Two California teens injured in drive-by shooting

A drive by shooting injured a 15 and 16 year old teen in Fresno, California:

Police say two teenagers are recovering after being shot near C and Inyo Streets in Downtown Fresno.

Witnesses told investigators a brown van pulled up to the 15 and 16-year-old boys and began shooting. This happened just outside the victims' home.

The teenagers dropped the bicycles they were riding and ran for cover, but they were struck by the spray of bullets.

When police arrived the two boys were in the backyard of their home, where family members were trying to stop the gunshot wounds from bleeding.

"The investigation shows it appears to possibly be gang related," said Lt. Jose Garza. "Of course it's the beginning of the investigation so our detectives are working on it right to determine the exact motive of the shooting and whose responsible for the shooting."

Investigators say they're not sure of the make or model of the shooter's van. All they will say right now is the van is brown.

15 year old Chicago boy shot and killed after moving away from violence

Sadly, this 15 year old boy was shot and killed in Chicago on Thursday. He had just moved away to California to get away from the violence in Chicago. From the article:

Patrick Sykes was shot and killed Thursday afternoon near the1800-block of West 85th Street, according to police. Sykes moved to California six months ago to escape the violence and he returned to Chicago for his summer break, his grandmother told ABC7 News.

Sykes' father was reportedly killed two years ago about two blocks from Thursday's shooting and his murder remains unsolved.

Toddler finds gun, shoots self in face, dies

2-year-old Trenton Mathis, of Cherokee County, Texas, found a loaded, unlocked handgun in his home Wednesday and unintentionally shot himself in the face. The toddler was rushed to the hospital in Tyler but was pronounced dead. According to news reports:

Mathis' great grandmother, Carolyn, told KLTV that Trenton went looking for gum through a bedroom door that was not closed all the way. He got onto her bed, and found the handgun on a nightstand.
Trenton and three other children were placed in the home of Carolyn Mathis and her husband late last year after abuse and neglect in their parents' home.
At a custody hearing, a judge ruled against a Child Protective Services recommendation that the children be relocated to somewhere other than the great grandparents' home. CPS deemed the home to be unsafe.

17 year old North Carolina boy shoots himself playing with guns

A 17 year old North Carolina boy is dead after he and some friends were "playing with guns". This occurred just a few days after his high school graduation.


From an article:

"It's just a senseless tragedy that should never happen," said Skyler's grandmother, Judy Mincey.

The details of the incident are still under investigation, but a Blount County Sheriff's Office spokesperson did say the incident appears to be an accident.

However, the occurrence confused Skyler's grandfather, Jerry Mincey, who said the high school senior had experience with guns.

"We got conflicting stories that they were playing with guns, playing a war game," he said.

Boring just graduated from Heritage High School.  He was the co-captain of the wrestling team and planned to attend Pellissippi State in the Fall.

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

Colorado woman shoots and kills 9 year old son

Before turning the gun on herself, a Colorado mother shot and killed her 9 year old son:

A Stagecoach mom shot and killed her 9-year-old son early Wednesday morning before turning the gun on herself, according to a preliminary investigation by the Routt County Sheriff’s Office.

#Lisa Marie Lesyshen, 45, was found in her home unconscious with a single gunshot wound by Sheriff’s Office deputies in the early hours of Wednesday. She was taken by ambulance to Yampa Valley Medical Center. Lesyshen was alive as of 4:30 p.m. and being guarded by Sheriff's Office deputies, according to Undersheriff Ray Birch. Her condition is unknown.

#Asher Lesyshen-Kirlan was found dead inside the home. He was a third-grader at Soda Creek Elementary School in Steamboat Springs.

#According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called by Michael Kirlan, Asher’s father, to the home near the south shore of Stagecoach Reservoir at 2:55 a.m. for a reported suicide attempt with multiple victims.

#The deputies were met by Kirlan, who told them his son was dead inside the home and that his wife, Lesyshen, was upstairs with a gun. Deputies entered the home and found Asher’s body, and then discovered Lesyshen.

#“A preliminary interview of Michael Kirlan suggests that his wife, Lisa Lesyshen, shot their son Asher and then shot herself,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

#Birch refused to discuss possible motives for the shooting.

Minneapolis elementary student brings gun to school in backpack

A gun was discharged in a student's backpack outside of  Minneapolis elementary school. From an article:

An investigation is underway after a gun went off in the backpack of an elementary school student.

Bethune Community School is a pre-K through fifth grade school. On Tuesday just before students were dismissed for the day a gun was accidentally discharged from inside a student's backpack but no one was injured, according district spokesperson Rachel Hicks.

Neither Hicks nor Minneapolis police could say how the student got the gun or how it went off.

Hicks said the district has a strict policy when it comes to weapons in schools. She could not comment directly about the student's discipline citing data privacy laws but in a written statement Hicks wrote:

"Weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited on school property...although Federal Law requires us to recommend expulsion in all cases of a student possessing a gun at schools...the superintendent can and regularly does use discretion in recommending appropriate disciplinary action."

Police spokesperson Cyndi Barrington said the student is too young to be charged with a crime but their investigation continues.

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

15 year old Florida girl shot and injured on Memorial Day

This last Memorial Day, a 15 year old Florida girl was shot and injured by 2 teen-aged boys:

A 15-year-old girl was expected to survive after being shot in the chest in Pompano Beach and Broward Sheriff's detectives were talking to two teenage boys about the shooting, late Monday.

The victim was identified as Jalisica Williams by cousin Tessia Johnson, 18, also of Pompano Beach.

"I heard that she got shot by some boy and she ran all the way down to my auntie's house," Johnson said.

According to sheriff's spokeswoman Dani Moschella: The victim was walking near 1600 NW 11th Circle with relative Shantoria Williams, 14, and two 15-year-old boys they knew. At 5:49 p.m., one of the boys pulled out a gun and shot Jalisica Williams. The two girls then walked west along Northwest 12th Drive to a relative's home about two blocks away.

"She's very, very lucky at this point," Moschella said. "She was shot and it appears that she is going to be OK."

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

16 year old Ohio boy shot at holiday week-end carnival

A 16 year old Ohio boy was shot at a carnival held during last week-end's holiday. From an article:

The first weekend of the summer tourist season was marred by deadly violence. Shots rang out near the Hampton Carnival on Coliseum Drive Saturday night. One teenager died and four other teens were injured after police said someone started shooting into a crowd.

16-year-old Ralphael Davis Jr. died at the hospital. WAVY.com spoke to Davis' family about the tragic shooting. Davis' aunt, Dawn Moses, said her nephew was leaving the carnival near the Hampton Coliseum when the shooting happened.

