A small boy shoots his teacher in US

They sell them to more or less anybody in some states. Special pink ones for little girls. Disgusting.

It's sad and shocking. My American friends are as appalled as we.and certainly don't have guns.
The States are not all the same by any means.

It was in Virginia
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64194407.amp

In the scenario where (as gun fans seem to want) teachers are armed, I wonder what people think might have happened differently?

It beggars believe how a 6 year old baby can get his hands on a gun, how he knows how to use a gun (properly) how he can be so incensed to want to hurt someone else more than a kick or a slap out , how he is in a school with a gun, what he has been witness to
I wouldn’t even know how to load a gun and shoot it thank goodness
Something drastic has to happen in countries with high gun crime there has to be more legislation as to who can have a gun.
I had a pen friend in US once who couldn’t believe I didn’t have a gun in my ‘purse’ or under my pillow

Well argybargy if the teacher was armed maybe the little 6 year old would be dead I self defence Lose/lose

I hope the poor teacher recovers and is not too traumatised. I heard a police spokesman describe the child as

the individual
the student
this young man

He's a six-year old schoolboy - a very young child!

Like others I wonder how a 6 year old has access to a gun. Being in the UK I am not conversant with gun laws in US but I thought they had to kept in a locked cabinet.

I hope the teacher makes a full recovery. The child obviously has serious issues and I hope he receives the help he needs.

Oldwoman70 different states have different laws. Some allow “open carry” ie anyone can walk down the street openly carrying a gun. Truly horrifying.

BlueBelle

Well argybargy if the teacher was armed maybe the little 6 year old would be dead I self defence Lose/lose

Child could be dead and teacher traumatised for life.

He’s been ‘arrested’ for heavens sake, he’s a baby

Oldwoman the boy may not have big problems if this is how for instance his family deal with problems he would know no other way…. a dog comes on their land shoot it, a stranger knocks at the door, pick up your gun. We don’t know at this stage how he s been brought up he may have been witness to anything
If guns are so rife and there have been so many school shootings in the US why don’t the school gates have the metal detector machinery like airports These machines must be mobile as they use them in concerts and some big festivals here I remember my (adult) grandkids told me that they had to go through them to enter the festival they attended
These recognised knives as well as guns
Shouldn’t have to be but surely a good idea

I agree completelyBlueBelle about screening and moreso for having guns at all

The Policeman interviewed sounded very confused but it was suggested that the child was with social workers rather than guards.

I think there are schools in the US that have metal detectors at the entrances, but not all, it seems. I’m bemused by this. I’ve shot a range of pistols and even the small ones are heavy; and they kick back when you fire them - you learn how to compensate for that or you end up on your back! How could a six year old control all that? They’re not long out of kindergarten in the US at six, if memory serves me right.

The report says the shooting was accidental. How on earth does a six year old access a loaded gun and take it into school

The USA is so addicted to the right to have guns I’m relieved I don’t live there

The report I heard was that it was not accidental.

Well that’s even more terrifying Grammaretto.

Lets be brutal. If a country encourages gun ownership and effectively has a regime that, whatever the rules, makes it possible for children to easily access guns then events like this are going to happen.

It is fine for police chiefs and, indeed, coming from a more civilised counry, for people like us to be shocked and horrify us,

But until the Americans, themselves accept that the slaughter of innocent children and men is so high that they must bring in restrictions on gun ownership, nothing is going to change.

And, if they are so brutalised that even this incident cannot turn them off guns, then so be it.

They do not care - and it is their children dying/shooting people - why should we? Shocked and horrified that a rich and advanced democracy can tolerate brutality certainly, but it is their choice.

Iam definitely says NOT accidently in the BBC report

It was a deliberate act by the child. They had had a run-in with the teacher involved.

Of course we can’t stop anything Monica but surely it’s well worth discussing

Very shocking post Monica.

A vast number fo people, parents, families, DO NOT WANT GUNS and try their best to alter gun laws. How can you say that it is their choice to be shot because the gun lobby won't change.

Honestly, that made me feel sick.

Fleurpepper

Very shocking post Monica.

A vast number fo people, parents, families, DO NOT WANT GUNS and try their best to alter gun laws. How can you say that it is their choice to be shot because the gun lobby won't change.

Honestly, that made me feel sick.

It’s not M0nica’s post that’s sickening, it’s the state of society in the USA that apparently cannot control firearms.

Just done a quick check. State of Virginia (where this happened) allows open carry without a permit. Also it is the home state of the NRA. It did introduce some control measures after recent massacres, one of which is that “most people” are limited to only one handgun purchase per month... WTF.

Blinko

Fleurpepper

Very shocking post Monica.

A vast number fo people, parents, families, DO NOT WANT GUNS and try their best to alter gun laws. How can you say that it is their choice to be shot because the gun lobby won't change.

Honestly, that made me feel sick.

It’s not M0nica’s post that’s sickening, it’s the state of society in the USA that apparently cannot control firearms.

This bit is shocking

'They do not care - and it is their children dying/shooting people - why should we? Shocked and horrified that a rich and advanced democracy can tolerate brutality certainly, but it is their choice.'

the vast majortiy of people, families, do want gun laws to be changed and are fighting for this- but the NRA and Republicans refuse to do anything. It does not mean that this kind of thing happening is 'the choice' of the people.