Arizona shooting: Girl, nine, kills gun instructor

[coma]

A nine year old firing an Uzi. What the.........

[LawrenceChee]

This is the American culture of liking of guns that borders on dumbness

No parents should allow a child to fire weapons ???

What's the learning point ? What's the gain and the benefits ?

Let the kids play in fun fairs shooting ducks or throwing cans ...

A gun shooting is dumbness and a meaningless children activity

[Ulysses G.]

Where I grew up, almost everyone had guns and they were in use constantly for hunting and target shooting. I never heard of anyone being hurt by one in my area and I lived there for 15 years. It is not so simple if you are American and grew up with a gun culture.

[Pii Kate]

I grew up in San Francisco, lived in L.A., N.Y. and West Virginia and finally Portland, OR. In the boonies of Oregon and in WV the kids learn to shoot at an early age. The other places? I saw a BB gun once, never heard of or saw a parent interested in teaching their child to shoot. The country has gone mad. In AZ, with the crazy governor there, the fear of Mexicans coming over the border is out of control, and irrational. They are not looking for peaceful solutions to their immigration problems.

I can't imagine what this childis life will be like after killing her instructor and having parents who post it on YouTube. **sholes.

[Asiantravel]

Why would an experienced instructor not anticipate in advance that this kind of thing could happen with a young child and thereby stand in an appropriate position to cover such an eventuality?

And if I had that kind of bizarre job (teaching kids to use guns ) - which I wouldn't at any price at the very least i would want full body armour!

[balo]

Adults in th US are training kids to become killers. They should not be allowed to touch a weapon until military service.

[lovetotravel]

Lots of Americans learn to shoot and gun safety at a young age. i learned at Boy Scout camp. A nine year-old girl using a high-powered submachine gun is very unusual though, because of the kick. We used 22s as there is almost no recoil.

Most of my friends went hunting regularly at a very young age. I never did and it is not something that I would want to do, unless my family was going hungry.

I went through a whole bunch of gun and hunter safety courses when I was quite young. Maybe started around 8 or 9 and continued until I was about 15. They were fantastic and gave you a tremendous amount of respect for guns. We only used 22s. Did quite a bit of competition shooting also. My father was an avid hunter. We had some wonderful times together hunting and fishing. And being a relatively poor family, the extra food was welcomed.

[Mister T]

Retarded parents, brainless range instructor, irresponsible NRA, won't be the last time.

[PREM-R]

What is the Mantra? Oh Yes, Guns don't kill people, 9 year old girls kill people..... or something like that

[klauskunkel]

Just look at the hands and wrists of a 9 year old...there are no muscles to hold a gun straight, now imagine a Uzi on automatic...bam, bam, bam, bam, going up, up, up, left, right...now I would like to ask the parents and the gun range guys one question: Do you think this incident could have been avoided with a bit of thinking?

Answer; No, because the parents wanted the home movie and pictures at all costs.

[klauskunkel]

We need more of these kind of pastimes. How about kiddies driving Formula 1 cars? Should be good for a laugh or two.

[ryanmacl]

I keep seeing the word "should" thrown around. "Kids should not be taught how to shoot" or "nobody should have a gun". Right off the bat, who are you to decide what other people should and shouldn't do? I can't imagine the majority of parents give a crap how you think they should raise their children, I certainly don't.

Now that the rant is out of the way, it's a sad story about an easily preventable range accident. Everybody surely thought at the time they were doing things in the safest possible way, but obviously hindsight is 20/20. I can't see why any parents would want their child to fire an Uzi for any reason other than to prove how shitty of a weapon it is. 1000 baht up in smoke every time you pull the trigger, no holes anywhere you wanted them. When my daughter is a bit older, she'll be at the firing range just like that poor young girl, but she'll be holding something she can handle.