Hampton Police received several calls in reference to a shooting on Coliseum Drive around 11 p.m. Saturday. Investigators said there was an argument between two groups of people when someone pulled out a gun and started shooting.

A 14-year-old boy from Hampton was shot in the back and is now listed in critical condition. A 17-year-old boy from Newport News was shot in the leg and has since been released from the hospital. An 18-year-old male from Hampton was also shot in the leg and went home to recover. A 16-year-old Newport News girl was shot in the ankle and also went home.

Police said the shooting happened a few blocks from the Hampton Carnival in the 1900 block of Coliseum Drive. Davis' family members told WAVY.com they did not understand why the shootings happened at a place their kids were supposed to feel safe.

"This is kind of hard for us to come to grips with because he was young, and his life was cut short for senseless violence," said Davis' aunt, Dawn Moses. "I just feel sorry for the parents of that young man as well because when he is caught his life will be cut short as well. And the other children that were injured.... it was just senseless."

Davis' family said what haunts them now was not knowing what led to his death. The loss was compounded for Davis' family because they must prepare to bury him on the same weekend they buried his great grandmother three years ago. They said they were coping by remembering Davis' love of life and sports.

"He was just bright and cheerful," Davis said. "He loved basketball; he used to dance all the time when he was kid. He gave you no problems."

Even before the carnival was set up, 10 On Your Side found threatening posts on the WAVY Facebook page. The posts warned of someone threatening violence at the Hampton Carnival.

10 On Your Side told Hampton Police about the threats. Sgt. Jason Price said they found the person who made the threats, and that individual was not involved in Saturday's shooting. Price said the person was not arrested because the posts were not classified as actual threats.

14 year old Texas boy shot accidentally

On Saturday a 14 year old Texas teen was accidentally shot:

Police in Texarkana, AR say a 14-year-old was shot and killed on Saturday afternoon.

Police responded to a home in the 300 block of Park Place Street about 3 p.m. At the home, police found the male teenager with what is right being called an accidental gunshot wound.

The coroner pronounced the teen dead at the scene. His body has gone to Little Rock for an autopsy.

Police are not releasing any more information at the moment as they continue to investigate how the shooting happened.

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

16 year old Pennsylvania girl shot after confronting robbers

A 16 year old Pennsylvania girl was shot by another teen after apparently confronting robbers in her apartment complex:

A teenager has been charged with the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl in Rankin Friday evening.

Delasia Dutrieuille was shot in the Hawkins Village county housing development and pronounced dead at the scene at 7:50 p.m., according to the Allegheny County medical examiner's office. Allegheny County police said Saturday morning that Londell Jones, 16, of Rankin had been arrested and charged with homicide.

Investigators believe Delasia had been robbed by two men shortly before the shooting, and that she had confronted one of the robbers in the housing complex, according to Lt. Andrew Schurman of the county homicide unit.

Delasia was killed outside of a Hawkins Village playground. Some residents said the gunshots were drowned out by loud music playing at Friday night parties.

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

17 year old Michigan teen killed in pre-prom party shooting

Some teens in Michigan got into a shooting match at a pre-prom party and a 17 year old is dead. Others were injured in the shooting:

Police investigating the Thursday quadruple shooting during a pre-prom party are seeking the public's help by asking for any photos or videos taken during the incident.

Saginaw police and Michigan State Police detectives are continuing to investigate the homicide of Tonquinisha “NeNe” McKinley and the shooting of three others, and they believe the public can lend a hand.

“We are looking for people with photos and videos to contact us,” said Saginaw Police Detective Matthew Gerow.

The detective said anybody with photos or videos can email them to him at mgerow@saginaw-mi.com or call him at 989-759-1251.

McKinley, 17, was killed when gunfire erupted about 6 p.m. at the unofficial Saginaw High School pre-prom gathering at the Florence Event Hall, 100 Florence near Salt, police said.

Uniqua Wicker, 18, Raven Howard, 19, and Pamela Jordan, 39, also were shot in the incident. The three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

15 year old boy shot and badly injured in Virginia shooting

A 15 year old Virginia boy is in serious condition after a shooting last week:

A Richmond teen was shot multiple times at his apartment Thursday night.

He's in critical but stable condition at Chippenham Hospital. Police say a van pulled up Thursday night, and a 15-year-old stumbled out, with blood everywhere.

They say his family drove him there, because they live two miles up the Chippenham Parkway.

The shooting happened on Drumheller Drive, close to where Forest Hill Avenue meets the Chippenham Parkway. Police were on the scene around 9 p.m., and they say there are no suspects and no motive ready to be released

Texas 11 year old shot accidentally

A Texas child was accidentally shot last week:

Greenville police say a child was accidentally shot and killed inside a home Friday morning.

According to police, they received a 911 call at about 10:45 a.m. that someone had been shot inside a residence.

The first officer arrived at the scene only a minute later and located the injured 12-year-old child, identified as Keshawn Carter Davis. The child was transported to Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville where he was later pronounced dead.

Police said the child was shot once and that the shooting appears to be accidental, but that how the children came into possession of the gun and what led to the shooting are under investigation.

"By all accounts, there were no adults present when the shooting occurred. Five children, ages 4, 9 and three 12-year olds, were the only people in the home at the time of the shooting," said Daniel Busken, Greenville Chief of Police.

None of the other four children were injured.

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

11 year old Florida boy injured with gun brought to school

An 11 year old brought a gun to school last week and it fired, leaving him injured. From an article:

A boy was shot in the leg at a South Florida middle school. 

A Miami-Dade Schools Police Department spokesman says the shooting occurred Friday afternoon at Redland Middle School in Homestead. Initial reports indicate that an 11-year-old boy brought a gun to school in his backpack, and the gun accidentally discharged inside the bag. 

The wounded boy was airlifted to Miami Children's Hospital in stable condition. 

Police were questioning the boy accused of bringing the gun to school, but no charges were immediately filed. Neither boy was named by police.

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

16 month old Maryland baby shot in attack on father's car

A baby was shot and killed while in his car seat in the back seat on Friday when gunmen opened fire on his father's car. From an article:

Three men wearing latex gloves, two in hooded sweat shirts, fired at least 16 shots as Rashaw Scott sat in the driver's seat of a parked red Chevrolet — his 16-month-old son, Carter, was in the back passenger seat — in what police say was a targeted shooting that left the child dead.

Scott, 22, of Harlem Park, described the scene inside the Cherrydale Apartments complex in South Baltimore to police before he was admitted to surgery, according to an arrest warrant obtained Sunday. Scott, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds in the shooting Friday, was listed in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center on Sunday.

