7 year old Connecticut boy injured by BB gun shot by local teen

BB guns can be dangerous. We have reported on this blog about injuries and even deaths by BB gun. A Connecticut teen was shooting at some younger boys and injured a 7 year old boy with a BB gun as the boy walked by on the street. From an article:

New Haven police have arrested an 18-year-old accused of shooting a 7-year-old boy with a BB gun.

Police were sent to Fair Haven just before 5 p.m. on Sunday and a group of children said they'd been on their way from a local bodega, when they heard a pop.

The 7-year-old boy said he heard something wiz by his ear, then felt a sting, police said.

The children led police to Carl Gee Jr.  and identified him as one of the two young men they said were shooting at them, police said. (...) 

Gee was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, four counts of risk of injury to children, four counts of reckless endangerment and breach of peace and conspiracy.

Police said they are looking for his accomplice.

The victim's injury was not considered serious.

6-year old Mississippi girl killed by 13-year old brother with pellet gun

A 6-year old girl was at home in Brookhaven, Mississippi, when her 13-year old brother discharged a pellet gun.  The girl was hit and died from her wound.

From an article:

A 6-year old girl has been confirmed dead after what investigators are calling an apparent accidental shooting in her family's home in Brookhaven, Mississippi. 

She was rushed to Southwest Regional Medical Center in Mccomb where she passed around 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, shortly after her 13-year old brother untimely discharged his pellet gun inside the home.

Pellet guns are not toys and should not be accessible to children.  They are regularly used to threaten, rob, injure, and yes, kill, accidentally or intentionally, including by children.

No charges have been filed against the boy or whomever allowed him to access the gun.

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

1 year old Georgia toddler dead of wounds from BB gun

Even BB guns can be fatal. An Atlanta area father was "scaring" his one year child with a BB gun when it went off and shot the little boy in the chest. From an article:

Dickerson said Jesse Sellers, 23, was playing with a BB rifle, trying to scare his son, when he pulled the trigger.

Dickerson told CBS Atlanta News Jesse Sellers didn't realize the gun was loaded and that he said it was an accident. He said the child's grandmother performed CPR on the toddler.

Renee Holmes is the child's mother's cousin. She said Jesstin was the youngest of four children, and his mother was not doing well coping with his death. Holmes had this to say about Jesse Sellers, "They were deeply in love. He's torn. He's broken by this. Jesse is really a good father."

15-year old Pennsylvania boy dies in pellet gun shooting

Tristan "Ty" Yonkin, age 15

A 15-year old boy, Tristan "Ty" Yonkin, was visiting the home of a friend in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania,
when the boys went target-shooting with a pellet gun.

They discharged the gun, and the pellet hit Ty, killing him.

From an article:

State police said Tristin “Ty” Yonkin and a friend were target shooting with a pellet gun Tuesday afternoon in western Clinton County when somehow, Yonkin was shot in the chest and died. ... 

[Neighbor Alicia] Farrington heard there was a pellet gun involved and never thought the gun could be lethal. 

“I didn’t think someone would pass away from a hit with a pellet gun.” ... 

“It’s not uncommon anymore to see pellet guns that shoot 1200, 1500, 1600 feet per second. Which a lot of people don’t realize is significantly faster than a standard velocity . 22 long rifle,” said [gun shop owner Adam] Kordes.

From another article:

Investigators say the shooting of Ty Yonkin in Clinton County on Tuesday afternoon appears to be an accident and isn't considered suspicious. An autopsy is scheduled Wednesday in State College. 

Deputy Coroner Zach Hanna says Yonkin was at a friend's home in Porter Township when the shooting happened. It wasn't immediately clear how he was shot and the death is under investigation by Pennsylvania State Police and the coroner's office. 

He was pronounced dead at Lock Haven Hospital around 3 p.m.

According to Ty's obituary:

Ty was a sophomore at Central Mountain High School. He played high school soccer and was involved in the STN Travel Team. He was also a member of the Central Mountain Track Team and the Yearbook Club.

Pellet guns aren't toys.