Back to ranting. Why would you try to withhold any type of knowledge from your children? Learning how to handle a weapon safely is better than finding yourself in a situation where you need one and don't know how to use it, is it not? My daughter will be taught how to use power tools safely as well. She may not ever find the need to build a barn, but I'll be damn sure she can use a circular saw without chopping off her fingers.

[nsimmons]

Only in America, some amendment giving the right to "bare arms", I am surprised the NRA did not say "guns don't kill people, people kill people" or "it should have been a bazooka", or "you can't have too much fire power" etc. They are insane. Guns accident deaths in US last year 8,000, in UK 36, and still the NRA want to teach 9yo girls to shoot machine guns!? How many 6yo shooting their 4yo brother with daddy's gun do we need until this insanity stops? Having a gun in the house, does not decrease your chances of being robbed, but increases tenfold the chances of a family member being shot.

I long for the days when in Australia, the cops yelled "stop, or I will yell stop again!", rather than now in America (especially if black)

where the cops yell "BANG,BANG BANG stop Police!"

NS

[sanuk711]

I was really quite surprised at the reported accident........ Americans in general seem so competent with Guns..............

[sunshine51]

Where I grew up, almost everyone had guns and they were in use constantly for hunting and target shooting. I never heard of anyone being hurt by one in my area and I lived there for 15 years. It is not so simple if you are American and grew up with a gun culture.

This is very true UG...non Americans just do not understand. I also grew up with "guns" all

around and there was never an accidental killing or "shooting" of anybody or any animal.

I believe it all had to to with respect for our parents way back in the early 50's. My first

"weapon" was a Daisey BB gun...shot at paper targets taped to the garage wall under

my fathers supervision. Shot some tin cans too...also under his supervision. I was taught

at 5 years old NEVER to point the business end of any weapon at anything even in "play".

All I was able to shoot at were paper targets (also made by Daisey) and the odd tin can and

always under dad's strict supervision.

My next weapon was a "real" rifle...a .22 caliber Remington single shot, awfully long barrel

it seemed at the time (8 years old) and it weighed quite a lot. The same rules that applied

to shooting my "BB Gun" also applied when shooting the 22 but...the rules were enforced

to a very strict degree.....22's can easily kill people. There was no playing around at the

firing range and the days of shooting paper targets taped to the side of the garage were

over. I had graduated to use of a deadly weapon.

My next weapon was a Winchester 30-30 lever action...Winchester make the same rifles

today as they did back in the mid 1800's. I learned all about recoil with that rifle and the

weapon safety instruction by dad was always omnipresent and very strict. Unlike the .22

my 30-30 was definitely a weapon that would easily kill. I was around 13 when I had my

Winchester. Dad & I went hunting every deer season...never saw any deer. Eventually

sold the rifle.

After that Winchester came my Remington Model 700 bolt action rifle which had a Redfield

3x9 variable scope atached to it. The Remington came in 30-06 caliber. A bit more recoil

than the 30-30, however it had much greater range and accuracy. I was 16 when my uncle

handed me that beaut of workmanship. And later it was much time spent at the range learning

how to be proficient with it. I shot my first deer at 700+ meters with that rifle; we had venison

for Christmas...and for a long time afterwards. I also learned what a deer's blood tasted like

as dad & I field dressed the beast I had to drink a tin cup of it's blood. This was a rite of

passage for me...and a valuable lesson when killing an animal for food vice simple sport.

When in the Army I became proficient with many types of weapons because that's what one

does in the Army. Forget the models & makes but it all started with the M-14 and ended

with the M-16A1 along with the latters variants plus so many other types. Even the Uzi.

Which brings me to this....I cannot believe that in the USA today parents will allow their

children; male or female makes no difference, to even try under supervision, to fire an

automatc weapon at any shooting range. It makes no difference if the weapon was a

9mm Uzi (most common), .380 Ingrahm, 5,56 M4, Browning M2 .50 Cal etc...etc. The

caliber makes zero difference...it's the fact that the weapon used is an automatic weapon.