Carter was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his leg. The child was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour after the shooting.

Police confirm arrest of suspect in fatal shooting of 1-year-old

City leaders and neighbors expressed outrage at the shooting, with a spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake calling it "senseless and cowardly."

Police arrested a suspect, 20-year-old Eddie Tarver, of the 200 block of Cherry Hill Road. He was charged with first- and second-degree murder and related charges. A preliminary hearing in Baltimore District Court is scheduled for June 21. No attorney for Tarver is listed in online court records.

A former teammate and coaches who know Tarver saw his booking photo and confirmed Tarver had been a standout shooting guard on the St. Frances Academy basketball team.

A search for the other suspects continued over the holiday weekend.

 

Arkansas children witness shooting of their grandmother

Again, two small children witnessed the shooting of their grandmother:

Police say a grandmother was shot and killed in front of her grandchildren in a random act of violence. 

"As I'm coming up to the corner all I could hear was people screaming saying 'Oh God no'," Lakeview Apartments resident Joseph Byrd said. 

According to Byrd, he saw a tragic scene unfold Monday night at the apartment complex at 509 W. Barraque in Pine Bluff. According to Pine Bluff Police, Carol Baker, 54, was shot and killed as she was picking up her grandchildren. Police said the shooting happened at 11:30 p.m.

"From what we are hearing it was wrong place wrong time. I hate that it happened like that in front of the children. That shouldn't happen to anybody really," Byrd said on Tuesday. 

Investigators said a group of men entered the apartment complex Monday night in search of  someone else. When they came up empty-handed, police said, the group opened fire. At least one bullet struck Baker in the chest. She was pronounced dead on scene. No one else was injured in the incident.

"An innocent woman got killed. She's someone's mother, grandmother, sister. It's wrong," Byrd said.

Two Delaware children witnesses to shooting

Children often witness shootings and are affected by what they experience. In this Delaware shooting, two children were close to the victim when she was shot:

A pediatrician with the Nemours Alfred I. du Pont Hospital for Children in Wilmington has been arrested and charged with attempted homicide in the shooting of her former companion during a custody exchange Monday.

Lauren Patricia Daly, 41, of Middletown Township, Delaware County, allegedly fired three shots through the windshield of a car, hitting her former companion, a 49-year-old woman from Wynnewood. An 11-year-old boy was sitting in the front seat at the time, and a 9-year-old girl was outside the car, according to police.

The unidentified wounded woman drove herself to Riddle Memorial Hospital. She was later transferred to Crozer Chester Medical Center for further treatment of "potentially life-threatening" injuries to her face and torso, according to police.

The boy told police the victim had driven to Daly's home to drop off his sister. When Daly asked to speak with the boy, her former companion said she needed to call first. The two argued, and Daly pulled a 9mm pistol and fired, the account continued. The boy told police he ducked to avoid being shot, court records say.

Daly complied with police requests to come out of her house and was detained. The loaded gun was found by the side of the road, according to police.

The hospital lists Daly's specialty as pediatric emergency medicine.

Two Arizona toddlers injured by glass in drive-by shooting

A shooting at a car in Arizona left a man dead but his two small children only injured:

A man is dead and two small children are in the hospital after a drive-by shooting in south Phoenix.

It happened shortly after 12:30 Tuesday afternoon. That’s when police say bullets started flying between two vehicles southbound on 20th Place. The crime scene stretched over the course of a quarter mile with shell casings found between Broadway and Roeser.

“One of those vehicles lost control; it is a white Ford Crown Victoria you see in the front yard of a house,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Trent Crump.  “When the driver lost control, because he was shot, he crashed into the block wall, mailboxes, and took out a pillar for the front patio.”

That driver was pronounced dead by firefighters on the scene. Inside that vehicle, in the backseat, officers found two little girls, one just 5 months old, the other two years old. It's unclear how the driver was related to the babies. Neither child was shot.

“They were taken out by witnesses and officers, and transported to the hospital for minor treatments for glass fragments and injuries. But they'll be fine,” said Crump. “We are told the second vehicle involved was also a white Ford Crown Victoria but we don't know if it was occupied by one or two males.”

Texas teen injured after argument

A Texas teen got into an argument with another teen and was shot and injured during the argument:

A teenager has been hospitalized after a shooting in Arlington that may have began with a fight over a girl, police say.

According to police, a teenage boy was visiting a relative at a south Arlington apartment complex when he got into an argument with another person who pulled out a gun and shot him.

The teen and the gunman knew each other and had a history of encounters, police said.

A friend attempted to take the victim to a hospital, but his car ran out of gas along the way.  An Arlington ambulance arrived and transported the victim to an area hospital where he is receiving treatment.

The teen is expected to survive and is being interviewed by police.

There is no mention of the ages of the teen and the "gunman".

Texas teen shot while driving

This sad case is about a Texas teen who was shot and killed while driving his car only days before he was set to graduate from high school. From an article:

A teenager driving a van was shot and killed Tuesday outside an apartment complex in northwest Houston.

Police said the boy ended up running into a sign outside the apartment complex located near the intersection of Cedar Post Lane and Westview.

The teen's mother was in the passenger seat when the shooting happened.  They had just dropped off his girlfriend.

His mother said one guy walked up and began talking with him and then another individual came up and started shooting.

Police said the teenager managed to put the car in reverse and ended up doing a donut before it stopped next to a tree.

He died on the spot.

Homicide detectives said the shooting is gang related.

The teenager’s mother said he was in a bad crowd and that she knew something bad was going to happen.

“We heard the gun go off, and then the police rushing over here,” said Paula Canavero.  The world has gone mad. I don’t understand why there is so much violence going on, and they just need to stop.”

Classmates said the teenager was a senior at Spring Woods High School and was set to graduate on Saturday.

One Virginia teen dead and one injured in related shootings

In Virginia, one teen is dead and one injured in a shooting yesterday:

A 13-year-old boy is dead and a 17-year-old boy is in serious condition following shootings outside a convenience store in Newport News.

Newport News police said early Tuesday morning that both shootings occurred shortly before 11 p.m. Monday. Investigators believe the shootings are related.

Police say Lutrell Kittle was shot once in the upper body while standing in front of the store. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Several minutes later, the 17-year-old was shot multiple times in his upper and lower body. He also was standing in front of the store. He was taken to a local hospital. His name hasn't been released.

The investigation is continuing.

15 year old Oklahoma girl dead after accidental gun discharge

photo from: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/teenage-girl-dies-after-accidental-shooting-video/

This gun may have had a "manufacturing defect" when it discharged while on a kitchen counter, fatally injuring a 15 year old girl on May 26th. From an article:

A 15-year-old LeFlore County girl died from injuries she sustained in an accidental shooting in her home Sunday, according to Chief Deputy Kendall Morgan.