New York mother helps three teens shoot out windows of cars with BB guns

In the past two weeks, there have been at least 60 windows shot and damaged by BB guns, in Hauppauge, New York.

It turns out that a 43-year old woman, Susan Becker, had purchased the BB guns, given them to her 13-year old son, 15-year old daughter, and another 15-year old boy, and drove them around town, urging them to shoot out the windows from her car.

She has since been arrested.

From an article with an audio file and news video:

Susan Becker, 43, of East Northport, was arrested after police allegedly learned she had been driving around with her 13-year-old son, her 15-year-old daughter and another 15-year-old boy, encouraging them to shoot out car windows with a BB gun she had bought for them. 

Police had been investigating more than 60 incidents of car windows being shot out in Commack, Hauppauge, and Islandia over the past two weeks. ... 

Becker was arrested late Friday afternoon, and charged with multiple counts of criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child. She was arraigned in Suffolk County First District Court on Saturday, bail was set at $30,000.

BB guns are not toys.  

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

Massachusetts school bus with kids hit by pellet gun

A school bus in Worcester, Massachusetts, loaded with children, was hit by a man shooting a pellet gun.  Luckily, no one was injured.  Motive is unknown.

From an article:

Police tell the Telegram & Gazette that a 10-year-old boy sitting next to the window that was struck said he felt something strike the side of his head, but paramedics did not find he had any injury. 

School safety liaison Robert Pezella said the elementary school bus carrying 18 students was two stops from the end of its route when it was struck. He said the students were frightened, and parents came to pick them up. 

Police said the bus driver was unaware of what happened. 

Police said a witness told officers a man pointed an object at the bus, and the window shattered. The man reportedly ran away.

.

5-year old boy shot in head, penetrating skull, by 4-year old brother with pellet gun

A man had just been out hunting with his pump-action pellet gun when he left it on a table, in Wichita, Kansas.

His four-year old son found the gun and pulled the trigger.  The pellet hit the man's other son, age 5, in the head, penetrating the boy's skull.  He is now in the hospital on a ventilator.

From an article:

A 26-year-old man has been arrested following an accidental shooting late Sunday afternoon that has a 5-year-old boy on a ventilator at a local hospital, police said. 

The boy was hit in the left side of his forehead when the man’s 4-year-old son picked up a pellet gun left on the dining table and pulled the trigger, Wichita police Lt. Doug Nolte said. The victim’s mother took him to Via Christi Hospital on East Harry, and he was later transferred to the St. Francis campus. 

The incident was reported to police at about 5 p.m. The pellet penetrated the boy’s skull, Nolte said. 

He may be taken off the ventilator later on Monday because he is showing signs of being able to breath on his own, Nolte added. 

The father of the shooter had been out hunting earlier Sunday before returning to the house in the 2300 block of East Winchester, Nolte said. That’s southeast of 63rd South and Hydraulic. 

He left the pump-action pellet gun on the dining table, where his son was able to reach it. 

“Initially, the family was hesitant to give us a clear story of what happened,” Nolte said. 

The father was arrested on suspicion of offenses that include aggravated child endangerment and obstructing arrest.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2013/03/11/2711224/man-arrested-after-child-shot.html#storylink=cpy

Pellet guns are not toys.

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

Two Oregon teens shoot police car and other motorists with pellet gun

Two teen boys, ages 14 and 15, shot at and hit a police car and three other moving vehicles with a pellet gun, in Pleasant Hill, Oregon.  Luckily, no one was hurt or any traffic accidents.

From an article:

The two youths - a 14-year-old from Pleasant Hill and a 15-year-old from Coburg - were cited and released to their parents. The Lane County Sheriff's Office said the two face multiple counts of reckless endangering and criminal mischief. 

The sheriff's office got a report of projectiles hitting cars on Cloverdale Road just after 8:20 p.m. Saturday. When the first deputy responded to the scene, his vehicle was also struck by a pellet, the sheriff's office said. 

Three motorists reported damage to their vehicles, including a rear side window of a car with two small children seated in the backseat. 

No injuries or traffic accidents were reporting in connection to the incident.

Pellet guns aren't toys.

