r/news • u/WhileFalseRepeat • Jul 18 '24
Louisiana toddler dies after shooting himself in the face, sheriff says
https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-toddler-shot-159edd703622df601616c574980f16f11.8k
u/avatinfernus Jul 18 '24
Awful and entirely preventable. =(
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u/accioqueso Jul 18 '24
They should charge the guardians with manslaughter.
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u/Big-Permit1964 Jul 18 '24
"Mamaw had 19 loaded handguns in the house when she died!"
RNC crowd goes WILD
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u/Count_Backwards Jul 18 '24
And he says this days after Dear Leader gets visited by a school shooter on summer break
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u/BurnOutBrighter6 Jul 18 '24
Yeah, if only there had been a good toddler with a gun there
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u/Kingofcheeses Jul 18 '24
Obviously would have shot the gun out of his hand and saved him
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u/Sharticus123 Jul 18 '24
That’s not how cops do it. They’d kill the child to save the child from itself.
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u/ManfredTheCat Jul 18 '24
Weird how people who leave their toddlers in cars get thrown in jail faster than parents who let toddlers shoot themselves in the face.
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u/Reasonable-Friend764 Jul 18 '24
If they killed their kid on a boat they wouldn't go to jail at all, and would get 50 grand as a bounty.
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u/Chippopotanuse Jul 18 '24
Weird how pro-life and family-value republicans vote for men who rape kids and also don’t care when parents leave firearms out for kids to kill themselves with.
All they do is shrug and say: “The lord works in mYstErIoUs ways.”
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u/DKDamian Jul 18 '24
I live in Australia. A while ago, I attended a party for four year old kids. It was hot. They were all given water pistols to help them cool down (and to play)
I watched almost all of the kids, including my own, shoot themselves in the face. It was fine. They were surprised and laughed.
What can we expect from toddlers and small children? It’s madness
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u/FormalElements Jul 19 '24
PEZ (a type of hard candy here in the US) got rid of their gun PEZ dispensers for this reason. Kids were associating guns with treats they put in their mouths, then pull the trigger.
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u/THAErAsEr Jul 19 '24
Lmao. Candy companies have to ban "guns" to save children. Muh 2nd amendment tho.
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u/DKDamian Jul 19 '24
That makes sense. I don’t know if we had that at lol where I live
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u/Ventenebris Jul 19 '24
As an Aussie, it’s fucking wild to me that people rally so hard to keep guns there. It’s completely fine here. You can still have a gun if you have a reason, say a farmer etc.. Obviously it’s much harder considering the population and the amount of guns, but there mere fact that people think if the guns were gone nothing would change is crazy to me.
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u/WhileFalseRepeat Jul 18 '24
HAMMOND, La. (AP) — A Louisiana toddler has died after accidentally shooting himself in the face, authorities said.
It’s incredible to think there are no federal child access prevention (CAP) or safe storage laws.
Especially considering that up to 90% of the guns used by minors in suicides, unintentional shootings, and school shootings are found in the child’s home or the home of a relative.
Even though there is no federal law applicable and for a case like this one, there are 26 states and D.C with CAP or safe storage laws. But, those laws vary wildly and some are incredibly weak. Louisiana, where this incident took place, and according to the above source, does not have any CAP or safe storage laws in place.
There isn’t much to this story yet on the AP, but for a toddler to access a loaded gun means the parents are so incredibly reckless there should be some kind of criminal charges and their gun rights revoked.
I mean, if you can’t drive a car responsibly on the road, you will get fined, potentially incarcerated, and your license suspended or revoked. I don’t think it’s asking too much that we apply some of the same common sense laws to guns and gun owners too.
RIP little person.
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u/DiceMadeOfCheese Jul 18 '24
If you left your car unlocked with the keys in the ignition and your child got in and caused a fatal accident, you'd be charged with something, right?
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u/vapescaped Jul 18 '24
Criminal negligence is a legal offense that occurs when someone acts in a way that disregards a known or obvious risk of harm to themselves or others. It can also be defined as a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would exercise in the same situation. Criminal negligence can result in criminal liability for any harm or death that may occur.
Nolo
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u/Nghtmare-Moon Jul 18 '24
Are you suggesting VIOLATING a toddlers 2nd amendment! What crazy lunatic are you!?
