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Author
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Topic: This is the last thing we needed. Tragic death
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted October 28, 2008 08:52 AM
Police Probe Boy's Gun Show DeathBy SUSAN HAIGH, AP
WESTFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 28) - With an instructor watching, an 8-year-old boy at a gun fair aimed an Uzi at a pumpkin and pulled the trigger as his dad reached for a camera.
It was his first time shooting a fully automatic machine gun, and the recoil of the weapon was too much for him. He lost control and fatally shot himself in the head.
With a gun instructor and his father looking on, 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj died when he lost control of an Uzi gun he was firing at a Massachusetts gun club. He accidentally shot himself in the head when the weapon recoiled. Police are investigating the accident
Now gun safety experts — and some gun enthusiasts at the club where the shooting happened — are wondering why such a young child was allowed to fire a weapon used in war. Local, state and federal authorities are also investigating whether everyone involved had proper licenses or if anyone committed a criminal act.
"It's easy to lose control of a weapon like that ... they are used on a battleground for a very good reason," said Jerry Belair, a spokesman for Stop Handgun Violence, based in Newton, Mass. "It's to shoot as many times as you possibly can without having to reload at an enemy that's approaching. It's not a toy. It's not something to play with."
Police said Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., was pronounced dead at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass., on Sunday afternoon, shortly after firing a 9mm micro Uzi submachine gun at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, co-sponsored by C.O.P. Firearms & Training.
"The weapon was loaded and ready to fire," Westfield police Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. "The 8-year-old victim had the Uzi and as he was firing the weapon, the front end of the weapon went up with the backfire and he ended up receiving a round in his head."
Nunez said the investigation is continuing.
8-year-old Boy Shoots, Kills Self With UziWith an instructor looking on, the 8-year-old boy at a gun fair aimed the Uzi at a pumpkin and pulled the trigger as his dad reached for a camera. He lost control, fatally shooting himself in the head. (Oct. 27)
Christopher, a third-grader, was attending the show with his father and sixth-grade brother, Colin. Christopher had fired handguns and rifles before, but Sunday was his first time firing an automatic weapon, said his father, Charles Bizilj.
Bizilj told the Boston Globe he was about 10 feet behind his son and reaching for his camera when the weapon fired. He said his family avoided the larger weapons, but he let his son try the Uzi because it's a small weapon with little recoil.
"This accident was truly a mystery to me," said Bizilj, director of emergency medicine at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford, Conn. "This is a horrible event, a horrible travesty, and I really don't know why it happened."
Police are calling the shooting an accident but are investigating whether everyone connected with the incident had proper weapons permits. Massachusetts requires licenses to own firearms, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issues different licenses to possess machine guns.
The machine gun shoot drew hundreds of people from as far away as Maine and Virginia. An advertisement said it would include machine gun demonstrations and rentals and free handgun lessons.
"It's all legal & fun — No permits or licenses required!!!!" reads the ad, posted on the club's Web site.
"You will be accompanied to the firing line with a Certified Instructor to guide you. But You Are In Control — "FULL AUTO ROCK & ROLL," the ad said.
The ad also said children under 16 would be admitted free, and both adults and children were offered free .22-caliber pistol and rifle shooting.
Massachusetts has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation. It is legal in Massachusetts for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and they are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Nunez said. The name of the instructor who was with the boy at the time was not released.
"We do not know at this time the full facts of this incident," Nunez said Monday.
Associated Press Writer Pat Eaton-Robb in Ashford, Conn., and Denise Lavoie in Boston contributed to this report
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32363 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted October 28, 2008 09:09 AM
Okay. I think these people exercised very poor judgement. You can't let any dummy, let alone an eight year old fire anything full auto without knowing what to expect; after all, it isn't a toy gun and there is recoil involved.