10-year old California boy significantly injured by pellet gun

A 10-year old boy was shot with a pellet gun in Fresno, California, sustaining "significant" injury.

There was no word on the shooter.

From an article:

Fresno County sheriff’s Lt. John Reynolds says the boy was injured near Hidden Hollow Lane and Quail Mountain Lane around 4pm Friday.

Reynolds says he was treated at the scene and then airlifted to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

KFSN-TV reported that the boy suffered a significant injury, but authorities did not immediately release his name and condition.

Pellet guns aren't harmless toys.

15-year old Pennsylvania boy uses realistic pellet gun to rob man

Joel Santiago, age 15

A 15-year old boy, Joel Santiago, in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, was caught breaking into a Jeep in town.  He then pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot a man if he didn't hand over his cell phone.  After the robbery, the boy was captured.  The gun turned out to be a realistic-looking pellet gun.

From an article:

The victim of Sunday night's armed robbery in the city said he was standing on his porch at 158 N. Eighth St. at about 9:15 p.m. when he saw a young male going through his neighbor's Jeep. 

A moment later, the intruder, who police say is 15, approached Daniel McKimm and told him he had five seconds to give him his cell phone. The boy then began to count down from five. 

McKimm, 19, told police he threw his black T-Mobile phone, ran into his home and called police. 

A short time later, guns drawn, police took Joel Santiago into custody about six blocks away after they found him lying next to a parked car on Commerce Street between The News-Item and Center City Apartments. 

Santiago, of 819 E. Dewart St., Shamokin, was charged as an adult with multiple offenses, including robbery and aggravated assault. ... 

Siko said the weapon used by Santiago, which was recovered, is a compressed-air pellet gun that is a replica of a semi-automatic handgun. 

"It really looks like a handgun," Siko said. "It weighs the same as a handgun and has all the same features."

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

14-year old Wisconsin boy brings realistic BB gun to mall and almost gets shot by police

A 14-year old boy in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, thought it would be fun to bring a realistic-looking BB gun to the mall, with the tip painted black, hidden in his pants.  It fell out, alarming employees, and police responded, holding the boy and his friends at gunpoint.

From an article:

The 14-year-old and his friends brought a BB gun to the mall because they "weren't thinking." They saw rumors on Facebook that a lot of people were going to the mall, so they took two BB guns to the mall in their pants. One armed boy couldn't keep the gun from falling out of the waistline of his pants and several employees thought he had a real gun. The employees called the police, who caught the boy and friends walking out the front door. 

An officer immediately held the 14-year-old and his two friends at gunpoint and told them to get down. The boy threw his gun, the tip painted black to look like a real pistol, into the snow. He was arrested and his friends were let go.

He's lucky he's alive.

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

11-year old boy threatens 9-year old in Virginia School with BB gun

An 11-year old boy brought a realistic-looking BB gun to school with him, at the Fred Lynn Middle School in Woodbridge, Virginia.  He then used the gun to threaten a 9-year old boy.

From an article:

Prince William County police said they were called to Vaughn Elementary School in Woodbridge on Monday to investigate an altercation between an 11-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy that occurred on school grounds after school hours on Friday. Police said that during the altercation the 11-year-old, who is a sixth-grader at Fred Lynn Middle School, displayed a BB gun to the 9-year-old and pointed it toward him. 

The altercation occurred outside the school building but on school property. Police said no shots were fired and no injuries were reported. 

The 11-year-old juvenile has been charged with brandishing a weapon on school property and assault and battery.

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

14-year old Alaskan girl injured by two kids with Airsoft pellet gun

A 14-year old girl in Juneau, Alaska, was injured in the face by two boys, ages 11 and 12, using an Airsoft pellet gun.

From an article:

JPD spokesman Lt. David Campbell said the girl suffered a minor injury — swelling near her cheek. 

“That’s where she was hit,” Campbell said in a phone interview. “I don’t know if it was intentional or not.” 

The girl declined medical treatment when contacted by police, Campbell said. 

An 11- and 12-year old boy were suspected of shooting the girl with the BB gun, but the families involved did not want to press charges, Campbell said. 

