The Importance Of Shooting Range Safety – Negligence Kills

A 12 year old kid in Moscow Russia shot a family friend negligently at a shooting range:

At some point, the child apparently jokingly took aim at the people in front of him, and pulled the trigger, fatally hitting the family friend in the head and killing him instantly.  While police acknowledge the boy is also at fault for playing around with the loaded weapon, charges are expected to be laid against the instructor for not ensuring the rifle was empty at the time.

Full Story – LiveLeak

shooting-targetNOT cool.  Poor kid, I don’t blame him at all… this is 100% the stupidity of the parental supervision that caused this to happen.  Wtf… “police acknowledge the boy is at fault for playing around with the loaded weapon”?  So police think a 12 year old, or anyone at any age should automatically know that a gun is loaded, and know proper range etiquette?  That’s pretty weak they put any blame at all on the kid, unless it could be proven he had tons of experience with firearms and knew that particular one like the back of his hand.

Thoughts?

Hat tip: Arthur


Comments

18 responses to “The Importance Of Shooting Range Safety – Negligence Kills”

  1. Yes, I hold him responsible. He was most likely informed of the safety rules prior.

    1. ENDO-Mike Avatar

      I don’t know Andy… I wouldn’t walk down range while I let my 12 year old cousin and his friend take pics with my AR. As I mentioned below, seems like Darwin at work to me.

  2. Joethefatman™ (@joethefatman1) Avatar
    Joethefatman™ (@joethefatman1)

    Is Gun. Is Dangerous. Is ALWAYS LOADED.

    If he hadn’t been taught that first, then he shouldn’t have been there.

    1. ENDO-Mike Avatar

      In my reply to Jesse below I clarified what I meant. The adult was responsible for the safety of those kids, and his own safety. If he didn’t want that responsibility he shouldn’t have taken them there.

      1. Joethefatman™ (@joethefatman1) Avatar
        Joethefatman™ (@joethefatman1)

        I mo bettr unstan now.

        Clarification helped. Thanks.

  3. That last sentence makes it seem as if your stance is “if you’re not intricately familiar with a weapon system, you shouldn’t be held accountable for negligent injury or death caused by the weapon system while you’re operating it”

    1. ENDO-Mike Avatar

      I’m using age as the biggest factor here… it’s not like one 30 year old guy took his other 30 year old buddy to the range and this happened. An adult was there with some kids, showing them how to use potentially dangerous tools… he let his guard down, went downrange and look what happened. Darwin at work if you ask me.

  4. Doyletoo Avatar

    Plenty of blame to go around.

    1. Shooter McGavin Avatar
      Shooter McGavin

      Twelve year old gets a headshot with an unfamiliar weapon and isn’t culpable for his actions?

      That doesn’t sound right. Charge them all, starting with the murderer.

  5. if an individual is not held responsible for a firearm accident because of a “lack of experience”, then using that logic a new driver shouldnt be held responsible for manslaughter or another driving accident due to their lack of exprience and skill with a vehicle. it just doesnt make sense.

    1. ENDO-Mike Avatar

      I’m sure in Moscow you can’t get a drivers license without taking a driving test that is backed by the government in addition to likely a written test so that comparison doesn’t really hold water as far as assigning the same kind of blame.

  6. Why wouldn’t he make sure the weapon was cleared with mag out, before going down range.

    The last thing you want is a hot weapon, in anyones hands, when you go down range.

  7. cottewmitch Avatar
    cottewmitch

    it was a bolt gun, with the bolt closed, loaded, and kids are present. PROB shouldn’t go down range. and the kid’s mother/friend was taking pictures? that is a bad, bad day.

  8. If this were at home and the kid did it, he’d share blame but the majority of the blame would be with the gun owner for not keeping it from unauthorized persons (the kid unless trained and trusted). On the range, the kid surely would have a higher degree of responsibility. When folks are down range it’s common (hopefully) to warn any behind the firing line to not touch anything on the table and stay behind the line. That negligence falls on everyone. SOunds liek the moscow cops judged rightly hopefully because there had to have been such rules in place. If it’s a public range then there’s rules to follow.

  9. Had my 11 year old daughter and 7 year old son with me this weekend at the range. It took very little time to explain why we do not touch weapons while someone is down range. We don’t adjust sights, we don’t make adjustments, WE DON’T TOUCH THE WEAPONS WHEN SOMEONE IS DOWN RANGE. Was not their first trip to the range but a quick refresher on safety was the responsible action.

    The victim allowed events to transpire that lead to his own death.

  10. tincankilla Avatar
    tincankilla

    man oh man. this is why gun handling rules must be strict and must be followed.

  11. fuck that kid fuck the parents. he should have known better.

  12. OMG guys what if… they are both at fault?