www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=1408978

This happened about a mile as the crow flies from my home.  In this area you can routinely hear gunfire and nobody flips out - it's just folks doing what needs doing or having fun.  Out here we're outside the city limits of our little town and a good 25 miles from the People's Rebublic of Austin.  My guess is that the folks at KXAN really think that this gun-facts-ignorant, anti-gun-biased, POS story is fair and balanced, but what else should we expect from the PRA.

I'd really like to feel sympathy for the family, but frankly, I'm just really pissed off.  This thing reeks of negligence, both on the part of the parents and the 13 year old.  A child is dead and I, as a gun owner and shooter in this community, look like an ass.

Somebody please help me to understand this and suggest what I should do.

P.S. Thanks McBride's Guns for providing STUPID commentary to help the anti's.  I'll think twice before darkening your door again.

bjt

Full Text:

The parents of a 12-year old boy shot dead in Bastrop County could be held responsible for their son's death.

Investigators say it was their gun that accidentally killed the boy.

Thousands of people in Texas own guns. So how can you stop a tragedy like this one in your family?

Two brothers, one was 12, the other was 13, were playing with a gun. Investigators say the 13-year-old popped the clip, thought the gun was not loaded when he pointed it at his brother pulled the trigger, but a bullet left in the chamber killed the boy.

"I don't sell a gun that I don't tell them, 'Do you have children around? Do children have access to your home?'" Jacqui McBride with McBride's Gun Shop said.

Gun shops sell all sorts of safety devices these days. Trigger locks to prevent the weapon from going off. Lock boxes to keep it from anyone.

"You set your combination then all you've got to do is just get into it and hurry," McBride said.

There are Even cables to lock the gun and keep the chamber empty.

"If they're going to leave a gun loaded, it's important for them to have some kind of a device that they can unload it quickly if they need to, but that if a child or somebody else gets hold of it they can't," McBride said.

Everyone may not agree on guns, but experts do agree if you have a gun, education is as vital as gun locks and safety for you and your children.

"What they are? What they do? Their proper uses. If you take the mystery out, just like anything, it makes it safe," concealed handgun license instructor Steve Nance said.

Education includes training. It could mean the difference between life and death.

"I have four rules," Nance said, "One, we treat all guns like they're loaded. Two, keep it pointed safely down-range at all times. Three, keep your finger off the trigger, and four be sure of your target."

"If you're going to invest in a home protection gun, you have to invest all the way," McBride said.

News 36 is not saying guns are good or bad. That's your decision. It is important to know everything about safety.

Bastrop County sheriff's investigators ruled the 12-year old boy's shooting accidental, but legally the Bastrop County district attorney can charge the parents with negligence in their son's death.

Doesn't seem too biased to me.

Tate-

This "news" story is practically a gun lock infomercial.  This clearly shows both the gun ignorance and anti-gun bias of the reporter.  You and I know the truth, but this just adds to the bleating of the sheeple - "You're BAAAAAD because you keep loaded guns!  You should be required to use these magical, infallable 'child safety locks'".

bjt

Edited to add: And another big "thank you" to McBride's for helping to spread this mythos and line their pockets at the same time.

While I feel for the parents, they ultimately bear the responsibility for the death of their son.

My boys are now 16 years old, and ever since they were 5 have known that firearms are dangerous, and that Dad will beat them within an inch of their little lives, if I ever caught them "touching" a firearm, much less pickin one up.

They have also know that Dad will also teach them, let them handle or shoot any of his weapons, provided they "ASK", first.

To this day, whether their w/ me or my Dad at the farm, they always remember to "ASK FIRST", 'cus even though they look me in the eye now, (at 6' 2"), firearms are still dangerous and Dad and Grandpaw can/and would both still kick their butts for shooting or handling firearms without permission.

They also know, it'd be the last firearms they ever got to handle and fire.

Where children are involved, there's no room room for "being the NICE guy" or an "understanding parent", no matter what the politically correct crowd says, firearms don't give a shit whether it's your 3 year old or your drunken uncle.

And firearm safety, can never be started TOO Early.

Mike

I re-read the story.  You're right, I agree with you, bjt.

I bought several pistols, rifles, and revolvers from McBrides.  Don't ever remember being asked (by Jacqui or other) if I had children, or anything else about safety.