“It looks like the parents of both groups are handling it,” Campbell said. 

Campbell said the kids all lived in the same neighborhood where the incident took place, the 5900 block of Churchill Way. 

The incident was reported to police at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday. More details about how the girl was injured were not immediately available. 

Police took the gun at the request of the parents, who asked that it be destroyed, Campbell said.

Realistic pellet guns aren't just harmless toys.

12-year old New York boy uses realistic pellet gun to rob woman

Four boys surrounded a 19-year old college student and demanded her purse, in Syracuse, New York.  One of the boys, age 12, threatened her with a gun.  When police caught him, with the gun and purse, they found that the gun was a realistic-looking pellet gun.

From an article:

Police say the 19-year-old victim was approached by four juveniles outside LeMoyne College Bookstore and Cam's pizza on Salt Springs Road at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. 

Police say the juveniles surrounded the woman and demanded her purse. When she refused, police say the 12-year-old suspect pulled out the pellet gun and threatened her. 

The juveniles were apprehended a short time later. Police recovered the purse and pellet gun used in the crime. 

The 12-year-old is being held in a juvenile detention center and is scheduled to appear in Family Court. The other juveniles were turned over to their parents.

Pellet guns aren't harmless toys.

Pellet gun and knives found in Stockton elementary school

A pellet gun was found in an 8th-grader's backpack, in a Stockton, California school, as well as knives in a 7th-grade classroom.

Additional security precautions are being put in place.

From an article and news video:

Cleveland Elementary School went on lock down to find a gun on campus Friday morning.

School district police said a group of young students told authorities they knew of a "big kid" who brought a gun to school. Police started searching 8th grade classes, where they found a plastic air pellet gun in a student's backpack; later, police searched 7th grade classes, where they found even more weapons.

"They went through our backpacks and they found a kid with two knives he was sitting on," 7th grade student Lucia Gomez said.

Just two weeks ago, a real gun was brought into Van Buren Elementary School by two 7th grade students. Stockton school district police said if children are going to be arming themselves, they're going to take stronger steps to keep those weapons out; starting with bringing in more metal detectors.

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

14-year old Indiana boy brought stolen gun onto school bus

A 14-year old boy with gangster ties, in Portage, Indiana, was witnessed with a handgun on a school bus. The gun had been stolen from an 18-year old boy.

Another boy, age 12, had also been witnessed on the bus with a BB gun.

From an article:

The boy, who earlier in the week had been suspended from school and arrested on a possession of marijuana charge, is facing charges of dangerous possession of a firearm, a misdemeanor, and criminal gang activity, a felony.

According to police, School Resource Officer Greg Coleman received information Monday from a student that the student saw two other students on the school bus the previous week with handguns. During his investigation, Coleman contacted one of the students, a 12-year-old, who admitted possessing a BB gun last week at school. The student led Coleman to the BB gun, which he had hidden outside of his home. He was expelled from school.

The student then told Coleman that a second student had a real handgun.

On Wednesday that student was identified and Coleman made contact with the 14-year-old boy's mother, who gave Coleman and fellow School Resource Officer Mike Candiano permission to search her home. Officers located a handgun between the mattresses of the boy's bed.

The boy was brought by his mother to police for questioning and allegedly told police he had stolen the handgun two weeks ago from an 18-year-old friend in Gary. The boy also allegedly told police he was actively involved with the Gangster Disciples and their gang activity. He was arrested and transported to the juvenile detention center.

Note that the boy who brought the real gun onto school property is charged only with a misdemeanor for that offense, but a felony for having gang association.

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

14-year old Connecticut boy brings Airsoft pellet gun to school

A 14-year old boy was caught on the school bus showing off a realistic-looking Airsoft pellet gun that he was bringing to school.

From an article:

Police said a 14-year-old boy was showing off a fake firearm. They described it as an airsoft style pistol. 

Students said he painted it black. 

"He pretended that it was a real gun and some people were a little scared, but then they found out later it was a fake gun, so the worry kinda subsided," Gardner said. 