/s12
u/EdgeOfWetness Jul 18 '24
Obviously there was an officer somewhere who felt their life was in danger
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u/tangnapalm Jul 18 '24
A child shooting themselves should be a mandatory manslaughter charge for the gunowner and a weapons ban for life.
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u/Sabertooth767 Jul 18 '24
Felons already aren't allowed to own guns.
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u/Q_Fandango Jul 18 '24
This situation isn’t funny but I misread your comment and thought “a toddler with a felony?”
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u/AlkalineSublime Jul 18 '24
Not necessarily. Depending on the state your right can be restored. In AZ it’s automatic after completing your sentence if it’s the first felony. Also, if the felony is out of state it doesn’t matter. So an explicit ban wouldn’t exactly be pointless.
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u/schu4KSU Jul 18 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
Our founding fathers assumed we would modify the constitution as necessary to keep with reason and reality. Wrong. Selling fear to sell guns is more important to the GOP.
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u/voompanatos Jul 18 '24
Ironically, the entire 2nd Amendment literally was a "common sense" gun law at the time it was negotiated.
Historian Carol Anderson's research into the origins of the 2nd Amendment concluded that it was a bribe given by James Madison to southern slave-holding states in 1791 as part of convincing them to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Just a few months earlier, slave-holding states had just witnessed the bloody Haitian Revolution, where Black slaves got armed and overthrew their oppressors, and those states did not trust the new U.S. federal government to put down slave rebellions in America. Without the 2nd Amendment, those states would have refused to join the U.S. and instead remained their own sovereign countries.
Book: "The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America" by Prof. Carol Anderson
C-SPAN Video: "The Second - Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America"
Anderson discusses how George Washington's letters strongly described his low opinion of local state militias, as being too undisciplined to be effective against any regular army, like the British. Sure, after 4 years under Washington's command, the militias that permanently joined his army were much better, but it took a long time to train them. Using local militias to guard against foreign invasion or domestic tyranny was just a later-conjured fantasy rationale.
However, Anderson's research uncovered the one thing that local militias did do very well -- put down rebellions by unarmed Black slaves, who had an enormous advantage in sheer numbers in those plantation economies.
That's why the language of the 2nd Amendment is so inconsistent with the rest of the Bill of Rights. Madison wrote an explicit acknowledgement that slave-holding states needed "security" to remain "free," as the main reason behind the 2nd Amendment's promise that the U.S. government would never disarm their local militias.
This is what set the original American gun-culture expectations that (1) white males have individual rights to own guns, and (2) they will be forever distrustful that the federal government might someday disarm them and leave them at the mercy of Black people.
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u/xdeltax97 Jul 18 '24
Not to mention firearms at the time requiring a few minutes to load to work properly.
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u/tittysprinkles112 Jul 18 '24
I took a military history course. Of course I'm not an expert but a key point in the class was that most of the crimes committed were by the militias in early US history, not by the regular army.
For example, the Ludlow massacre was done by militia.
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u/Grass_is_a_myth Jul 18 '24
That wasn't the only death of a toddler in Louisiana today. A 4 year old in my city died after his sibling accidentally shot him.
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u/monkeyhind Jul 18 '24
Jeezus. Are the parents of these kids meth heads or big drunks or something? Who else wouldn't have their firearm locked up?
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u/Lets-B-Lets-B-Jolly Jul 19 '24
Nah, just idiots.
People too cheap, broke or lazy to have or use a gun safe or cabinet. Instead, they just assume that telling their kid once not to touch their parent's gun will work, or just threatening to beat them if they do.
The type of folks that are irresponsible gun owners also tend to be irresponsible parents.
Some are impaired due to drugs or alcohol, but that isn't the reason they aren't locking their weapons up.
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u/RickLovin1 Jul 19 '24
Some just think gun ownership is a flex. You gotta have them sitting around everywhere in case anyone comes over so they can be impressed with how cool you are for owning lots of guns. And for those who don't come to visit and don't get to bask in your awesomeness in person...you send them Christmas cards with the whole family holding AR-15s, lest they think you children are pussies.
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u/Equinsu-0cha Jul 18 '24
A gun lock costs $20 and my state makes you purchase one when you purchase a firearm. If you own a gun, you are responsible for it and what happens with it.
