2-year-old fatally shoots himself after finding pistol while visiting relatives in East Texas

[left-of-center2012]

A 2-year-old boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself with a pistol he found while visiting relatives with his mom in Cherokee County, authorities said. Foul play was not suspected, KXAS-TV (NBC5) reported.

The shooting occurred Thursday evening at a home near Rusk, 130 miles southeast of Dallas, where the boy and his younger brother were visiting family. The two boys wandered into a bedroom, and shortly afterward, the adults at the home heard a loud noise.

Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell told NBC5 that the 2-year-old died of a gunshot wound to the neck after finding the pistol, picking it up and accidentally firing the weapon.

The shooting remains under investigation.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/accidental-death/2018/09/28/2-year-old-texas-boy-fatally-shoots-self-after-finding-pistol-visiting-relatives

[Snackshack]

1. Sad to read this.

Second event like this I have read about this week. I believe the one I read about earlier this week was a 5 yr old boy.

This is not a “tragic accident” as it is usually framed by the media at the very least it is negligent homicide.

[LandOfHopeAndDreams]

2. I Guess They Won't Be Visiting Again?

It's OK, the NRA still considers them responsible gun owners.

[3Hotdogs]

3. Yeah, they will argue that the relative was standing his ground.

[packman]

4. I remember an incident with an FBI agent in my apartment building

many decades ago while living in the D.C. area. We were next door apartment friends and he and his wife and his 4 yr. old daughter and we had dinners together often.
We were talking about his carrying a gun and what he did with it off duty. He said he unloaded the clip, made sure it was unloaded - none in the chamber - and put the separate gun and clip on his nightstand, ready for any home intruders but, in his mind, providing safety that his daughter wouldn't be able to load the clip. Of course we challenged him on this, saying children at that age are inquisitive and curious and loading that clip would be easy. He said nonsense to that but asked him to run a little experiment with an empty clip and the gun.

A few days later, white faced and contrite , he told us it took only a few minutes for the kid to load that clip and to pull the trigger. He got a gun safe a few days later and a separate box in the safe for storing the clips.

[ROB-ROX]

5. SAD but GUNS kill

Today we all know gun safety requires UNLOADED and safe storage of all weapons to safe guard children. Unless this person lives in a HIGH crime area!! I avoid areas which require self defense 24 hours per day. I have guns and rifles, but none are loaded and all are stored safely. I do not live in a high come area nor is my state (CA.) a third world country. I think many states in the east and all in the south are just like third world countries. Gun may be required for self defense because those people inbreed, drink and use drugs.........