"Like I wouldn't know if it was a real gun or not, so I would probably stay silent, but props to the kid who told his parents," Leichgman said. 

Students say police greeted the freshman at school after some quick thinking of a fellow student who texted his parents of when he saw the unloaded weapon. 

It's situation students say they're taught how to react to. 

"Throughout the year we have lock-downs, just once every couple of months, and just so we know how to handle it and what to do," Jablonski said. 

The child is charged with Possession of a Weapon on School Grounds, Carrying a facsimile firearm, and Breach of Peace.

As we have demonstrated here at Kid Shootings, pellet guns and BB guns, particularly realistic-looking Airsoft guns, have been used to intimidate, rob, injure, and even kill, including in schools.  These are not toys.

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

9-year Alaska old boy shot and killed by 9-year old friend with high-powered pellet gun

A 9-year old boy was shot and killed by his 9-year old friend, in Pilot Station, Alaska, using a high-powered .17-caliber pellet rifle.

From an article:

On Friday a Pilot Station youth was fatally shot by another youth. According to troopers at about 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 a 9-year-old boy shot another 9-year-old boy in the chest with a high powered .17 caliber pellet rifle. The air rifle had been fired by another 9-year-old boy while the two boys were having an argument. The injured boy was taken to the Pilot Station Health Clinic where CPR was performed, but the boy succumbed to the injuries. Troopers are investigating.

Pellet guns aren't toys.

17-year old Missouri boy and friends shoot ice cream truck driver with BB gun in robbery attempt

An ice cream truck driver was making his rounds in Blue Springs, Missouri, when he was approached by four teen boys.  That's when 17-year old Isiah G. Etienne pulled out a BB gun he and his friends had just bought at Walmart and demanded cash from the driver.  The driver refused, so Isiah shot him multiple times with the BB gun in the face, neck, and arm.  He has since been arrested.

From an article:

According to court records, 47-year-old ice cream truck driver Patrick Schramke reported Tuesday afternoon being robbed and shot by three to four youth who were driving in a burgundy vehicle with a bungee cord holding a bumper together. 

Police say a group of youth had gone to Walmart and purchased a BB gun, which they were shooting in a park. When they saw an ice cream truck, police say they approached it, and according to police, the defendant pointed the BB gun at Schramke. 

When the Schramke wouldn’t turn over any money, authorities say Etienne shot the driver in the head, neck and arm with the BB gun. 

Schramke was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released.

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

10-year old Michigan girl in critical condition after shot in the head with pellet gun

A 10-year old girl was camping with her family on an island in the Pere Marquette River in Michigan when a relative picked up an air gun and discharged it.  The pellet struck the girl in the head.  She is in critical condition after being airlifted to a hospital.

From an article:

A 10-year-old girl was airlifted to a Grand Rapids hospital Saturday afternoon after she was shot in the head by a high powered air pellet rifle. The girl and her family are from the Grand Rapids area, according to Sheriff Jeff Fiers. They were camping on an island in the Pere Marquette River just north of of Cable Road, about a mile east of the Custer Road bridge. The incident happened shortly before 3 p.m. 

“It appears to have been purely accidental,” Fiers said. “Another relative had picked up the air rifle off of a table and it went off.” 

The girl was transported by a commercial fisherman on the river and taken to the boat launch along Custer Road. An interpreter was called in to communicate with the girl. It is not clear how many other adults or children were with her when the incident occurred. 

Fiers said the girl was in critical condition. “We can just keep her in our prayers and hope for the best,” he said. 

Custer and Scottville fire departments along with Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources, Scottville Police Dept. and Life EMS responded to the area. 

The girl was transported to Memorial Medical Center but scheduled to be flown to Grand Rapids via AeroMed helicopter. She was not from Mason County, according to a sheriff’s office official on the scene. 

About an hour after the incident, sheriff’s officials were still investigating on the river and along the banks. They returned to the boat launch with the air gun along with several items of clothing.
Fiers said the name of the victim will not be released by the sheriff’s office until Tuesday morning.

Pellet guns aren't "toys."  They are used very often for intimidation, robbery, and can injure or kill.