LeFlore County Sheriff Rob Seale said Saylor Slone Martine and her 12-year-old sister were handling a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun when one of the girls placed the gun on a counter. When the 15-year-old reached down to get her cell phone, Seale said the gun discharged.

Seale said the girl sustained life-threatening injuries and was immediately flown to a hospital in Tulsa where she later died.

The incident occurred in their home in the Tucker Community, according to Seale.

Seale said the girl’s mother was outside when the accident happened. He said an investigation is ongoing but it appears to be an accidental shooting.

“It looks pretty clear-cut accidental,” Seale said.

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

15 year old Florida girl shot in the chest while walking with friends

A Florida teen-ager survived after being shot in the chest while walking with friends. From an article:

 A 15-year-old girl was expected to survive after being shot in the chest in Pompano Beach and Broward Sheriff's detectives were talking to two teenage boys about the shooting, late Monday.

The victim was identified as Jalisica Williams by cousin Tessia Johnson, 18, also of Pompano Beach.

"I heard that she got shot by some boy and she ran all the way down to my auntie's house," Johnson said.

According to sheriff's spokeswoman Dani Moschella: The victim was walking near 1600 NW 11th Circle with relative Shantoria Williams, 14, and two 15-year-old boys they knew. At 5:49 p.m., one of the boys pulled out a gun and shot Jalisica Williams. The two girls then walked west along Northwest 12th Drive to a relative's home about two blocks away.

"She's very, very lucky at this point," Moschella said. "She was shot and it appears that she is going to be OK."

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue treated the girl at the scene and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue took her to Broward Health Medical Center by helicopter. Her injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, officials said.

Johnson said this is not the first time she's heard of shootings in the neighborhood.

"A bullet has nobody's name on it, so it scares me to walk around," Johnson said. "That's why I don't go nowhere, I'm scared this is going to happen to me one day."

Charges are pending, Moschella said. ___

At this point, the age of the shooter has not been released. But as always, we end by saying a gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

10 year old Virginia girl shot and killed by 14 year old

A ten year old Virginia girl was killed by a 14 year old with a loaded gun and the incident is under investigation. From the article:

A 10-year-old girl is dead and police say it was another child who pulled the trigger.

There are still many unanswered questions, including the identity of the young girl.  It is still an ongoing investigation. Police have not released many details because they are still trying to figure out whether it was an accident or something else.

Albemarle police responded to the 1400 block of McAllister Street in Crozet about 10 a.m. Tuesday for reports of a gunshot wound.  It was later confirmed a 10-year-old girl was killed and a 14-year-old boy pulled the trigger.

"It's incredibly tragic. Anytime you respond to a scene like this it's difficult but to have a child involved and to have a child a victim here it's very difficult," said Carter Johnson, spokesperson for the Albemarle County Police Department.

The shooting happened at a home near the Open Door Ministry Center. The family of the victim is affiliated with the well-known church which runs the ministry center.  Neighbors have identified the family as the Hollifields and say they are rallying around them and offering support, but there are still many unanswered questions. 

Police have not said where the gun came from - whether it was found in the home or brought in from the outside and how it got into the hands of the teenager. Police have also not released the identity of the victim. They say they are still trying to figure out whether this was accidental.

"Right now we're just going through that process to make sure that we do our part to really look into this and make sure we do everything we can to investigate the crime properly," Johnson said.

The medical examiner's office in Richmond was able to confirm it received the body of a 10-year-old girl Tuesday, but was not able to confirm a name.

The ordeal is a tragedy no neighborhood is prepared to deal with. "It's hard to process. It's hard for everyone who's involved and certainly it's not something we see in our community very often so that's a good thing that we don't see crimes like this but when we do it's difficult," Johnson said.

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

2 year old North Carolina boy shoots self in the mouth with father's gun

It's happened again. A two year old boy found a gun in his North Carolina home and shot himself in the mouth. He is still alive but with injuries:

The shooting happened around lunchtime at 711 Spring Valley Road just outside Asheboro city limits.

The boy suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries, and his condition is improving at Brenner Children's Hospital, Randolph County deputies said.

The boy broke a mandible bone in his jaw. Capt. Derrick Hill said it was a miracle the shot missed vital blood vessels and the spinal column.

The boy was alone in his parents' bedroom when picked up an improperly locked .45-caliber pistol, deputies said. The boy put the gun in his mouth while playing with it and pulled the trigger.

The boy's parents and siblings were home at the time of the shooting, and his father rushed him to Randolph Hospital, deputies said.

Deputies identified the boy's parents as Jose Palencia and Agelica Rameriez, both of Asheboro.

Charges are pending in the case, and the investigation was still ongoing as of Monday afternoon, Hill said.

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

16-year old Chicago gangster on school property shoots at rival and unintentionally hits fellow student

A 16-year old boy was on school property, where he had been thrown out earlier in the day for making threates, when he spotted a rival gang member.  He then pulled out a loaded .22 handgun and fired, but missed the rival and instead head a female student in the wrist.

From an article:

Johnathon Calvillo, who prosecutors said was a gangmember, was told to leave North Grand High School earlier Wednesday after he threatened to fight another student, prosecutors said in court today in his bond hearing. He was ordered held on $1 million bail. 

But rather than staying away from the school where he is a sophomore, Calvillo returned to school at 3:00 p.m. to pick up his girlfriend, prosecutors said. 

At that point, Calvillo spotted a rival gangmember across the street from the school and pulled out a 22-caliber handgun and fired, prosecutors said. 

He was shooting from the 1700 block of North Kedvale to the 4100 block of West Wabansia Avenues, according to police and prosecutors. North Grand High School is at 4338 W. Wabansia Ave. 

But rather than hit the rival gang member, prosecutors say, Calvillo struck a 19-year-old female student who was walking to the Pulaski bus stop, prosecutors and police said. The woman was wearing headphones when she heard the gunshot and felt the pain in her arm. 

She was shot in the left wrist, police and prosecutors said. 

Prosecutors said police happened to be in the area and witnessed the shooting. Calvillo tried to flee but police were able to arrest him within minutes of the shooting, prosecutors said. A 22-caliber gun was found near where Calvillo was detained, prosecutors said. 

After being arrested, Calvillo admitted to being a gangmember and said one of his friends was killed earlier that day by a member of the same rival gang as the suspected target. 

Calvillo told police that he tried to shoot the rival gang member whom he identified as "Speedy" in retaliation. 

The woman was taken to Norweigian American Hospital where she was treated and released for a gunshot wound to her wrist.

