Teen confronts 12 yr old w/ AR-15 over text message upset

[atxgun]

(Would have thought this would have been posted here already, I checked, so forgive me if I missed it)

Something tells me this is going to come up again in pushing for the assault weapon ban. While I think the girl's old enough to have known better I'm more inclined to blame the parents for 1) Not making sure she was raised to know better with an AR-15 laying around and 2) Not keeping the gun secured.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/2008 ... ault_rifle

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 17-year-old for threatening another girl with an assault rifle Tuesday night.

The girl is facing a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Steve Maynard.

A 12-year-old girl told officers the teenager threatened her with the weapon after the two started fighting, Maynard said. The incident occurred at 627 SW 60th Terrace at about 9 p.m.

The girl said she was walking with her younger cousin when the teenager confronted her. The pair fought over an accusation the younger girl had sent text messages and made phone calls that angered the teenager. Maynard said the girl and witnesses reported the 17-year-old then went to her home and came back outside armed with the gun.

The teenager told the younger girl she would shoot her, deputies reported.

The weapon, which belongs to a person at the teen’s home, is an AR-15 assault rifle, Maynard said.

[iratollah]

At 17 she is old enough to know better and is also old enough to understand that this was criminal behavior for which she may be punished.

State law does not say we must secure our rifles from 17 year olds. The parents are at fault for a number of things here and the teen girl must also accept responsibility for her actions. At the same time, it is a judgement call about whether or not as a parent you have to secure your guns from your kids who are of legal age.

Many of us grew up with full access to rifles and shotguns and it never occurred to us to point the weapon at anyone in anger. My 17 year old has full access to her own AR-15 and our HD shottie, does that make me an irresponsible parent?

[atxgun]

I guess to clarify, my point being if they aren't going to teach her how act responsibly and not do what she did then they'd better keep means of access away from her. At the same time though if you can't expect them to execute the pretense to this posit I don't know you you could really expect them to do the latter :(

I've tried to place my mindset back 10 years to think if I ever would have responded like that. Even though I haven't grown up around guns like many of you here yet I really can't see myself having done that even at that age. While I wasn't brought up around firearms I was brought up with sensibility and respect for life.

[AEA]

You have to keep in mind that not everyone is emotionally stable regardless of the age.

[flintknapper]

At 17 she is old enough to know better and is also old enough to understand that this was criminal behavior for which she may be punished.

Agreed!

State law does not say we must secure our rifles from 17 year olds.

Correct, and this is as it should be.

The parents are at fault for a number of things here and the teen girl must also accept responsibility for her actions.

You nailed it again!

At the same time, it is a judgement call about whether or not as a parent you have to secure your guns from your kids who are of legal age.

True! My daughter grew up around firearms and after the age of 10 could basically have access to them if she really wanted. We never worried that she would mishandle a firearm. Conversely, if her cousin was visiting...I would secure all firearms prior to her arriving at our home.

Many of us grew up with full access to rifles and shotguns and it never occurred to us to point the weapon at anyone in anger.

Broken down...this statement tells me you were raised correctly! If my daughter had even entertained the idea of misusing a firearm like that...I would have come down on her like five tons of brick! No one loves their child more than me, but we have certain lines that are NOT to be crossed...and she has always known what those were.

My 17 year old has full access to her own AR-15 and our HD shottie, does that make me an irresponsible parent?

Not in my book. Assuming she is mentally competent and has proper gun safety habits (I am sure she is/does)...then I think you guys are doing just fine!

[DoubleJ]

http://www.gainesville.com/article/2008 ... ault_rifle

Alachua County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a 17-year-old for threatening another girl with an assault rifle Tuesday night.

The girl is facing a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Steve Maynard.

A 12-year-old girl told officers the teenager threatened her with the weapon after the two started fighting, Maynard said. The incident occurred at 627 SW 60th Terrace at about 9 p.m.

The girl said she was walking with her younger cousin when the teenager confronted her. The pair fought over an accusation the younger girl had sent text messages and made phone calls that angered the teenager. Maynard said the girl and witnesses reported the 17-year-old then went to her home and came back outside armed with the gun.

The teenager told the younger girl she would shoot her, deputies reported.

The weapon, which belongs to a person at the teen’s home, is an AR-15 assault rifle, Maynard said.

*Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargaphlaff*
sorry, soon as I saw the dreaded A R phrase, I chucked....

[dukalmighty]

If I threaten you with a bb gun wouldn't that make it an assault rifle since I assaulted you with it,what about an assault stick.I've had access to firearms my entire life and never thought about shooting somebody over something they said,time to take cell phones and computers away from kids

[Mr.Scott]

Well is anyone noticing what the real issue is here? Why is a 17 and 12 year old texting/IM'ing? Especially to the point of armed confrontation?
When I was 17 I didn't hang out with 12 year olds? Though when I was 17 we didn't have the internet or cell phones either.

[TDDude]

Well is anyone noticing what the real issue is here? Why is a 17 and 12 year old texting/IM'ing? Especially to the point of armed confrontation?
When I was 17 I didn't hang out with 12 year olds? Though when I was 17 we didn't have the internet or cell phones either.

When I was 17 and a couple of us got into it, the coach simply gave each of us a pair of boxing gloves and we worked it out after practice. Of course, everyone was so tired at that point that not much could have been done but it was worked out and that was that.

Many of us grew up with full access to rifles and shotguns and it never occurred to us to point the weapon at anyone in anger

Hmmmmm. Do fantasies count?

But seriously, 17 yr old & a 12 yr old? There's gotta be more to it. Stuff like this rarely happens in a vacumme but hey, it's a tough time being a teenager and I'll be hanging out with mine as much as they let me and then some.

[agbullet2k1]

Well is anyone noticing what the real issue is here? Why is a 17 and 12 year old texting/IM'ing? Especially to the point of armed confrontation?
When I was 17 I didn't hang out with 12 year olds? Though when I was 17 we didn't have the internet or cell phones either.

When I was in high school, associations outside of the caste, er, I mean class, were frowned upon. Single grade levels were acceptable, as long as it was a brother or sister of a friend in the same grade as you, but 5 years by any means was out of the question and just asking for social suicide. I think the girl had to have preexisting social issues to be associating with someone that young instead of girls more her age.

[jpierce30]

With our "unbiased" media, you never know the whole story. Just seems to me like there is more here and the media was trying to get the "assault rifle" thing out there.

[stevie_d_64]

With our "unbiased" media, you never know the whole story. Just seems to me like there is more here and the media was trying to get the "assault rifle" thing out there.

BINGO!!!

[Mr.Scott]

With our "unbiased" media, you never know the whole story. Just seems to me like there is more here and the media was trying to get the "assault rifle" thing out there.

Well I agree, but as far as what was between these 2 girls it was most likely a boy that was playing both of them. What else are girls going to get that uptight over. The 17 year old was probably "sleeping" with a guy that was sleeping with the 12 year old and the 17 year old instead of telling authorities about it, didn't like the "slut" 12 year old because she was stealing her man, and decided to take action. It's odd, but women, especially young teenagers are very irrational in instances like that.

[DoubleJ]

What else are girls going to get that uptight over.

It's odd, but women, especially young teenagers are very irrational in instances like that.

1. Earrings. Shoes. A sale. Jesse McCartney. The Jonas Brothers....

2. Seen plenty of dudes do some crazy stuff over "a lady."

[Oldgringo]

Is it me or does the address and everything else about this incident ring of "Housing Project"?