Do you know where your guns are?

[IFallsRon]

"Rocori freshman Jason McLaughlin, 15, has been charged in Stearns County Juvenile Court with second-degree murder in the death of Aaron Rollins, a 17-year-old senior. The second victim, freshman Seth Bartell, 14, remained in critical condition Sunday at St. Cloud Hospital.

"McLaughlin allegedly fired a small-caliber handgun before a teacher subdued him. It's not known where he got the gun."

Many of my coworkers have children who attend Rocori H.S. They'll be at Aaron's funeral this morning.

I heard on the radio Sunday morning that a 4-year-old shot two siblings over the weekend.

KNOW WHERE YOUR GUNS ARE!

[CornPirateKiller]

It's a sad day for all when we hear stories like this. Knowing where your guns are should be but a piece of the prevention. Parents, talk to your kids. Know their moods and what is happening in their lives. Snoop through their stuff and be nosy. They'll hate you for it now, but they'll be alive and happy, loving you in the future.

I keep my guns in a safe because my kids have friends that come to our house. I know that my kids respect guns and know how to handle them safely because I have taught them from day one of their lives. I also talk to my kids every day and snoop into their lives. I don't worry about them taking my guns, its the ones that I don't know that make me lock up my guns. If those kid's parents had taken the time to spend a few minutes with them, the shootings wouldn't have happened. Keep your guns safe... talk to your kids.

------------------
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati

[irvingdog]

How often do we hear about the owner of the gun being adequately punished for leaving the gun where a kid can get to it, or paying for that death? No where near enough IMO!

[IFallsRon]

The shooter's father is a deputy sheriff.

[BDR]

Borch I am with you. I keep the keys to myself and they can have free access when they take them with to thier new house at 18. They only need thier guns when with dad so far.

[Borch]

This brings up question for me. When do you(if ever)give your kids access to locked guns? When I was growing up the guns were locked up to prevent young children and strangers from gaining access to your firearms. But when these kids have gone through gun training and are hunting with you or their freinds. When do they have access to these firearms?

Currently I keep my gun safe combination to myself. As my kids go shooting with me exclusively at this point.

This may not be a case of guns just laying around but rather that the kid knew how to get the safe open.

------------------
I bad day of fishing??? I honestly don't know what you're talking about!

[Finlander]

Also as important is: "Do you know where your children are?"!!
Who's to blame? The gun or the parents?

[Guest]

I can't believe how many folks are rushing to blame the owner of the gun for having "caused" this tragedy. The kid who decided to grab a gun and start shooting classmates is the responsible one - PERIOD.

When I was growing up Dad had the guns hanging on the wall on the gun rack. Most of friends' Dads did the same. Heck, other than one Dad who was a collector, no one had safes or ever bothered to lock the glass front cabinets. It never entered our fevered adolescent minds to grab any of these guns and commit mayhem - and if most of you are old enough and honest enough you will have to agree that these kinds of problems DID NOT EXIST at a time when guns were far more available than they are now.

We've got a cultural problem here folks, and no amount of laws is going to fix that. Its about time we face up to the real problem, instead of pointing fingers at inanimate objects. Meanwhile, the news accounts are probably being read by some worthless little puke with a grudge and a desire for fame, and God only knows where this will end.

[BDR]

Pete I believe your right about high school shooters bieng the one responsible,BUT, what about the 4 year old playing cops and robbers at a friends house finds dads gun in a nightstand and pulls the trigger on his friend.This happened 30 years ago in my wifes family. Absolutely that dad should be held responsible for keeping a loaded gun unlocked.And your also right that back then we didn't hear of rage shootings,but we do now and yes it is a cultural problem but it is not the same culture as it was 30 years ago and in my opinion it is a culture that guns should not be easily accessed by teens,I know that it's easy to get them in the streets but these shooters are getting guns at home in almost all cases. I am not saying that these dads should be tried for murder,just for living in the past.

I am also not saying to accept it as a cultural problem and go on with life, I talk to my kids about rage/anger,bieng teased,guns and they take gun safety, and that they can't ever take back a bullet.
There is no easy answers to this problem.

[This message has been edited by BDR (edited 09-30-2003).]

[IFallsRon]

Seth Bartell, 14, died on Friday, Oct. 10. Services will be Thursday.

[pj4]

yes this killn thing is very bad.my thouhgt is, why was the gun loaded and not kept high enought for little kids to reach? as for guns in the open for viewing or admiring, lock the ammo up and get trigger locks.

[kindafishy]

The shooting is a tragic story. As for storage I think it's a sign of the times. Growing up with guns in the house we always played cops and robbers, but never dared touch the guns unless dad or grandpa were there. Having kids of my own I used to put guns in glass front cabinets because guns are pretty to look at. Now I got grandkids they are in a safe out of sight and not accessable to anyone but me.

[Justfishing]

I didnt hear about this. Stuff like this only males the local media any more. Its all to common and it just doesnt hit the nerve it once did.

I also think much of the violence today is the result of entertainment. Parents need to monitor what their kids do. My kids are not allowed to play violent video games, listen to certain music, or watch movies/Tv that is in appropriate.