TexasCHLforum.com

Aug. 8, 2006, 9:39AM

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea ... 00873.html

9-year-old shoots boy, 8, with rifle
Police believe it was an accident; 5 children were in trailer home alone
By RENÉE C. LEE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

DAYTON - A 9-year-old boy shot his 8-year-old neighbor in the face Monday while playing with a rifle in his Liberty County home, officials said.

Investigators believe the shooting was an accident, said Liberty County Sheriff Don Neyland.

The victim, Shawn Hebert, was listed in critical condition Monday night at Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital, said hospital spokeswoman Alex Rodriguez.

Police received an emergency call to the 100 block of County Road 48614, southwest of Dayton, shortly after noon, Neyland said. When officers arrived at the trailer home, they found Shawn on a couch bleeding.

Three other children ranging in age 6 to 13 were in the trailer with Shawn and the 9-year-old boy at the time of the shooting. No adults were at the home, Neyland said.

The 9-year-old boy found his parents' .22-caliber rifle and began playing with it, investigators said. The gun went off, striking Shawn in the face.

He said the boy's father, who was at work when the shooting occurred, said he bought the gun to kill ''varmits" in the rural area. Neyland said he did know if the father kept the gun in a secret place away from the children.

Neighbor Carey Walker, who was not home at the time of the shooting, said the 9-year-old's family moved to the neighborhood a couple of months before Hurricane Rita and speaks little English.

Walker said he often saw the boy and his three siblings outdoors playing with Shawn and his siblings, riding four wheelers. He said the mobile home subdivision is normally quiet.

No charges have been filed against the boy or his parents. The case will be referred to the Liberty County District Attorney's office, which will decide whether to pursue charges, Neyland said.

renee.lee@chron.com

I'm definately not a gambler, but I would be happy to put $100 down on the probability that the father has never taught his son the importance of gun safety, the proper handling of the gun, nor had he ever taken his son out to shoot the gun in order to reinforce what he should have already taught him and quelched the curiosity surrounding the gun. If he had, his son would have known that the gun was not a plaything that should be pointed at someone else's head, let alone have pulled the trigger without first ensuring that round wasn't chambered.

Weekend before last when my wife and I were at the shooting range that we regularly haunt, a father and his son of about 8-9 were shooting in the lane next to us. They had a good mix of pistols and revolvers, from .22 to .357 and the son was shooting them all right along with Dad, each taking turns in the lane. This not only impressed my wife (especially to see him handle the S&W .357), but made me feel good inside as well, as I knew that we had one more child that was being instructed "the right way" and wouldn't become another "statistic" for the antis to use.

We've actually seen quite a few children at the range with their parents, but he was the youngest we've seen there so far. It's good to see them there, though, especially when their eyes light up with big smiles when they score well.

Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

Diode wrote:Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

Where do you shoot? My son & I like Carter's Country over on Treaschwig & Shooters Station on 105 west of Conroe so far. Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country, but they have an indoor pistol range, so we can shoot even when it's raining. He's 12 (looks 15 though) and gets a real charge out of shooting my SA 1911. Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

Mithras61 wrote:

Diode wrote:Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

Where do you shoot? My son & I like Carter's Country over on Treaschwig & Shooters Station on 105 west of Conroe so far. Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country, but they have an indoor pistol range, so we can shoot even when it's raining. He's 12 (looks 15 though) and gets a real charge out of shooting my SA 1911. Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

If the weather is nice we'll go to Carter's otherwise I'll run over to Humble to Sportsman, I like the indoor range there better than Conroe! Maybe we can meet at Carters one Saturday morning, he can shoot my SKS.

Diode wrote:

Mithras61 wrote:

Diode wrote:Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

Where do you shoot? My son & I like Carter's Country over on Treaschwig & Shooters Station on 105 west of Conroe so far. Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country, but they have an indoor pistol range, so we can shoot even when it's raining. He's 12 (looks 15 though) and gets a real charge out of shooting my SA 1911. Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

If the weather is nice we'll go to Carter's otherwise I'll run over to Humble to Sportsman, I like the indoor range there better than Conroe! Maybe we can meet at Carters one Saturday morning, he can shoot my SKS.