The article didn't say where the boy got his gun and ammo.

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

2-year old Texas boy shoots and kills self with father's gun

A man and his 2-year old son were in the father's bedroom, in Corsicana, Texas, when his son found a loaded, unsecured handgun.  The boy discharged the gun, hitting himself in the head, and died soon after.

The father was in a walk-in closet only feet away.

From an article:

Kinsler Allen Davis was taken to Navarro Regional Hospital and then flown by helicopter to Children's Medical Center in Dallas, where doctors pronounced him dead just after 11 p.m. The boy was less than a month away from his third birthday.  

A preliminary investigation shows the boy found the handgun inside a bedroom and fired it. The bullet hit him in the head, Chief Bratton said. The boy's father was in a walk-in closet in the bedroom where the boy was, feet away from where the accident occured. Initially, the chief reported the father to be in another room but he later said that was incorrect. .... 

Bratton urged gun owners to take extra precautions to prevent accidents like this in the future.
"Even if you have a lot of experience with firearms you still need to take additional precautions to ensure this doesn't happen," he said. 

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

16-year old Houston boy unintentionally shot dead by another boy in a car

Gregory "Tiger" Michael Reese, age 16

A 16-year old boy, Gregory Michael Reese, Jr., nicknamed "Tiger", was riding with three or four other boys
in a car in Houston, Texas, when a boy in the
back seat pulled out a loaded handgun.  He unintentionally fired the gun, hitting Reese in the chest as he sat in the front seat.

The boys drove to a hospital, but the victim died.

From an article and news video:

It happened Tuesday at around 6:30pm. As many as five teens were in a silver sedan at the time the gun was discharged. 

Authorities say after the shot was fired, the group drove the injured teen, who's been identified as 16-year-old Gregory Reese, to Texas Children's Hospital in Katy, but it was too late. 

Detectives say so far, it appears that the gun accidentally fired as it was in the hands of one of the teens sitting in the back seat. Reese was in the front seat. 

When investigators arrived at the hospital, they separated the teens and called their parents to come get them. 

At this point, it's not clear if any charges will be filed. 

The teen shooter in custody

From another article, quoting the "Tiger's" parents:

Reese’s family says he was a good kid and a class clown who loved clothes, shoes and basketball, but hated trouble. 

“He had a job and was going to school. He loved to have fun. He was my best friend. We miss him,” his grieving father said.  .... 

Authorities say it appears to be an accident. But they are not saying who had the gun. Why was it out? No one is even saying what kind of gun it was. 

“We are getting different conflicting stories,” his dad said. 

“It just makes us more angry. Really, no means for him to die,” said Trevion Sears, Reese’s friend. 

“If he was just a person that was just out here, that would be one thing. I don’t want this to go down as just another black male who is dead,” his mom said. 

A memorial service is scheduled to be held 7 p.m. Wednesday at the neighborhood elementary school where "Tiger" loved to play basketball.

The articles don't say how the shooter got his hands on the gun and ammo.

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

17-year old Philly boy shot and killed by stray bullet

Bernard "BJ" Jamal Scott, age 17

17-year old Bernard Jamal Scott went to watch a fight at a playground next to his high school, in Philadelphia, along with a large group of 50 other kids.

That's when two men pulled out pistols and fired into the crowd.

Bernard was hit in the stomach by a .22 round, and later died in the hospital.

Another 17-year old boy was hit twice in the buttocks, and an 18-year old boy was grazed.

The gunmen escaped, but a 20-year old man was later arrested as the shooter.

From an article and news video with Bernard's mother:

Bernard Jamal Scott, known to his classmates as BJ, wasn’t involved in the Thursday afternoon altercation at Tustin Playground in the city’s Overbrook neighborhood. The 17-year-old was one of many bystanders from nearby Overbrook High School who flocked to the playground to watch the fight. 

“Everybody was following to watch a fight,” a school staff member told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “They tweet each other, they get on Instagram– fight, fight, fight.” 

Around 50 spectators had gathered at the playground when the fight took a deadly turn. When one of the fighters began to lose, two gunmen suddenly pulled pistols. Shots were fired into the crowd; three people were hit, including one of the suspected gunmen. Scott was struck in the stomach. 

Local business owner Antoine Gardiner was sitting in his truck at a red light at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and North 59th Street when he heard three gunshots fired in rapid succession. He then noticed Scott “hunched over all by himself.” Gardiner put the seriously injured boy in the back of his truck and rushed toward the nearest hospital. 

“Hold on, young buck, hold on, young fellow,” Gardiner told the teen. “Just hold on, you’re going to be OK, just hold on, keep breathing.” 

Gardiner told the Inquirer that Scott couldn’t respond. He was groaning loudly, breathing heavily and choking on blood as they arrived at Lankenau Medical Center, a little more than a mile from the site of the shooting. Scott died five hours later. ... 

Scott was described as a popular sophomore. He was enrolled in Overbrook’s JROTC program and wanted to be a video game designer when he grew up. Friends said he was quick to lend a helping hand with school work. He was involved in his first serious romantic relationship.

.

11-year old Florida boy unintentionally shot by 4 year old boy

A number of children were in a Lake City, Florida home when a 2-year old and a 4-year old got hold of a loaded, unsecured gun.  An 11-year old boy, Jarvan Jackson, tried to get the gun away from them, but the 4-year old discharged the gun, hitting Jarvan in the neck and killing him.

A man, unrelated to the victim and shooter, but related to some of the other kids in the home, was present at the time.

From an article and news video:

According to neighbors interviewed by Action News, there were six children and at least one adult in the apartment at the time of the shooting on Sunday. 

The victim's grandmother told First Coast News that the four-year-old and a two-year-old were playing with the gun and Jackson was trying to get it away from them when he was accidentally shot in the neck. 

"The children were covered in blood," the 911 caller told Action News. "I went inside the house because I heard all the kids screaming and the little boy was laying on his back, covered up." 

DCF's John Harrell told HuffPost Miami that the four-year-old sustained an injury during the shooting but it was not life threatening. 

Lake City Police have ruled the shooting an accident and are investigating how the four-year-old got access to gun, reports the Gainesville Sun.

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

Colorado high schooler shot in leg by school staffer with gun, on school grounds

A boy was getting a ride from a school staffer, at Rangeview High School in Aurora, Colorado, in the school parking lot.  The staffer, who could legally bring the gun onto school grounds, since he has a side job as a security guard elsewhere, had a gun with him and was trying to put it into his glove box when he unintentionally fired it, hitting the student in the leg.

No charges will be filed.