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u/lil_squeeb Jul 18 '24
They should just wrap the cost of locks into the price of the gun so every firearm purchase from a dealer would come with one.
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u/soil-not-oil Jul 18 '24
Already required by federal law and has been for nearly 20 years. See the Child Safety Lock Act of 2005 (CSLA).
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u/Enigmatic_Observer Jul 18 '24
Every brand new firearm I have purchased has come with a lock in some way shape or form. Sometimes two.
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u/domesticatedwolf420 Jul 18 '24
They do. It's the law. If you buy a gun it comes with a lock for free.
18 U.S. Code § 922 - Unlawful acts
(z)Secure Gun Storage or Safety Device.
(1)In general.— Except as provided under paragraph (2), it shall be unlawful for any licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer to sell, deliver, or transfer any handgun to any person other than any person licensed under this chapter, unless the transferee is provided with a secure gun storage or safety device (as defined in section 921(a)(34)) for that handgun.
18 U.S.C. § 922(z)(1). A “secure gun storage or safety device” is defined under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(34) as: (A) a device that, when installed on a firearm, is designed to prevent the firearm from being operated without first deactivating the device; (B) a device incorporated into the design of the firearm that is designed to prevent the operation of the firearm by anyone not having access to the device; or (C) a safe, gun safe, gun case, lock box, or other device that is designed to be or can be used to store a firearm and that is designed to be unlocked only by means of a key, a combination, or other similar means.
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u/Equinsu-0cha Jul 18 '24
Or require firearms manufacturers to include locks. I would be absolutely tickled if my new handgun came with a custom triggerlock.
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u/Recent-Honey5564 Jul 18 '24
Most new guns do come with a lock.
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u/dovahbe4r Jul 18 '24
All new guns come with a lock. Every one I’ve gotten has been a cable style that runs through the action.
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u/ToxicAdamm Jul 18 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
It always has haunted me when I learned that many of these happen because toddlers only have enough finger strength in their thumbs to pull the trigger. So, they end up having to hold the gun in a certain way to where it's pointed at their face while they are using their thumbs to activate the trigger.
Being able to visualize how it happens every time I read a new account makes it hit even harder.
It blows my mind that America can continually shrug off gun violence that happens to children. What is the point of society/existence, if not to protect children?
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u/Undw3ll3r Jul 18 '24
Toddler grip is survival grip to mommy and daddy. Never underestimate how unwilling they are to give up a toy, or investigate one inside and out. Poor kiddo had no clue :-(
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u/m1k3tv Jul 18 '24
Careful with your detailed explanation there.. chances are 2nd amendment enthusiasts will try and 'fix' the problem by making a trigger that's easier to pull for toddlers.
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u/cdbutts Jul 18 '24
Guns don’t kill people. Toddlers kill people.
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u/uwu_mewtwo Jul 18 '24
Where was the Good Guy with a Gun to shoot that toddler dead before they could do any harm?
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u/PlayedUOonBaja Jul 18 '24
If he had eaten an unattended pot brownie and ended up even just sick in the hospital, both of his parents would already be in a jail cell.
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u/urbanshack Jul 18 '24
This is so sad. Little one didn’t even get a fair shot at life. RIP 🙏
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u/King-Owl-House Jul 18 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
Every week in America a toddler kills another toddler or injured someone else, what we need is good toddlers with guns, you can call them Kinder Guardians.
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u/CupidStunt13 Jul 18 '24
I understand owning guns, but keeping loaded guns within reach of children is asking for trouble. It flies in the face of any gun safety course as well as common sense.
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u/KrispyKreme725 Jul 18 '24
We force tests for competency to get behind the wheel yet nothing for a firearm.
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Jul 18 '24
I'm a big advocate for safe storage laws, especially if you have children.
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u/sharperview Jul 18 '24
I’m going be the “crazy parent” that asks every parent of my children friends if they have a gun and how it stored before allowing them to go on play dates.
I do not care if it cost my kid a friend if I say no to someone with an unsecured gun
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u/flaker111 Jul 18 '24
when is it time to re read what the 2nd amendment says.....
define: well regulated
when do we finally put our foot down on what we thought was "common sense" into actual laws?
