Gun control discussion

[Karen]

How anyone could think that was the "responsible" thing to do is beyond me. Yes, loud music is annoying and potential damaging to one's hearing, but it is no life-threatening, and need not be met with lethal force. No doubt, if he didn't have a gun, he would have resorted to some other means of violence, and who know where that might have ended.

[Catty1]

Self-defense? He could have driven away!

[lizbud]

That guy should have his licence revoked & be required to get rid of all firearms. If this goes to trial & the man convicted of murder or manslaughter,
wouldn't he be ineligble to own a gun? He clearly shows he is not responsible enough to own or carry a gun.

The guy in this story (below) deserves much more punishment that he'll ever get around here. It just makes me sick to think how much this
animal suffered before he was put down by Officers the next day. Damn shame.

http://www.indystar.com/article/2012...t|IndyStar.com

[cassiesmom]

There have been two separate incidents of young teens being shot in Chicago over the past couple of days. One was a girl who was at a slumber party. She was shot several times and died at the hospital. They're saying it might have been gang-related and a case of mistaken identity. The girl was an honor student attending a charter school, and she had no known gang affiliations. Neither did the girl who was hosting the sleepover. The other was a boy who was shot on the street and was also thought to be gang-related. Both of these stories were in the newspapers and on the TV news. It is just sad. There is no easy answer to the problem of gangs and guns in Chicago. The situation doesn't improve because the gangs have a lot of power. Very sad and not likely to end any time soon. The mayor and chief of police have both said they want to do all they can to stop the violence but it needs to be approached from a lot of directions- education, jobs, housing, poverty, support for parents and families, and on and on. Very tough problem.

[Edwina's Secretary]

A 7-year-old boy was fatally shot by his father outside a gun shop in western Pennsylvania, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report.

Joseph Loughrey, the father, had gone in to Twig’s Reloading Den in East Lackawannock Township some time before 11 a.m. to try to sell a 9 mm Taurus handgun and a scope rifle, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Store managers weren't interested.

Loughrey, 44, and his son, Craig Loughrey, returned to the truck, where Loughrey secured his son in a booster seat on the passenger side. He then placed the long gun in the bed of the truck.

As he got into the truck, he reached to place the handgun into a glove box storage unit, police told the Tribune-Review. That's when it fired.

Authorities were called at 10:53 a.m. local time and found the boy lying next to the truck after a failed attempt at resuscitation. They stayed on scene until after 1 p.m., dispatchers said.

"All evidence at this point would suggest that this incident is accidental," the Pennsylvania State Police report stated.

According to the Tribune-Review, Loughrey didn't realize that a round remained in the gun's chamber.

“This happens all too often where people think the gun was empty,” State Police Lt. Eric Hermick.

Twig’s Reloading Den is an outdoor supply store about 70 miles from Pittsburgh.

Imy Howard, owner of Howard & Son Meat Packing store next door, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that her son heard a shot this morning. She said that Twig’s Reloading Den hosted target shooting in the back parking lot last week but not this week.

A Twig’s employee told the Post-Gazette that the incident was “just an unfortunate accident.”

[Edwina's Secretary]

In a tragic accident, Michael Bayless, a father from Indiana has died after his 3-year-old son shot him with a handgun.

33-year-old Michael Bayless was watching television when the toddler got hold of a .45 caliber weapon and fired. Bayless was pronounced dead on the scene.

“We think that this is purely a tragic accident that happened,” an officer explained.

Police are investigating how the toddler had access to the weapon.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Indeed. Nothing says "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Holidays!" if you prefer, quite like a shopping mall shooting!