From an article:

Police spokesman Ofc. Frank Fania says a staff worker at the school accidentally shot the student in the leg in the staff worker’s car. The student was getting a ride home. 

The gun accidentally fired while the shooter was putting it away in the glove box of his vehicle.
Fania says the staff worker has a second job as an armed security officer, so it’s legal for him to have the gun. He is not a teacher at the school and his job as a security guard is not associated with Aurora Public Schools. 

The worker drove the victim to Aurora Medical Center South for treatment. The victim is expected to recover. 

Police do not plan to file any charges against the shooter, since it was legal for him to have the gun. 

Fania says it will be up to the school district to decide whether he violated any school rules.

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13 month old Tennessee baby shot when father's gun discharged accidentally

There seem to be a lot of these sorts of incidents of late. A 13 month old was shot and injured when her father was taking his gun apart and it discharged:

A 13-month-old child remains hospitalized, and her father is behind bars after police said the girl was shot in the chest.

The incident happened Sunday shortly after 11 p.m. at the East Gate Apartment Complex.  Tullahoma police responded to unit H8 to find the baby shot in the chest.

Police reported the child's father, 26-year-old Kevin Sayre, was taking apart a handgun inside the apartment, when a 9mm round was discharged, striking the victim in the chest.

The child was initially transported to Harton Regional Medical Center ER, but was later flown to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville. 

The child remains in stable, but critical condition. Family members said they believe she will make a full recovery.

Tullahoma Police Chief Paul Blackwell said police see this type of incident far too often.  He said owners need to be very careful when cleaning or handling their guns.

Some good advice was delivered by the Police Chief.

4 year old Washington boy shot in head by drive-by shooter

A four year old Washington state boy was injured when a bullet from a drive-by shooting hit him in the head as he was sitting in his car. From an article:

Authorities say a bullet fragment got lodged in a 4-year-old child's head after a drive-by shooting in Othello.

The Tri-City Herald reports (http://bit.ly/10mp4SH) the bullet did not penetrate the child's skull after Friday's shooting. The fragment was removed at Othello Community Hospital and the child was released from the hospital.

Adams County Sheriff Doug Barger says the child and four family members were in a Cadillac around 7:00 p.m. when a brown car pulled up and fired multiple shots using a 9mm pistol. The family then drove about five blocks to their house while the suspects chased them.

Barger says no one in the Cadillac has gang affiliations, though the suspects may. He says police are searching for two males and a third suspect.

6-year old Texas boy gets loaded gun and shoots himself

A 6-year old boy was visiting the home of a relative in Amarillo, Texas, when he found a loaded, unlocked gun that had been hidden and shot himself in the stomach.  The boy was in critical condition, but now is stable, and luckily will live.

From an article:

As of right now, his condition is stable. The homeowner told police the gun had been hidden. And family members who were present say they did not see the shooting take place. 

Mark Carty lives in the same block where this incident happened. He says, "I'm a bit surprised we don't normally have anything unusual happen in this neighborhood. It's normally quiet. Parents seem to watch their children pretty closely in the neighborhood. We see them out in the yards and riding their bicycles." 

Police say incidents like this occur every two to three years in Amarillo, and sometimes are fatal. Corporal Jerry Neufeld says, "This is a chance for the public to take this as a lesson learned. And think okay, 'Where are my firearms in the house? How are they secured? Do I have gun locks on them? Do I have them in a safe? Are they loaded?' 

Things like that. Things that they need to look at. And even a weapon not being loaded isn't always a guarantee that a child can't slide a magazine." 

Officers say the homeowner could face a possible charge of Making a Firearm Accessible to a Child. They'll present the case to the Randall County District Attorney in about two weeks.

Always ASK about guns where you children visit.

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

13 year old New Jersey boy killed, and family held hostage by deranged man in New Jersey

38-year old Gerald "Skip" Murphy went nuts, shot a 13-year old boy to death, and then held his family hostage in his Trenton, New Jersey home, threatening to shoot them to death and saying he had explosives.  

He had also killed a woman in the house, Murphy's girlfriend, 44-year-old Carmelita Stevens.

Held hostage in the home were Stevens' three children, an 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, as well as a man who was locked in the basement.

A SWAT Team raided the home after a 37-hour long standoff and shot Murphy, who later died.

From an article:

Police officers went to the South Trenton home Friday afternoon after reports that some of the children hadn't been to school in 12 days, authorities said Sunday at a news conference. Officers entered the home through a rear door and smelled an odor consistent with that of a decomposing body, Trenton Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr. said. 

They found 38-year-old Gerald "Skip" Murphy in an upstairs bedroom, and he told them he was armed with a gun and explosives and had three children with him, Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. said. Officers retreated from the second floor and rescued a 19-year-old man from the basement, who said he hadn't seen his mother or siblings since about April 24. 

A SWAT team was called in, and an arson bomb unit also appeared on the scene. Police said Murphy could be seen from a window holding a black handgun. 

Police remained in contact with Murphy throughout the 37-hour-long standoff and passed food into the home through an upstairs window, state police Col. Rick Fuentes said. Murphy kept the captives with him inside the roughly 10-foot-by-11-foot bedroom throughout the standoff, authorities said. 

Officers stormed the home at around 3:45 a.m. Sunday after noting Murphy's "deteriorating state of mind" and deciding it was necessary to enter to help ensure the captives survived, Fuentes said. An officer shot Murphy because he was threatening one of the children, he said. 

Murphy was taken to a hospital and later died of his injuries. No law enforcement personnel were injured during the standoff or the confrontation with Murphy. 

"This was a very complex matter, considering the space (where the hostages were) and that three children were involved," Fuentes said when asked about the standoff and its resolution. "Our mission over those 37 hours was to save innocent lives." 

Authorities found the bodies of 44-year-old Carmelita Stevens and her teenage son in separate bedrooms. The woman's body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and police said she appeared to have died two weeks ago. 

Three of her children — an 18-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy — were rescued and taken to a medical center for evaluation and treatment. Murphy had abused and assaulted the captives, Bocchini said.   .... 

Murphy had a long criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy, Bocchini said. He had previously been arrested for robbery and weapons offenses and child endangerment. He also had an arrest warrant in Pennsylvania for failing to register as a sex offender.

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5 year old Texas boy shot in head by 8 year old

And yet another child with access to a gun shot himself today in Texas. From an article:

A five-year-old boy in Denton, Texas was left in critical condition after he was shot in the head by his eight-year-old friend Saturday morning. According to the Denton Record-Chronicle, the police said the two boys were alone in the bedroom when the older child found a .22 caliber rifle, pointed it at the other boy, and shot him.

