4-year-old shoots mother in face after finding loaded gun under bed

[Bob33]

The shooting comes a few months after Washington state voters approved a measure that allows criminal charges to be filed against someone who doesn't secure their gun and it is then used by a child in a shooting.

A mother was shot in the face by her 4-year-old child, who found an unsecured gun and fired it, authorities said Saturday.

The mother was in the hospital Saturday night with life-threatening injuries.

The mother, father and child were in a Skyway apartment complex in the 12000 block of 71st Ave. South when the shooting happened around 5 p.m., said Sgt. Ryan Abbott with the King County Sheriff’s Office.

The child found the gun under the bed and unintentionally shot the 27-year-old mother, Abbott said.

“(The gun) wasn’t secured like it should have been; it was just laying under the bed and it was loaded,” he said.

Authorities rushed the mother to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she has since been joined by the child’s father and the child.

No one else was in the apartment at the time of the shooting.

It wasn’t immediately clear who owned the gun. Detectives are investigating.

Washington state voters in November approved Initiative 1639, a measure that, among other things, holds gun owners criminally liable if an unsecured gun is accessed by someone not allowed to have a firearm, like a child, and the gun is discharged.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/4-year-old-shoots-mother-in-face-after-finding-loaded-gun-under-bed-south-of-seattle/

[ghosthunter]

Sad very sad.

But 1639 did not prevent it.

And what now, most likely the father is the gun owner. So the child may loose her mother and father??

Years ago this would be a tragic accident, now a felony?

You cannot beat people into common sense with laws.

[Bob33]

If the mother survives she goes to prison. Either way the child loses her mother.

[Timberstalker]

So preventable, that’s what is sad.

[brush hunter]

Just what the gun grabbers want to see, things like this!

[RJW]

The gun belonged to her boy friend and he borrowed it a friend. He had in between the mattress on their bed.   The boy friend is the one that could be in trouble, not the mother.

[huntnfmly]

The gun belonged to her boy friend and he borrowed it a friend. He had in between the mattress on their bed.   The boy friend is the one that could be in trouble, not the mother.

His friend he borrowed it from is in trouble  as well

[Bob33]

The person who knowingly leaves it unsecured is liable.

[boneaddict]

We are all in trouble......

[pianoman9701]

This person's life has already gone into the dumper and now he'll be a felon. And people will be celebrating his demise. What a crap show.

[huntnfmly]

The person who knowingly leaves it unsecured is liable.

And the person that he borrowed  (transferred) it from.
That's ridiculous and terrible

[Cab]

We are all in trouble......

that is what I first thought when I saw the news. Sad that people don't take the few mins it takes to secure a firearm properly.

[Rainier10]

The person who knowingly leaves it unsecured is liable.

And the person that he borrowed  (transferred) it from.
That's ridiculous and terrible

I594 comes into play on the illegal transfer of the gun from the friend to the boyfriend.  You can’t just hand someone a loaner gun anymore unless you are hunting or in a hunter ed class.

The whole thing is just sad.

[seakev]

Without going into any details, she is a very lucky lady. It will be interesting to see what charges, if any, will be brought against the other players.

[jrebel]

Very tragic indeed.  The fact people are debating who goes to jail and not praying for the mothers life / recovery is as big an issue as anything. 

Should it have been secured...yes (simply out of the reach of a 4 year old).  Should someone go to jail for this tragic mistate.....no.  The family and child will be paying for this tragedy for the rest of their life.  I will also say that a 4 y.o. is old enough to be taught not to touch guns.  My children knew not to touch guns without mom and dad at a very young age.....EDUCATION is key if your going to have guns around kids. 

[huntnfmly]

I sent prayers before I even posted and don't think anybody should go to jail

[konradcountry]

Let's not argue about the legalities and 1639.

The real issue is that the media is using this story nationwide to promote an anti-gun agenda.

If the kid had burned the house down by accident then it would not have made national news.

The media uses these stories to dupe the public into believing this happens all the time and that new laws are needed.

[bracer40]

Yes, this is a terrible tragedy for the three of them. Each of their lives will be scarred for the rest of their lives.

For those that feel no jail time is called for (because they've suffered enough, life never the same...etc) would you feel differently if similar, life changing injuries were sustained in a car crash due to the boyfriend driving the family while drunk?
Yes, illegal and incredibly reckless and irresponsible!

But so is leaving a loaded handgun where a child can get to it..

[jrebel]

Yes, this is a terrible tragedy for the three of them. Each of their lives will be scarred for the rest of their lives.

For those that feel no jail time is called for (because they've suffered enough, life never the same...etc) would you feel differently if similar, life changing injuries were sustained in a car crash due to the boyfriend driving the family while drunk?
Yes, illegal and incredibly reckless and irresponsible!

But so is leaving a loaded handgun where a child can get to it..

Apples and Oranges in my opinion.  Having a loaded gun in your house is not illegal. 

[Bob33]

Yes, this is a terrible tragedy for the three of them. Each of their lives will be scarred for the rest of their lives.

For those that feel no jail time is called for (because they've suffered enough, life never the same...etc) would you feel differently if similar, life changing injuries were sustained in a car crash due to the boyfriend driving the family while drunk?
Yes, illegal and incredibly reckless and irresponsible!

But so is leaving a loaded handgun where a child can get to it..

Apples and Oranges in my opinion.  Having a loaded gun in your house is not illegal.

If it isn't secured and someone is injured it is.

[Stein]

Hard to argue that leaving a loaded gun readily accessible in a house with a four year old isn't negligent.

[jrebel]

If a kid gets a knife out off the counter and stabs his mother by accident do we have the same debate??  I would argue no.....was there negligence, yes.  Was it illegal....well I guess it depends on how you interpret the law.  At the end of the day this was a tragic accident in my opinion.  What good would prosecuting the mom, dad or kid bring to this incident?? 

[bracer40]

I very rarely enter these types of threads.
As a father of four grown children (who were raised in a hunting and shooting household) it breaks my heart to hear of these sorts of tragedies that are ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE!
Unfortunately, just because some people can pass a background check, doesn't mean they possess the common sense and maturity to own and handle a handgun. Yes it's their 2A right. Shame there's no way to screen for stupidity.

[CAMPMEAT]

1: Was the gun stolen ?
2: Define secured ? What I would consider secured might be totally different than a liberal judges.
3: How could a 4 year old lift a mattress, that I can barely lift ?
4: Did the 4 year old shoot Mom in the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living area ?



Just a couple of thoughts about how the corrupt government is controlling all of us more and more about guns and just about everything else in our lives.......

[pianoman9701]

I very rarely enter these types of threads.
As a father of four grown children (who were raised in a hunting and shooting household) it breaks my heart to hear of these sorts of tragedies that are ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE!
Unfortunately, just because some people can pass a background check, doesn't mean they possess the common sense and maturity to own and handle a handgun. Yes it's their 2A right. Shame there's no way to screen for stupidity.

Our rights don't come free of responsibilities and accountability. Exercise your rights stupidly and you're likely going to pay a consequence. They have and will continue to.