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Couple charged in boy?s death

farmplinkerfarmplinker Member Posts: 245 ✭✭
edited November 2008 in General Discussion
quote:
An Altoona couple has been charged in the 2007 death of an 11-year-old who was accidentally shot by a 9-year-old in the couple's home.

The younger boy fired one round from a .22-caliber, bolt-action rifle, killing his 11-year-old friend, Michael Lee of Mount Union. The younger child knew how to load and fire the rifle, said Richard C. Stoy, 42, of 201 Second St., one of the people charged.

Stoy and his fiancee, Sherri Ann McCoy, 46, are facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.

According to a police affidavit, Stoy said he provided shooting instructions to the 9-year-old and that the child was ''familiar with the operation and firing of the weapon.''

Stoy said the third-floor room where the shooting occurred contained several guns. He said it was off-limits to anyone but him, but police contend that he failed to lock the door to the room and failed to secure the weapons or keep the ammunition in a separate area.

from http://altoonamirror.com/page/conten...6.html?nav=742

Any opinions on this? While I certainly lament the shooting of a boy, and and it's a tragedy for the involved families, this seems to me to set a bad precedent for gun owners. The situation described in the article is almost exactly how I was raised: my dad had a "den" upstairs that had his desk, files and several unlocked guns and ammo. The door was never locked, and I could have gone up and loaded a gun anytime I wanted. I'm sure many of us were raised in a very similar fashion.

Is it now reckless endangerment to have any unlocked guns and/or ammo in your house? What measures do responsible gun owners have to take to not be charged with a crime? It seems to me that no laws were broken, and this couple should find a good lawyer. No, let me amend that - they should have gotten a good lawyer before they ever talked to the cops.

Comments

  • quickmajikquickmajik Member Posts: 15,576 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think he was reckless and someone died for it.
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,224 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    Loaded guns in the house when I was a kid. Loaded guns in this house too. All kids to leave guns alone unless a parent is supervising.

    One has to think though, what was a nine year old doing home alone with a friend. The story doesn't say wether the childern were home alone or just un-supervised.

    Along with the freedom of the gov't not taking over and making stupid laws and charging every Tom Dick and Harry with assinine shat like reckless endangerment, comes the responsibility of being a parent and actually raising your children.
  • DBMJR1DBMJR1 Member Posts: 1,854 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My dad never locked up the guns. I wouldn't have needed to load them either. He taught me that an unloaded gun is a club, and only a fool brings a club to a gun fight.

    Instead; He taught me to respect, properly use, and to be safe with firearms. I love my dad!

    He did keep them 'up high' when I was young.
  • SawzSawz Member Posts: 6,049
    edited November -1
    treat every gun as if it was loaded, treat every kid as if he would play with a loaded gun and kill someone. keep em locked up, doesnt mean they cant learn respect for them, but the raw reality is kids are still kids.
  • luvberettaluvberetta Member Posts: 125 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This statement bothers me -"Stoy said he provided shooting instructions to the 9-year-old and that the child was ''familiar with the operation and firing of the weapon." This could mean he showed the child once or twice how the gun works but MAYBE never took the little one out hunting so he might respect what happen's on the other end of that barrel, The boy may not have relized that someone could have gotten hurt. We do not know his upbringing, there could be alot of things leading up to this. I too was brought up in a house that firearms were accessable but I also learned at a very young age that when the trigger is pulled things on the other end die.
  • dongizmodongizmo Member Posts: 14,477 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I guess the 9 YO did not have enough "time outs".....[:(]
    Don
    The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.
  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,224 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dongizmo
    I guess the 9 YO did not have enough "time outs".....[:(]
    Don
    Yep, there in lies the problem, time outs instead of * boots.
  • remingtonoaksremingtonoaks Member Posts: 26,245 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I truly believe the father was responsible. He should have had the guns locked up..By not locking them up he gave access to them to a person that is not old enough to be responsible...That's why a person isn't considered a responsible for their actions until they are 18...And any more, there are few that are responsible Even then
  • Dakota308Dakota308 Member Posts: 4,162
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by farmplinker
    quote:
    An Altoona couple has been charged in the 2007 death of an 11-year-old who was accidentally shot by a 9-year-old in the couple's home.

    The younger boy fired one round from a .22-caliber, bolt-action rifle, killing his 11-year-old friend, Michael Lee of Mount Union. The younger child knew how to load and fire the rifle, said Richard C. Stoy, 42, of 201 Second St., one of the people charged.

    Stoy and his fiancee, Sherri Ann McCoy, 46, are facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.

    According to a police affidavit, Stoy said he provided shooting instructions to the 9-year-old and that the child was ''familiar with the operation and firing of the weapon.''

    Stoy said the third-floor room where the shooting occurred contained several guns. He said it was off-limits to anyone but him, but police contend that he failed to lock the door to the room and failed to secure the weapons or keep the ammunition in a separate area.

    from http://altoonamirror.com/page/conten...6.html?nav=742

    Any opinions on this? While I certainly lament the shooting of a boy, and and it's a tragedy for the involved families, this seems to me to set a bad precedent for gun owners. The situation described in the article is almost exactly how I was raised: my dad had a "den" upstairs that had his desk, files and several unlocked guns and ammo. The door was never locked, and I could have gone up and loaded a gun anytime I wanted. I'm sure many of us were raised in a very similar fashion.
    Is it now reckless endangerment to have any unlocked guns and/or ammo in your house? What measures do responsible gun owners have to take to not be charged with a crime? It seems to me that no laws were broken, and this couple should find a good lawyer. No, let me amend that - they should have gotten a good lawyer before they ever talked to the cops.




    yes, but i didnt. if i wanted to shoot i asked dad and he would get one form his bedroom closet.

    now there in my bedroom closet unlocked[^]

    hell i have three sitting in a corner of my living room.
  • Dakota308Dakota308 Member Posts: 4,162
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by luvberetta
    This statement bothers me -"Stoy said he provided shooting instructions to the 9-year-old and that the child was ''familiar with the operation and firing of the weapon." This could mean he showed the child once or twice how the gun works but MAYBE never took the little one out hunting so he might respect what happen's on the other end of that barrel, The boy may not have relized that someone could have gotten hurt. We do not know his upbringing, there could be alot of things leading up to this. I too was brought up in a house that firearms were accessable but I also learned at a very young age that when the trigger is pulled things on the other end die.


    quoting stinkfoot on this -damn straight-
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