Police said they are investigating the incident as an accident. The family of the victim said two adults, one teenager, and two other children were in the home with the two boys when the incident occurred at about 11:30 AM. 

After he was shot, the five-year-old boy was taken to a local medical facility. He was then flown to a hospital in Dallas where, as of Saturday evening, he remained in critical condition.

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

12-year old Pennsylvania child unintentionally shot in the face by 11-year old shooter

12-year old and 11-year children were in an apartment in Camden, Pennsylvania, under the care of a 19-year old, when the younger child got hold of a loaded, unsecured gun and unintentionally shot the older child in the nasal area of his face, luckily not killing him.

From an article:

The bullet wounded the child in the nasal area, but fortunately seems to have avoided hitting his brain. 

The 12-year-old was bleeding profusely from the face, a witness told Action News, but was conscious and standing when medical help arrived. 

The Camden County Prosecutor's Office said an 11-year-old fired the weapon, but the circumstances remain under investigation. 

"We have the 11-year-old and the 11-year-old's parents with us, they are fully cooperative. We're trying to get to the bottom of what happened," Chief Scott Thomson of the Camden County Regional Police. 

A 19-year-old relative of the victim was in the apartment with the boys when the shooting occurred. 

Police are working to figure out who owns the gun. There are laws in New Jersey that require gun owners to keep guns safe from children, by either keeping it in a safe place or keeping it locked. 

Police say, at this time, the shooting appears to be accidental.

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

2 year old Texas child shoots himself with gun while parent nearby

Another two year old has shot himself with a family gun. From the article from Coriscana, Texas:

Police say a 2-year-old boy has died after accidentally shooting himself in the head at a North Texas home while his father was nearby.

Corsicana police on Thursday identified the victim as Kinsler Davis.

Police Chief Randy Bratton says the father called 911 on Wednesday night to report the shooting. The wounded boy was transported to a Corsicana hospital and then on to a Dallas hospital where he died later Wednesday.

Bratton says the boy apparently found a handgun in a bedroom. The child's 35-year-old father was in the walk-in closet of the bedroom at the time of the shooting.

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

About access to guns and kids

We found this article by Sanjay Sanghoee that addresses the overall problem of kids and rifles after some recent shootings. From the article:

This week a two-year-old girl in Kentucky was accidentally shot and killed by her five-year-old brother with a Crickett, which is a 'kid's rifle.' When I saw the headlines, I thought it must have been some freak accident involving an airsoft gun, the kind which fires pellets that are not usually lethal, but I was wrong.

The Crickett, you see, is nothing like an airsoft gun but is a mini-rifle for children with a .22 caliber. Think of a pickup truck with all its trimmings but only half the size of a regular pickup truck and you get the idea behind a kid's rifle. It may be smaller but it is just as effective (or in this case, deadly).

I understand that there is a rich culture of guns in the United States and that weapons are often passed on proudly from parents to children as heirlooms. Also understandably, those parents want to teach their children how to use those guns safely and responsibly. American parents teach their children how to drive, how to court the opposite sex, even how to drink responsibly when they get older, and all of this training is crucial for a child's development.

But none of this training needs to start at the age of five, or six, or seven, or anywhere near there! 

In response to the shooting in Kentucky, Cumberland County Judge Executive John Phelps said, "It's a normal way of life, and it's not just rural Kentucky, it's rural America -- hunting and shooting and sport fishing. It starts at an early age."

It may be a way of life, but that doesn't mean it's sensible or right. I am glad that parents in rural America want to educate their children about guns so that they can grow up to be responsible gun owners, but would those same parents show their son or daughter how to drive and then let them loose on the road before they are in their mid-teens? Of course not, and that's because it's unsafe for children and it's unsafe for everyone else.

Then what exactly were the parents of a five-year-old doing buying him a .22 caliber rifle (even if it's a smaller version), and what exactly is the company who makes Cricketts, Keystone Sporting Arms, doing marketing rifles to children as if they were toys?

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

13 year old Florida boy shoots 6 year old sister

In the Miami area, there have been 3 recent accidental shootings of a child. In this case, a 13 year old boy shot his sister in the chest. From an article:

The pictures told a story about how a 13-year-old boy accidentally shot his 6-year-old sister while they were left alone in their Oakland Park home Saturday night.

The teen, whose small frame belies his actual age, drew sketches for investigators to help him explain how the gun he found discharged, sending a bullet into his sister’s chest.

The girl, whose name has not been released, was fighting for her life Sunday as Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and family members tried to piece together what happened.

It is the third accidental shooting of a child by another since November.

“The little boy just sat there rocking back and forth,” said a neighbor. “It’s just so devastating. They had just moved in two weeks ago.”

The shooting happened around 7 p.m. in the 5900 block of Northeast Second Terrace in Oakland Park.

The boy, whose name is being withheld by police, had been home alone with his sibling when neighbors heard the gun blast.

The girl was alert when police and paramedics arrived, said BSO spokeswoman Dani Moschella. She was listed in critical but stable condition Sunday at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.

“She seems like a fighter,” Moschella said. Details were sketchy Sunday afternoon because homicide detectives also were working a fatal shooting on Interstate 95 Sunday morning in Oakland Park.

Investigators continued to work the shooting scene Sunday. It was not known whether the teen was placed under arrest.

By law, the gun should have been locked in a safe place. Under Florida law, leaving a loaded firearm “within the reach or easy access of a minor” who uses it to inflict injury or death is considered a third-degree felony.

“The problem is children have a fascination with firearms...when they see a firearm they see it on TV and in movies and a lot of times they have toy guns, so when they find a gun they want to see what happens. People tend not to be as cautious as they should be and tragedies happen,” Jon Gutmacher, a gun-law expert, NRA-certified firearms instructor and attorney said following the March 30 shooting of a 4-year-old girl last month.

That incident happened when a 6-year-old boy shot a 4-year-old girl with a gun he had found in a car parked outside his grandparents’ home in Northwest Miami-Dade.

The girl, Rahquel Carr, died a short time later. Police said that the girl’s mother, Turquisha Peacock, 26, was about to drive the children home, and had briefly left them in the vehicle unattended. She was steps from the car when she heard the gunshot.

The case remains under investigation.

In November, 13-year-old Lourdes Guzman-DeJesus was killed by a teenager who had been playing with a gun on a school bus in South Miami-Dade. Suspect Jordyn Howe, 15, of Homestead, pulled the .40-caliber pistol from his backpack to show it to another student when the weapon went off. The gun belonged to his father. His parents told investigators the gun was kept in a closet.

Howe will be tried as an adult on felony charges of manslaughter and carrying a concealed firearm.

