Before I say anything else, let me point out the most important thing, which is that the boy is in stable condition, according to CNN.
Here's what the CNN story says:
12-year-old Jacob Larsen found a ".25-caliber European semi-automatic handgun" in the closet. The gun had been stored there by Jacob's parents when they moved a few years ago, and they had forgotten about it. The mother, Tracy Newman, told police that the gun was a gift from a "former employer." Jacob found the gun and accidentally shot himself in the head. He was discovered by his stepfather, who called 911.
Again, the most important detail is that the boy is, for now, alive. Hopefully he will recover. But it's worth pointing out something that is often skipped over in debates about gun control.
Guns are dangerous.
Why do people keep guns at home? For protection. Or maybe because they hunt. That assumes some active involvement in the ownership of a gun, which is a dangerous weapon. Whenever "the right to bear arms" is discussed, we hear about "responsible gun owners." And I'm sure there are many.
But then you have a situation like this. Local police told CNN that when she received the gun "The mother never checked it, never fired it." How do you not know that you have a loaded firearm in your house? If someone gave me a gun as a gift, the first thing I would do is check if it was loaded. Wouldn't you? And I know next to nothing about guns. (OK, I know what I see in movies and on TV, and I do read 'The Punisher.' The occasional Ludlum novel. But that's not real life.)
Interestingly, the CNN story focuses on the legality of the incident. Apparently "Florida law prohibits a person from leaving a loaded firearm where a minor might have access to it. Prosecutors do have some discretion, and depending on what happens with the gun, charges ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony can be filed in the event of death or serious injury." Chief Assistant State Attorney Bruce Bartlett is quoted as saying that "Sometimes, the injury of a child is more severe from a punishment standpoint than any kind of criminal charge…those parents will blame themselves from here out, and you have to look at things real close to see if it warrants any enforcement from our end."
Fair enough. And I can't say enough that I sincerely hope the boy comes out of this safely. But how can anyone defend unrestricted gun ownership when something like this occurs?
Source: CNN
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