassemble the gun in-flight and hijack the plane or some other nefarious deed?  And even if it was somehow related to a domestic dispute, shouldn't that be just as shocking and worthy of taking him into immediate custody?  Don't they think the boy might have been in danger, with gun parts and live ammo in his stuffed animals?
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Elementary school boy shoots girl in head with Airsoft gun while waiting for school bus

A group of students were waiting for their school bus at a bus stop in Hendersonville, Tennessee.  That's when a boy pulled out an Airsoft pellet gun that he was intending to take to school and shot a girl waiting with him in her head.

From the article:

It happened on Monday morning as students were waiting at the bus stop to go to Gene Brown Elementary School.

Police said a young student offered to show the gun to another female student. She declined, but he pulled it out anyway, then fired it several times. One of the plastic projectiles hit her in the head. 

The injured student was checked out by the school nurse, and was expected to okay.
School officials said that the boy who brought the gun would be charged with a delinquent juvenile offense.

This is the second time in a week airsoft guns have caused problems for area schools. Last Wednesday, two teenagers were arrested for firing at an Overton High School bus in Nashville.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

12 Year old Chicago girl shot in series of shootings over the week-end

Chicago had a bad week-end for shootings. There were 10 in all. A 12 year old girl was injured in one of the incidents.

Ten people were shot between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning on the city's South and West Sides, including a man who died this morning after being shot on the Lower West Side and a 12-year-old girl who survived a gunshot wound on the West Side Saturday night.

The girl was standing on a sidewalk in the 500 block of North Springfield Avenue in East Garfield Park about 10:30 p.m. Saturday when she was shot in the left foot, police said. It's not clear exactly what the circumstances were that led up to the shooting, police said. She's in good condition at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said.

The girl's family didn't cooperate with the investigation, according to police.

The rest of the article goes on to explain more about the rest of the shootings. Children should be able to stand on a city street without being shot in the foot.

17-year old Tennessee boy unintentionally shoots sister while "joking" with it

A 17-year old boy in Collierville, Tennessee had been given a 9mm Luger handgun by his mother to "mess with", according to the boy.  He apparently was joking around with the gun, thinking it was unloaded because the clip had been removed, not realizing there was still a round in the chamber, when he discharged it, sending a bullet into his 15-year old sister's back, striking a lung and a rib, while she was on the couch with her boyfriend.

The mother had purchased the gun for self-defense after a break-in.

From the article:

The incident occurred Saturday on Fabert Cove in Halle Plantation in Collierville. Police said the teenager was holding Ward's 9 mm Luger when the gun discharged. His sister, who was lying on the couch near her boyfriend, was shot in the back. The bullet struck her lung and a rib. She was airlifted to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.

She was listed in satisfactory condition and moved to a room Wednesday, according to Leslie Ballin, who is representing Ward.
....
Ward recently bought the gun after an attempted break-in at their home. She didn't think the police department responded fast enough, Ballin said. Police records don't show a report filed for that incident.

Ballin disputes the police report that said Ward told them she gave her pistol to her son "to play with" and to make sure the magazine was fully loaded.

The son told officers his mother gave him the gun to "mess with." He removed the magazine and believed the gun was cleared before it discharged, police records show.

The girl's boyfriend told officers that her brother was playing with the gun and "jokingly pointed the gun in their direction" when it discharged.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

17-year old Alabama boy and two teens 18 and 19 rob club with AK-47 and handguns

17-year old robber Marquis Baker

It was a typical night at the Galaxy Social Club in Prichard, Alabama, when three young men, armed with an AK-47 and two 9mm handguns, stormed the club.  One was a 17-year old boy, Marquis Baker.  The other two young men were age 18, Maurice Baker, and 19, Demarcus Campbell.  They got everyone in the club down on the ground and robbed them of their possessions, and were about to get into the club office, when police arrived.  Luckily, the store owner was watching surveillance video from home and saw the young men suiting up and entering the club, so he called 911.  The two older guys were caught in the club.  Maurice was captured after a foot chase.

From an article:

A woman who didn't want to be identified recalled what happened when the teens stormed in.

"He told me to get down. And I got down, and he said, if you move, I'm going to blow your brains out."

The robbers were wearing masks, and were armed with pistols and an AK47.

"You think about the AK, and then it had a 30 round clip in it and the damage or deaths that could have resulted in that weapon alone," said Prichard Police Chief Jimmie Gardner. "It looks to be a well planned situation to a degree, and I think much of this is from watching TV. Note that each individual wore masks. They were heavily armed. They went in with a plan to put everyone down, every individual who was in the club was actually put on the floor. They went through their pockets, took their cell phone, any money or any other thing of value that they had on them."