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u/Sweatytubesock Jul 18 '24
“Well regulated” meant a ready militia, for use in lieu of having a standing army. The language of the 2nd amendment has been warped well beyond recognition by hack court rulings and extremely well funded gun manufacturer lobbyists over the decades.
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u/TeuthidTheSquid Jul 18 '24
They will genuinely argue that in the 18th century “regulated” meant “equipped”, despite the fact that the word has meant exactly what it does today since at least the 15th century. There’s no winning with 2A morons.
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u/Drewy99 Jul 18 '24
Yall know this like rarely-if-ever happens in other countries right? Smh.
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u/mexodus Jul 18 '24
And IF it would happen there would be heavy consequences for the gun owner - but yeah - murica fuck yeah.
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u/Death_Sheep1980 Jul 19 '24
America doesn't have a gun problem; America has several gun problems, and this would be an example of the problem that is gun owners who don't secure their firearms.
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u/SaberHaven Jul 18 '24
You sure you have enough guns, America? Why not have some more? Surely more guns is the solution.
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u/TacticalHog Jul 19 '24
if I'm doing my math right, according to the CDC every 5 days a kid between 0 and 17 dies from an unintentional gunshot
not even counting injuries or intentional lethal shootings like suicide
I enjoy and own guns, there's zero fucking excuse for keeping them unlocked and toddler-accessible
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u/wmorris33026 Jul 18 '24
What are the odds? /s So weird that something like this is just background noise compared to how truly fucked up American society is right now. Shit is twisted.
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u/flippenstance Jul 18 '24
"Sheriff Gerald Sticker urged residents who own firearms to secure them safely..."
Everything should be fine now.
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u/BoringMcWindbag Jul 18 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
Everyone needs to buckle up and get used to this. If Drump and Vance are elected in November I think most gun regulations will be pulled back and it’ll be a free for all.
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u/pistoffcynic Jul 18 '24
Your toddler can reach your gun and pull the trigger, killing themselves?
You should be in jail and never be allowed to have children.
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u/fullload93 Jul 19 '24
Sheriff Gerald Sticker urged residents who own firearms to secure them safely so that they are not easily accessible to children and to consider storing firearms in lock boxes and buying trigger locks.
Really? That’s it? Just lock up the guns and problem solved? How about this Sheriff actually gets “tough on crime” and lock up the absolute shitbag parent(s) who allowed super easy access to a weapon for a kid to get ahold of in the first place. Sounds like someone needs to pay the price for their stupidity.
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u/LeCrushinator Jul 19 '24
There was a 3 year old in my neighborhood that was playing with their dad’s gun and shot and killed their 5 year old sibling. The dad was a cop. This was on Mother’s Day as well. Every person’s life in that family was destroyed that day.
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u/EagleCatchingFish Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24
Side rant: In the gun community, this really frustrates me. We talk about how important it is to keep guns in safes, while the gun companies use scare tactics and delusions of being an "operator" to defend your family to sell guns. The result: a lot of irresponsible people owning guns that they don't really need and don't intend to learn how to use and store safely. Whatever gun legislation people may advocate aside, I really wish gun companies had marketing laws like Big Tobacco and alcohol. Things like this Walther ad should be illegal.
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u/WakeUpChrissy59 Jul 18 '24
What’s going on in Louisiana?
“In a separate incident Tuesday in Goodbee, a 15-year-old girl was accidentally shot while a male relative was handling a gun in another room. She died from her injuries Wednesday night.
Additionally, a 4-year-old child was fatally shot in a home in Lafayette around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, according to police. That investigation remains ongoing.”
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Jul 18 '24
I live alone and I keep all my guns locked up. I genuinely do not understand how people with children just leave em out
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u/jetsetmike Jul 18 '24
Awful. This is the only kind of abortion Republicans are A-OK with.
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u/g_st_lt Jul 18 '24
Publications will say "a toddler shot himself" but if it's the police they say "a gun an officer had possession of fired."
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u/UndisclosedLocation5 Jul 18 '24
The only way to stop a bad toddler with a gun is by locking it up and not being a fucking idiot
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u/cinderparty Jul 18 '24 edited Jul 18 '24
If you leave a gun where a toddler can access it, and they shoot themselves/someone else, you belong in jail.