Lourdes’ father, Armando “Alex” Guzman-Cirino, 34, committed suicide a few days after his daughter’s death.

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

(a related report on this shooting)

8-year old Alaskan boy shoots and kills 5-year old sister with his hunting rifle

An 8-year old boy in the remote Alaskan town of Mountain Village was home alone with his 5-year old sister while their parents were away.  The boy then accessed a Ruger .22 rifle that he was used to using for hunting and shot his sister dead.

From an article:

Few details were available Tuesday, but the 8-year-old was reportedly playing with a .22-caliber Ruger rifle when the weapon discharged, fatally shooting his sister at about 2:20 p.m. Monday. It was not immediately clear if the shooting was accidental or intentional, and the girl's body was sent to the State Medical Examiner's office in Anchorage for an autopsy. The boy was familiar with the weapon and had used it the previous day to go hunting, according to Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters. 

Peters added it was too early to say if the parents of the slain girl would face any potential charges related to leaving the children unattended for the "short period" in which the shooting took place. "It all depends on the facts of the case," and what the investigation reveals, she said.

From another article, questioning the age at which children should be granted:

The shootings are raising a serious question: how young is too young to be introduced to firearms? 

At Wild West Guns in Anchorage they sell lots of firearms that are meant for children.
“Basically they’re just like regular guns,” explained Byran Swanda, a gunsmith at Wild West. 

“They are just scaled down so that smaller people can handle them and use them comfortably.” 

Swanda has no problem with children and guns, and says he got his first rifle when he was three. ... 

But the recent accidental shooting of a two-year-old girl by her five-year-old brother has some asking why a child so young should have a gun, especially a kind manufactured just for children. 

“You can’t provide a child below a certain age a weapon like that, it’s ridiculous said Anchorage resident Bernard Wheeler, who added that he believed the parents in the Kentucky case should be prosecuted. 

Steve Untiet agrees that parents need to assess their child’s maturity. His shop, Alaska Custom Firearms carries the “My First Rifle” in pink, the same kind used in the Kentucky shooting. Untiet bought the same rifle for is daughter when she was young. 

“I started my daughter at four and half, almost five,” said Untiet.”She didn’t get to carry it but she was shooting it. She learned how to operate it, she learned how to load and unload it safely. She was ready but I know kids who are twelve who aren’t ready.” 

In Alaska, children can’t legally buy guns, but their parents can buy guns for them. 

Authorities say it’s up to parents to determine when their child is ready for a firearm, then to teach them how to use it responsibly.

Children and guns don't mix.  It's obvious to anyone other than those immersed in pro-gun culture that children of this young of an age have not yet developed critical thinking and judgement sufficient for safety around lethal weapons, particularly firearms.

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

17-year old Ohio boy attempts shooting suicide in school during class

A 17-year old boy had just started 1st period in his Cincinnati, Ohio, classroom, with 21 other students in his private Catholic school, when he pulled out a gun, put it to his right temple, and pulled the trigger.

The boy is now in critical condition.  No one else was injured.

The boy was a star pupil.

From an article:

Green Township police said there were at least 21 other students in the first-period classroom Monday morning at the all-male Catholic school west of Cincinnati. Teacher Michael Holman told police he was at his desk when he heard yelling, then saw the youth struggle briefly with the handgun, put it to his right temple and fire. 

He "discharged one round into his head," the police report stated. 

The student is a junior and an honors student. He made the top honor roll on the most recent academic report and has been active in Boy Scouts. School spokesman Greg Tankersley said he has an extensive record of community service, and has been "highly involved" in school life. .... 

Green Township police were investigating how the boy obtained what they described only as a semi-automatic handgun.

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

5-year old Kentucky boy kills 2-year old sister with his .22 rifle

2-year old Carolyn Starks and her 5-year old brother

A 5-year old boy was playing with a .22 rifle that had specifically been purchased for him to use, and unintentionally shot his 2-year old sister, Carolyn Starks, killing her.

From an article:

The 2-year-old was taken to Cumberland County Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. An autopsy has been scheduled for Wednesday. 

Cumberland County Coroner Gary White identified the girl as Caroline Starks.
He said the children's mother was at home when the shooting occurred, and the gun was a gift the boy received last year. 

"It's a Crickett," he said. "It's a little rifle for a kid. ...The little boy's used to shooting the little gun." 

White said the gun was kept in a corner, and the family did not realize a shell had been left in it. 

He said the shooting will be ruled accidental. 

"Just one of those crazy accidents," White said.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/04/30/2621458/5-year-old-boy-accidentally-shoots.html#storylink=cpyhttp://www.kentucky.com/2013/04/30/2621458/5-year-old-boy-accidentally-shoots.html#storylink=cpy

No, it wasn't just a "crazy accident."  It was negligence on the part of the parents who purchased the gun specifically for the 5-year old boy to use, then left it loaded where he could access it.

A child, unrelated to this case, shooting a Cricket .22 rifle
(image from HERE)

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

ADDENDUM:  From a CNN article:

The Crickett website features three .22-caliber rifle models for kids, with shoulder stock colors ranging from pink to red, white and blue swirls. "My first rifle" is the company's slogan.

Family members Wednesday described the shooting as an accident.

"He just picked (the gun) up before he realized it," grandmother Linda Riddle told WLEX.

Riddle said her granddaughter enjoyed singing and playing outdoors, and she loved her brother.

"It's just tragic," uncle David Mann told the CNN affiliate. "It's something that you can't prepare for."

Riddle said she is devastated, but comforted knowing that her granddaughter is in a better place.

"It was God's will. It was her time to go, I guess," she told WLEX. "I just know she's in heaven right now and I know she's in good hands with the Lord."

We respectfully disagree with uncle David Mann and grandmother Linda Riddle.  It IS something you can prepare for, by storing the gun locked and unloaded, or by avoiding having guns in homes with children.  And you don't have to accept that it was "her time to go" when it was completely avoidable.

ADDENDUM (5/3/13):  A good article, questioning what age is too young to be given access to loaded guns:

[Gunsmith] Swanda has no problem with children and guns, and says he got his first rifle when he was three. 

“It’s just like anything else,” said Swanda, “they are easier to teach at a young age and it gets ingrained in their minds. They are apt to grow up to be more responsible adults and more responsible gun owners.” 

But the recent accidental shooting of a two-year-old girl by her five-year-old brother has some asking why a child so young should have a gun, especially a kind manufactured just for children.
“You can’t provide a child below a certain age a weapon like that, it’s ridiculous said Anchorage resident Bernard Wheeler, who added that he believed the parents in the Kentucky case should be prosecuted.

Children of this age have not yet acquired critical thinking skills and responsibility to handle lethal weapons.