That'd be sweet! I can't this Saturday (I'm sitting through the CHL class then) but I'm sure he'd like that quite a bit.

Mithras61 wrote:

Diode wrote:

Mithras61 wrote:

Diode wrote:Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

Where do you shoot? My son & I like Carter's Country over on Treaschwig & Shooters Station on 105 west of Conroe so far. Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country, but they have an indoor pistol range, so we can shoot even when it's raining. He's 12 (looks 15 though) and gets a real charge out of shooting my SA 1911. Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

If the weather is nice we'll go to Carter's otherwise I'll run over to Humble to Sportsman, I like the indoor range there better than Conroe! Maybe we can meet at Carters one Saturday morning, he can shoot my SKS.

That'd be sweet! I can't this Saturday (I'm sitting through the CHL class then) but I'm sure he'd like that quite a bit.

We'll hook up soon, let me know how your saturdays work out,
j

Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country

Shooter's charges a flat range fee. Carter's charges per gun. If you take 2 guns or less than the above is accurate. If you want to shoot more than two then it can get rather pricey.

Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

If he wants a little more BOOM I'd be happy to tag along and bring the Mosin Nagant.

dws1117 wrote:

Shooter's Station is pricier than Careter's Country

Shooter's charges a flat range fee. Carter's charges per gun. If you take 2 guns or less than the above is accurate. If you want to shoot more than two then it can get rather pricey.

Now he wants a rifle that makes holes that big (thinks his .22 is too small)!

If he wants a little more BOOM I'd be happy to tag along and bring the Mosin Nagant.

Speaking of that, my brother brought me his over, we can shoot all of them. Wheeeee! Let's plan a date.

The gun went off, striking Shawn in the face.

Sparx quote:

If he had, his son would have known that the gun was not a plaything that should be pointed at someone else's head, let alone have pulled the trigger without first ensuring that round wasn't chambered.

According to the reporter, the kid couldn't have pulled the trigger.

As with all of these events, this is sad and should never happen. It is up to us as parents to teach our kids. Our kids are in more danger from kids whose parents don't or won't teach them.

As important as teaching the kids safe gun handling they need to be taught what to do when one of his friends picks up a gun.

Diode wrote:Which reminds me I need to grab my 17 year old Saturday and take him to the range. He asked to learn to shoot about 2 weeks ago.

What are you waiting for? Put down the mouse and take that boy shooting.

It's gotten lost in the shuffle, but I used to keep a small newspaper clipping (1 column, 3 inches) pinned above my safe.


The headline:

"Boy killed with unloaded rifle"

Just like that. Not even quote marks for irony around "unloaded".

The body of the story listed very similar circumstances to the original post, except I think the boys were 11 and 13. One boy was showing off the "forbidden fruit" .22 rifle, pulled the trigger, and shot his friend through the heart.

Someone here has a signature saying "I'm afraid of loaded guns". Me, too. The only unloaded guns are the ones in the safe. The ones that are accessible are all loaded.

And I mean actually loaded, not "treat every gun as if it's loaded". I think too many people repeat the mantra without actually believing a bullet will leave the muzzle of their "loaded" gun.

Kevin

and i get chastised because my 3 and 4 year olds have their own .22s. i take even more flak when people learn that my 3 and 4 year olds know how to use them.

Chris wrote:and i get chastised because my 3 and 4 year olds have their own .22s. i take even more flak when people learn that my 3 and 4 year olds know how to use them.

Hey, you won't catch it from me! My wife and I saw the cutest little single-shot .22 in Walmart the other week... a Cricket I think it was... just right for a young boy or girl that age. Made us both wish we had someone young enough in either of our families to shoot it.

sparx wrote: Hey, you won't catch it from me! My wife and I saw the cutest little single-shot .22 in Walmart the other week... a Cricket I think it was... just right for a young boy or girl that age. Made us both wish we had someone young enough in either of our families to shoot it.

did they look like this?