Before all of that, the owner, Bill Goodwin, said he was watching the surveillance cameras from his home when he spotted the teens suiting up.

"I just happened to be watching the monitor and saw three individuals and they were putting masks on as they were entering the door, and I saw one of them had a pistol, seemed like a 9MM," said Goodwin.

Luckily, no one was injured.

A related article.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

16-year old Philly boy shot and killed in drive-by

A 16-year old boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was with a couple other boys standing outside a store when a car pulled up and an occupant opened fire on the boys.  The 16-year old was shot four times, including twice in the head, and died from the wounds.  Police think it may have been a case of mistaken identity.

From the article:

Events began, police say, when a group of four teens, including the victim, were in the neighborhood visiting one of their aunts. They were asked to go to Koury’s for some food. The victim went inside while three others waited outside on the corner, police said.

When the victim walked out of the store, a Pontiac — which police said may have been black or green — pulled up to the corner. The passenger rolled his window down and fired two shots at the teens, hitting a wall. The shooter paused and then fired three more shots at the group, said Lt. John Walker of the Southwest Detective Division.

Bystanders rushed inside seeking refuge while neighbors called police.

The boy was shot twice in the head, once in the left side of his chest and once in his left arm, police said. A neighbor said she called the police and heard someone outside screaming, “Please save my brother!”

Police said the shooting may have been a case of a mistaken identity, and that the teens involved were not from the neighborhood and were not known to police.

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Nebraska man shot during confrontation with teens in Omaha

Dallas Waters, age 30, was driving through Omaha, Nebraska, when he witnessed two teen boys pushing a girl.  He intervened to stop it, when one of the boys pulled out a gun and shot him, injuring him.  A second bullet hit a neighboring middle school. 

The boys escaped.  The school, and two others in the area, were on lockdown temporarily while the search proceeded.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

14-year old California boy shoots and kills father, an Immigrations Officer

Myron W. Chisem, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, was in his Los Angeles home at night when a bullet came through the window from outside, striking and killing him.  It was shot by his 14-year old son using the officer's service handgun.  By all accounts, there hadn't been any problems between the two prior to that point.

From the article:

 The 14-year-old was doing well in school, loved playing video games, and even visited the library with Chisem every so often, said Shawn Butler, Chisem's friend.

"In his eyes, everything was peachy, lovely," Butler said.

But late Wednesday, authorities said, the 14-year-old fatally shot his 42-year-old father, striking him once in the head from their Carson backyard as Chisem sat in the family room. The son called 911, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials said, and deputies found Chisem's ICE-issued handgun in the frontyard. About eight hours later, the teen was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder.

"This was a domestic violence incident," Lt. Holly Francisco said. Authorities did not identify Chisem's son and said the motive was unclear.

Butler, 41, met Chisem in naval training in 1991 and served with him as a member of ICE. He said there "was never any indication" of trouble between Chisem and his son. He said the boy had moved in with his father less than a year ago after a family agreement.

"They had a great relationship," Butler said. "He was very proud of his son. He loved him very much.... All the time I had been around them I had never seen any kind of issues of tension between them."

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

16-year old Idaho boy shoots self in neck with friend's gun

A 16-year old boy, Andy Stroebel, had gone shooting with an adult friend in Fruitland, Idaho.  They went back to the friend's place to clean the guns, then the friend left to get a movie, leaving the boy with the guns, though the boy's mother was in the home at the time as well.  The boy then wound up shooting himself in the neck with one of the guns.  He is now in surgery in Portland, Oregon.


From the article:

Huff said Stroebel and an adult friend went shooting earlier in the day and were back at Stroebel’s house looking at his friends handgun. Huff said there were several unloaded guns in the house at the time, and the two had been cleaning them.

Huff said Stroebel’s friend left the area to get a movie, and the friend had taken the ammunition out of the gun, but at some point Stroebel put the ammunition back in.

“For some reason, he (Stroebel) put it up against his neck area and pulled the trigger,” Huff said. “The gun discharged and a round went through his neck.”

Stroebel’s mother was in the other room at the time the shot was fired. Stroebel was taken via Air Ambulance to a Boise-area hospital and then was flown to a Portland-area hospital.

Huff said the evidence indicates this was an accidental shooting.

Stroebel is a student at Fruitland High School.

Huff also wants to remind people with handguns or who may be around firearms that everybody needs to be trained and familiar with those guns.

“Treat them as if they are loaded,” Huff said.

Training is good, but keeping guns out of the hands of children is better.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.