Personally, this lesson was made clear to me a long time ago. We were on my dad's yacht, middle of the channel between Catalina and the mainland. I let my nephew shoot a 45ACP, and he damned near dropped it overboard from recoil. The difference was, I only had a single round chambered and nothing in the magazine and I caught the gun at my shoe tops, otherwise, it would have been a gonner.
People are scared and they usually have a very loose casual grip when they have never fired a gun before. I have seen people pick up a firearm and treat it like it's a piece of fruit or a bar of soap. I have a heart attack just watching.
Anyway, the loose grip is one thing, but when you incorporate a child yanking back on a trigger and not knowing what to expect, it is going to jump out of their hand, sure as hell.
These people will probably be sued out of business and they deserve it. Totally irresponsible, in my opinion.
Good hunting. LB
[ October 28, 2008, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32363 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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rainshadow1
Knows what it's all about
Member # 899
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posted October 28, 2008 10:43 AM
Can't disagree, Leonard.
Gut wrenching tragedy. But from any angle there should have been 4 hands on that gun. At LEAST the first time. Very bad judgement.
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- - Steve
RainShadow Game Calls & Custom Knives
Cougar E-Sound Library, Hand Calls, & Call-In Story Library.
www.rain-shadow.com
Posts: 152 | From: NW Washington | Registered: Jul 2006
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted October 28, 2008 02:44 PM
What a shame... As much as I hate to say it, I'm really not surprised.
I went along with my 12-year-old to his Hunter Education classes last spring and to be honest there was a number of people in the class, parents included, who really shouldn't be using any sort of firearm. Its damn scarey thinking that some of the parents at the class will be taking kids hunting and handling firearms.
Yeah, I know the common theme, all hunters/shooters should stick together or we all will suffer, but in some cases I'm not so sure.
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Dave Allen
Hi, I'm SUPER DAVE, IN CHARGE OF Q STUFF (and Goat Leader) "I'm really not trying to be a dick".
Member # 3102
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posted October 30, 2008 07:11 PM
Lonny,again you mention several good point's.
What a terrible shame..
Posts: 1986 | From: Jordan Valley Oregon | Registered: Aug 2008
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cyotekiller
PAKMAN
Member # 3204
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posted October 31, 2008 09:55 AM
that is sad but hey i say hegot wat was commin to him he was doing then he shouldnt have gone messing with a gun especially an auto i mean comon now guns are weapons not toys they are ment for killing
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huntin ist mein leiblingst sport
Posts: 7 | From: banning | Registered: Sep 2008
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted October 31, 2008 10:50 AM
Uh............No!!!
First of all the most an eight year old should 'have comming' is a spanking; not a bullet to the head.
Secondly, a gun is not a weapon meant for killing. A gun is a mechanical device; nothing more or less. It's user dictates what it is 'meant for'.
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 8231 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted November 01, 2008 07:54 PM
My father (deceased) had a 12 foot John Boat w/oars - no motor. It was where a good man taught a braty kid to fish.
Your point??
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 8231 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted November 02, 2008 08:10 AM
This is almost funny. Different wavelengths.
First, I think I was being asked by hillbilly about a vessel belonging to my parents?
Secondly, cyotekiller. He probably didn't grasp the entire article? Koko, you remeber Robbie? He's sixteen, you met him at the campout. I will 'splain weapons, firearms, purpose, usage and concepts next time I see him.
Good hunting. LB
edit: 573 miles west/northwest of Vic
[ November 02, 2008, 08:18 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32363 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Kokopelli
SENIOR DISCOUNT & Dispenser of Sage Advice
Member # 633
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posted November 02, 2008 08:40 AM
Ah!!.......Thank you Leo for making this clearer. The direction of this thread really had me confused. This seems to be happening more all of the time since I was a teenager & knew everything. As I've said before, I either need to get out in public more......or less; I'm not sure which.
..........And do have a chat with that boy, he seemed like a decent kid.
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And lo, the Light of the Trump shown upon the Darkness and the Darkness could not comprehend it.
Posts: 8231 | From: Under a wandering star | Registered: Apr 2005
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