And yes there are many shooting ranges in America these days which let users fire a

plethora of automatic weapons....hopefully under strict supervision unlike the range in

Arizona seems to have been. These type of ranges are quite common in many parts

of America...why? I haven't a clue.

In my mind there are 3 blames to give for this horrific incident...

First goes to the range owner for allowing this type of weapon, not the Uzi but automatics

in general, to be fired by CHILDREN. The owner's a dumbass & needs to have his license

revoked permanently by local LE, State LE and the Fed.

Secondly...The "Instructor" and I use that term loosely. Was his head up his ass and or

was he just plain stupid to allow the girl to have access to said weapon...we will never know.

Thirdly...the girl's parents....Couldn't they have "put their foot down" and said NO to the

childs request/desire or did they think it would be a "neat" thing to do on a sunny day to take

the kid to the range?.....Dumbasses also. And they have to live with what their daughter did

and I have a feeling that may be worse than what their daughter will endure for the rest

of her life.

If I had never owned that .22 rifle at 8 years old and my father said; let's go to the shooting

range I have a surprise for you...or something similar and then produced a .22 rifle...I'd

have to be lassoed to keep me from running around the house like me britches were full

of fire ants I'd be so excited. Even if it was to day...and not 1957.

Automatic weapons have no business in the hands of children...period.

NB...edit to clean up some spelling.

[Tchooptip]

Is there little room for Americans bashing? No!

OK so I will not

[chuckd]

This is the society that the republican party and the nra has released on our Country! (USA)

The Republican party has nothing to do with the murders in Chicago, Flint, Detroit, Los Angeles or countless other Democratic controlled cities.

You need to get a grip on reality.

[bushmill]

I feel sorry for the instructor and my deepest respect for the family .Another life is lost by the stupid , crazy American Law about weapons. How many more people have to die before they will change the law. Nobody have to have a gun in his household and kids not even allowed to touch a weapon.

[Baerboxer]

<deleted> is going on in the American mind that a 9 yr old goes near, let alone actually fires, a submachine gun?

Poor wee mite deprived of her childhood.

Kids dont need guns. Nor do sane people.

"Nor do sane people" - that would be your opinion. Ever thought of becoming Amish?

Let's ban guns, knives, bows, swords, boxing, martial arts, wrestling, keeping big dogs, and make sure all cars and motor bikes are fitted with governors to stop them going over the speed limit. Alcohol, smoking and farting in public all need strict controls as they're dangerous too. Been a few issues with planes lately, best ban flying as well.

The issue is the instructor made an error and the consequences tragic. Address the issue not use this tragic case as a reason to vent your dislike for guns based on personal bias and unproven medical suggestion.

[Baerboxer]

What is the Mantra? Oh Yes, Guns don't kill people, 9 year old girls kill people..... or something like that

Do cars kill people or is it the drivers? In Thailand seems to be rich hiso juiced up or underage boys and girls. Best ban them all from driving.

Ban Football too, then there wouldn't be any football hooligans causing injuries and even murder,

Yeah for state control.

Maybe better to look at that Range's rules, the late instructors judgment etc.

[Baerboxer]

Retarded parents, brainless range instructor, irresponsible NRA, won't be the last time.

Anyone who thinks differently to you, or doesn't have your wonderful powers of hind sight is retarded or brainless in your mind?

All accidents are normally a combination of things.

Drunken thugs often attack, seriously injure and kill people. Let's ban booze that'll solve it.

[LawrenceChee]

There is a clear difference between guns and knives or other tools

The key is to teach the kids values ...what's the purpose of guns in this values teaching ?

Americans like to pretend life is all about choices ...in reality the laws, counter balance laws of trying to be fair or not act discriminatory makes it uncontrollable

The reality is you don't read about this or schoolyard shootings or accidental discharge happening in most parts of Asia or Europe or in South America ...because parents there know that when it comes to kids ...there is not democracy or freedom of choice in some things

There is nothing about guns that are useful in society

[jacksam]

Agree with johnsy....In AU we can own guns but there are strict regulations. And no automatic weapons. Hand guns even stricter.The USA is land of the free so anyone can get just about any type of weapon. Lucky them

[vogie]

What's a NINE year old practicing shooting for ????

