man cleaning a handgun in York shot his 3-year-old

[cybersurf]

How can the father not be charged with anything? Owning firearms comes with great responsibility and this guy obviously should re-evaluate whether or not he should own any considering he doesn't exercise any common sense to make sure the firearm is UNLOADED!!!

1. Treat the firearm as if it is always loaded
2. Make sure the chamber is cleared
3. Never put your finger on the trigger unless you're going to fire the firearm (except when dry firing in a safe direction)
2. Never point the firearm at someone even if it is unloaded

I agree 100% , Thats what I was taught when I was 12, may moons ago and follow it ever since.

[newskate9]

So what kind of ride do you have and when can I pick it up ? Cause yes my daughter is in the room, usually right next to me when I unload and clear the Ruger pistol before stripping it down so she can reassemble it. And then whenever the training " session " is over she's still there when I load up , chamber a round and put it away.

I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with you. 6 years old isn't 3 years old and somehow a loaded gun was aimed at a 3 year old and went off. You think differently, that's your call. Too many variables with toddlers and this guy guessed wrong or didn't think or both. My view, I think training your kids young in gun stuff is right and cool and all that. Allowing any situation that might result in what happened here, deserves jail time.

Also, I'll keep my car. I really don't think you WOULD allow any situation that could result in a loaded gun being pointed at your kid under any conditions. And besides, it's got 250k miles on it. You wouldn't want it any how. Go in peace, brother.

[ddefazio]

We don't know the details of what really happened. I would not start ranting about how this guy should get charged and how he desrves to get his gun rights taken away from him. I am guessing that this guy is pretty torn up that he shot his child. I would hope that it was enough of a punishment watching your child go through the pain of being shot in the back to wake him up to handle his firearm better. If everytime there was a gun accident we star saying that the person should be arrested watch how quickly you will lose your rights for even smaller events.

[eXceLon]

I've never seen a (non-muzzle loading) gun that can be effectively cleaned while in-battery, much less with a round in the chamber.

Cleaning seems to mean "dicking around with," these days.

You're probably right, but there are also plenty of NDs when someone is legitimately preparing to clean their gun.

A common one seems to be forgetting to clear the gun and have to pull the trigger on a Glock or an XD prior to disassembly.

Another common one is to discharge the gun when attempting to clear it. If you're working the slide with your left hand, it's reflex to tighten your grip with the right hand. And if you were dumb enough to have your finger in the trigger guard, that reflexive tightening of the grip makes it highly likely you're going to pull the trigger.

[newskate9]

We don't know the details of what really happened. I would not start ranting about how this guy should get charged and how he desrves to get his gun rights taken away from him. I am guessing that this guy is pretty torn up that he shot his child. I would hope that it was enough of a punishment watching your child go through the pain of being shot in the back to wake him up to handle his firearm better. If everytime there was a gun accident we star saying that the person should be arrested watch how quickly you will lose your rights for even smaller events.

Sorry if I'm a bit worked up on this one; this just happens too often and the BS cleaning excuse to readily accepted. Bad analogies might include: I chose to drink and then I chose to drive, knowing it was unsafe. I hit a 3 year old - I'm really tore up about it so I shouldn't be punished.

Or, I was working in my garage on my new dresser, ripping boards on my big ole power table saw. One of them boards got away from me and flew across the room, hitting a 3 year old. I'm really tore up about it, so I nothing should happen to me.

YES, I know. Sometimes accidents happen and they are just that, pure and simple. These gun ones though, just seem so preventable. That's all. Sorry if I come across as a nut bag on this topic.

[MadamRaven]

i just really like the YDR's story better than the lil snippet by OP. This guy is a moron. moron. moron. did i mention i think he's a moron. Poor lil sweetie that got shot
i clean my gun around my kids. im just not a moron...



Police: Dad accidentally shoots toddler
By MIKE HOOVER

Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 02/10/2010 11:27:53 PM EST



A 3-year-old was shot accidentally in the back by his father, who was cleaning his handgun inside the family's York home Wednesday afternoon.

The bullet fired from a .45-caliber handgun passed through the boy's stomach around noon Wednesday, York City Police Sgt. Michael Koltunovich said.

The child was rushed to York Hospital, where he was having surgery for non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

Charges are not expected to be filed against the toddler's father, Reinaldo Vargas-Santana, who had a licensed handgun and a carrying permit, Koltunovich said. The shooting is considered accidental, police said.

Police had to carry the toddler from the home in the 500 block of Jessop Place nearly two blocks to a White Rose ambulance because the snow had restricted access to the narrow residential street, Koltunovich said.

The toddler was conscious and alert when police arrived.

Angela Thomas was watching television when she heard a commotion outside. She said she saw police cars tightly packed on the snow-narrowed streets.

"I think he shouldn't be cleaning a gun around a child and at the very least made sure the chamber was clean," Thomas said.

Thomas, who has children herself, said she won't have guns in her house.

"They are dangerous. There are other ways to protect yourself. This is what happens," Thomas said.

Neighbor Brandy Buckley said she felt bad for the parents, whom she described as a young couple, and the toddler, who she said was playful and lovable.

Buckley said she was upstairs when she heard a loud bang but thought it was someone trying to get through the snow.

"It's awful. I don't think you should have a gun let alone clean it with a child around. You have to be safe with them," Buckley said.

Buckley said she is praying for the boy.

"This breaks my heart. Children are so innocent. Nothing like this should happen," Buckley said

[CHEMICAL]

Thomas, who has children herself, said she won't have guns in her house.

"They are dangerous. There are other ways to protect yourself. This is what happens," Thomas said.



"It's awful. I don't think you should have a gun let alone clean it with a child around. You have to be safe with them," Buckley said.

obviously two people that expect superman to bust in and stop the bad guys if they invade their homes.

[MadamRaven]

obviously two people that expect superman to bust in and stop the bad guys if they invade their homes.

well we know where they live...and now, so do the thieves and rapists! GO YORK! full of morons...

[BufordTPisser]

well we know where they live...and now, so do the thieves and rapists! GO YORK! full of morons...

I was kind of thinking the same thing. Especially in and around that neighborhood. Of course with all of the police presence in that area, maybe when the rapist comes calling all they have to do is stick their head out of the window and the police will be there to save the day, or night.

[JCWohlschlag]

"I think he shouldn't be cleaning a gun around a child and at the very least made sure the chamber was clean," Thomas said.

Nice misprint, there, York Daily Record. Clear≠clean. If you idiots are going to continue vilifying firearms, at least fucking proof read to make sure your drivel makes sense. Thanks.

I can understand how unintentional discharges can happen with firearms like Glocks and XDs where you have to pull the trigger in order to field strip, despite making sure a round is not in the chamber being one of the most basic precautions for this procedure. (Of course, that still wouldn’t excuse pulling the trigger while the gun is aimed at your kid, assuming this incident occurred during a field strip process.) However, what I cannot understand is how all of these firearms (including ones that field strip without a trigger pull) tend to shoot innocents all by themselves when they are supposedly disassembled while “cleaning”. I personally believe the newspapers do this on purpose, choosing to chalk unintentional discharges to “cleaning” accidents instead of actually doing a detailed investigation into exactly what went wrong so that they can present the stigmatized idea that firearms are inherently dangerous to the ignorant.