A small boy shoots his teacher in US

Fleurpepper / my comment about police carrying guns at airports was in response to Grammaretto who understandably doesn’t want to see armed police. Discussing whether armed police in the UK is necessary in any environment isnt detracting from the OP.

Sorry but it does- the OP is about a young child- not police.

The USA is the only country in the developed world that has such lax gun laws - well no gun laws it would seem to us. The solution is obvious to most of us that strict, tight gun controls are the only way to reduce the number of gun related tragedies but the gun lobbies are far too powerful and money is all that counts it seems. This child is not the first or last child to have shot someone, sadly. What we see and hear on the news is only the tip of the iceberg of what goes on. That poor teacher and, yes, that poor child. When we the country wake up to the problem?

Fleurpepper

Callistemon21

CHICAGO (AP) — Most U.S. adults want to see gun laws made stricter

What was the date of that poll?

Opinion polls may vary.

Even if polls vary- is it right that all those who want Gun Laws changed, 'don't care and it's their choice' if they are shot at, or their kids, etc?

Who said that??

9.02.19

Oldwoman70

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.

Probably by opening his mum's glove box or handbag. When she wasn't looking or in a shop.
My DD lived in the States and was horrified where she saw guns.
She went to find her DD who was playing hide and seek in a friend's house when she said it was Hometime GD came out from under a bed with a gun.

Well that can also happen in the UK, sadly. But not to that extent.

One of my secondary school student, aged 13 at the time- shot another kid her age when playing in her parents' bedroom, with the gun found under the bed. The father had convictions for badger baiting and poaching/lamping. But it is indeed VERY rare, thank goodness.

Fleurpepper

Well that can also happen in the UK, sadly. But not to that extent.

One of my secondary school student, aged 13 at the time- shot another kid her age when playing in her parents' bedroom, with the gun found under the bed. The father had convictions for badger baiting and poaching/lamping. But it is indeed VERY rare, thank goodness.

You might be surprised and relieved to learn that England and Wales come way down the list of number of guns held per person, Fleurpepper.
Surprisingly, Scotland is above them on the list, as is N Ireland but all are fewer proportionately than most European countries.

Firearms police at UK airports are highly visible and have been for many years.. they are highly trained and am glad they are there ..

Fully aware Callistemon. Replying to the post about a kid in the USA pulling out a gun from under the bed. The day that happened near me in the UK, will always be etched in my memory. Students of mine, but also neighbours and at school with my kids.

The big difference was that she had no idea the gun was loaded, and no intention whatsoever to hurt a friend.

So even a 6 yr old is capable of doing what he did.
He's probably watched a lot of movies, TV news, etc by that age.
I remember a boy aged about 4 coming to play at my house. He asked if he could play with a gun ( a toy gun) I said there were noneand he proceeded to go around my house collecting toy guns. There was a water pistol, Action Man had one, the cowboy outfit in the dressing up box etc
My own DS were at school.

Incidentally that boy now in his 30s makes sets for Bond films now.

An excellent reason to avoid visiting America! Awful gun culture. It’ll be interesting to see more of the child’s home background.
We used to play with toy guns as children, but that’s what they were - just toys. Same with cigarette sweets - it didn’t encourage me to smoke when I grew up.

Whereas, a friend who has a shotgun licence, with guns in a locked gun cupboard, had a visit from the police a few years ago the day after her licence had expired. She'd forgotten to renew it.

Guns were confiscated and only returned once she'd renewed her licence.

Fleurpepper

Fully aware Callistemon. Replying to the post about a kid in the USA pulling out a gun from under the bed. The day that happened near me in the UK, will always be etched in my memory. Students of mine, but also neighbours and at school with my kids.

The big difference was that she had no idea the gun was loaded, and no intention whatsoever to hurt a friend.

My GD didn't have any idea if it was loaded neither did DD she just asked her quietly to put it down. Then went home and asked her DH how to tell if a gun was loaded. Then phoned and asked her friend why it was there for the children to get their hands on.
Aggressive things do happen in our schools I agree with you Fleaurpepper. I have twice seen as a teacher sharp scissors used as a weapon, once against a teacher and once against other children in the class. Luckily the incidences are rare.

Good to see that the police were doing their job GagaJo, had a database of expiry dates and ran checks. That’s evidence of our strict firearms law in practice. My husband gets the odd unannounced visit to ensure that his guns are in the locked steel cabinet, bolted to the wall, as they always are - with ammo stored separately.

Not the child's fault just a devastating incident for child and teacher. Will America ever learn!!!??? I despair.

It’s said that it was a deliberate act, shelflife.

Germanshepherdsmum

It’s said that it was a deliberate act, shelflife.

But surely a six-year old is not at fault!

He pulled a trigger that he should not have had access to.

In England he would be well below the age of criminal responsibility, but even at six I would suggest that if he had access to a gun and evidently knew how to use it he would have a good idea of the damage it could inflict. Obviously more details will come out in due course.

Fleurpepper yes, my post was shocking. I intended it to be so, I said so in the first sentence. And what is wrong with a post being shocking? We could do with more of them.

But what I was saying were the facts of the matter. Yes, there are people in the US opposed to the current gun regimes in every state, but they are vastly out numbered by those who want no change and some who would make the laws more lax.

The American people as a whole are prepared to tolerate all the deaths, including school children, and the event we are discussing will not even dent public opinion. The country is an open democracy, whatever Donald Trump may have done to muddy the waters, with fake news about cheating and manipulating polls. It is entirely within the American electorate's power to change the gun laws they choose not to. Sea changes on subjects like this come from the majority of the population saying no more - and that has yet to happen.

Every death is a tragedy to a family, but society, as a whole in the US seems not care. There is nothing that we can do, to stop the killing or change the laws. It is very different from dictatorships like Iran, who hanged two more young men today. The Iran government is not democratic, and these deaths arise from the population rising against their rulers and the laws passed.

I am not trying to stifle discussion there is much to discuss, in cluding why what can be considered an advanced and democratic country could support a gun regime that kills so many people, especially children and young people.

it's just horrific. My first thought, too, was that a six year old simply wouldn't understand the results of his actions.

A little boy points a gun and pulls the trigger - 'Bang, bang, you're dead' everyday stuff (with a toy).

Deliberate? OK, he might have been copying all that violence he's seen on TV. Somebody annoys you - so you just shoot them. How can it be his fault - and how the hell did he get hold of a gun?

I don't believe many of us know the damage a gunshot wound can do.
Damage can include bleeding, bone fractures, organ damage, wound infection, loss of movement and ofcourse death depending on the speed and path through the body.

It’s a different society to ours Hetty. Families have guns, go hunting and teach their children how to use them. The children in those situations see the damage that a gun can do to an animal. I don’t think it’s easy for us to understand the mindset of people who take pride in amassing huge arsenals of weaponry and take pleasure in using it. Whether the child came from such a background we don’t yet know.

Do the right wing Republicans defend the right of a six year old to bear arms or did the constitution stipulate a minimum age?

Yammy

Oldwoman70

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.

Probably by opening his mum's glove box or handbag. When she wasn't looking or in a shop.
My DD lived in the States and was horrified where she saw guns.
She went to find her DD who was playing hide and seek in a friend's house when she said it was Hometime GD came out from under a bed with a gun.

My first thought, too.