Americaness?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Dumb instructor. 9 year old has no business holding this sort of weapon. It was not designed for kids...nor need be utilized by kids. And he should have had control. Sad...but dumb nonetheless. This type of firing range should lose their license to do business. In any case, there should of been a physical barrier on both sides of the shooter (to limit the angle of fire). Instructor should have been behind.

He probably was, I imagine the gun lifted as she fired and she fell back, shooting him in the head.

My kids were all shooting & loading ammo from age 5, completely normal in the USA.

Do you really want you kids unprepared and helpless for the zombie apocalypse?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

There is nothing about guns that are useful in society

Killing your enemies?

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse?

Anyway, I'm just happy the kid was unharmed.

Shooting instructor wins Darwin Award.

[vogie]

Lots of Americans learn to shoot and gun safety at a young age. i learned at Boy Scout camp. A nine year-old girl using a high-powered submachine gun is very unusual though, because of the kick. We used 22s as there is almost no recoil.

Most of my friends went hunting regularly at a very young age. I never did and it is not something that I would want to do, unless my family was going hungry.

I went through a whole bunch of gun and hunter safety courses when I was quite young. Maybe started around 8 or 9 and continued until I was about 15. They were fantastic and gave you a tremendous amount of respect for guns. We only used 22s. Did quite a bit of competition shooting also. My father was an avid hunter. We had some wonderful times together hunting and fishing. And being a relatively poor family, the extra food was welcomed.

Mnnn, killing defenceless animals must be so rewarding, how brave you must be

[rijb]

There is a clear difference between guns and knives or other tools

The key is to teach the kids values ...what's the purpose of guns in this values teaching ?

Americans like to pretend life is all about choices ...in reality the laws, counter balance laws of trying to be fair or not act discriminatory makes it uncontrollable

The reality is you don't read about this or schoolyard shootings or accidental discharge happening in most parts of Asia or Europe or in South America ...because parents there know that when it comes to kids ...there is not democracy or freedom of choice in some things

There is nothing about guns that are useful in society

Whose society? All of them? Or just the one you're in the center of?

[lovetotravel]

Lots of Americans learn to shoot and gun safety at a young age. i learned at Boy Scout camp. A nine year-old girl using a high-powered submachine gun is very unusual though, because of the kick. We used 22s as there is almost no recoil.

Most of my friends went hunting regularly at a very young age. I never did and it is not something that I would want to do, unless my family was going hungry.

I went through a whole bunch of gun and hunter safety courses when I was quite young. Maybe started around 8 or 9 and continued until I was about 15. They were fantastic and gave you a tremendous amount of respect for guns. We only used 22s. Did quite a bit of competition shooting also. My father was an avid hunter. We had some wonderful times together hunting and fishing. And being a relatively poor family, the extra food was welcomed.

Mnnn, killing defenceless animals must be so rewarding, how brave you must be

You obviously don't know much about hunting or the sport if you think all animals are defenseless. Even so, many countries around the world allow this. America is only one.

P.S. I quit hunting after only a few years. It just wasn't for me. I'm now a vegetarian...like you???

[slipperylobster]

9yr old girl? learning to fire an Uzi machine gun!?

do they not have Barbie Dolls in Arizona?

Not as many Barbies as they used to. Mattel has been quite busy making small parts for some weapons we have all come to know and love. We used to refer to M16's (not the Uzi), as being manufactured by Mattel. Not true, but the analogy was there. Small parts...perhaps. Colt had more to do with it.

Here is one Mattel did make....but it was for boys. The girl's version was a bit lighter.

K

Kids..........Keeping America Safer !