An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right
« Mahmoudiya: An Atrocity In Our Names
“Enhanced” Interrogation Undermines American Security and Violates Military Values »
Texas Couple’s Shotgun Blast Kills 7-Year-Old Boy For Mistaken Trespassing
It’s a truly heart wrenching story. First read the details and legal implications HERE from law prof/blogger Jonathan Turley.
And then read this heart-wrenching Houston Chronicle story on the shootings that will haunt you all week.
Here’s the earlier AP story.
opinions powered by SendLove.to
14 Responses to “Texas Couple’s Shotgun Blast Kills 7-Year-Old Boy For Mistaken Trespassing”
How's that Second Amendment working out for ya now?
Gotta love the Confederate battle flag hanging over the shooters' home. Tells you all you need to know about the demented “property rights” movement.
I’m going to need to get a little more information on this story.
The wife of one of the victims said it was pitch black and she couldn’t see where the shot came from. Some people have already assumed one of the shooters took aim at a child and fired.
Naturally, I’m not defending anyone who would shoot without being in fear of their own life, but I’m just not good enough to know everything about somebody by the flag they fly over their house (or the color of their skin).
Ryan, the second amendment is fine, it's the trigger-happy people that are the problem.
That is why I'm in favor of mandatory gun handler classes and background checks when purchasing guns. I know it's a little cumbersome for the honest and there will always be ways around it, but that doesn't negate the necessity of both programs.
From what I've been able to find out is that this levee wasn't on the property of the shooters. And I'm interested on how close the shooters were to the victims (and their ammo) since a shotgun was used.
As a gun owner, I'm extremely saddened by incidents like this because of the usual “get rid of guns” rhetoric will start to fly. But once again, guns don't kill people. People kill people. And the Muhns (shooters) look reckless and bloodthirsty (according to the details given so far).
That's right Elrod.
Only racist, Confederate flag-loving borderline psychotics care a whit about property rights. The rest of the world of course believes in Communism and collective property rights.
Thanks for pointing that out, and for not being bigoted yourself.
Commies against Confederates! It's on!!!
I was being a bit tongue in cheek there. The sign posted about shooting and re-shooting seemed to suggest the Muhns were joking.
Here is what bothers me about this article.
Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor and frequent liberal commentator for news outlets, says in his web post:
“What is notable is that with a shotgun, they could not have been too far away to cause this level of injuries — close enough to see the children.”
In reading the full article, Nelton, the wife of one of the victims, said:
“Nelton said the ordeal happened over two or three minutes in “pitch darkness.”
There is enough in the circumstance of this incident to make a point about guns and property rights, but this supposedly honest liberal needs to spice it up a bit.
Why not make it sound like these two Confederates deliberately took aim at a child and pulled the trigger? Hey, that’s the ticket.
And the polar bears are drowning because the ice flows are melting…….
Elrod -
Sorry I didn't take it as you intended, but you sure didn't leave any hints that was your intention.
As to their sign showing a level of joking, I wish that were true. Back in my youth and poorer days, I spent a fair amount of time around people like that. I can promise the majority of those with signs like that are not joking in the least, except to themselves at how witty and clever their sign is. But the intent is, as we have seen in this case, deadly serious.
I wasn't joking when I called them racist, Confederate flag-loving borderline psychotics. This is not a 'Texas homestead invasion case' in any way, shape or form. Given the circumstances, I cannot see how this will be considered 'pre-meditated', at least come plea bargaining time, so I will guess that neither spends more than 10 years for this. That is criminal in its own way.
JWest – If your a gun owner or hunter please explain how anyone shoots “in pitch blackness”? These whackjobs shoot at someone they couldn't see.
I remember in my hunter safety course that you are NOT supposed to shoot until you can SEE the target clearly. If they were shooting in pitch black, then they shouldn't have been shooting at all. Don't they have flash lights in Texas?
I had a ex-Special Forces fella at the gun range I go to tell me the same Rambie: don't shoot until you can clearly see the target.
Firing into darkness at “targets”?? That's what gang members and wackjobs do.
OK. Let’s work through this slowly, so that there are no mistakes.
First – I am in no way making excuses, trying to justify, or supporting the shooters in any way whatsoever. Of course, no one should ever shoot at anything without having positively identifying it.
On top of that, although I believe in the right to protect private property, no one should ever shoot at anybody unless they believe their life is in imminent danger.
I don’t hunt, but I do keep firearms for home protection.
My point about Jonathan Turley was about how he felt the need to embellish a story to make it worse than it was. He wanted to leave the impression that the shooters knew they were firing on a small child, making the incident a cold blooded murder.
Why would he do that? Why not just stick to the truth?
“That's what gang members and wackjobs do.”
I think you hit the nail right on the head T_Steel. A responsible gun owner does not fire blindly. It also sounds like they didn't even give a warning before they fired. You would think they would have at least said, “Get the Hell out or you're going to get shot!” At least give the trespasser the option not to die.
I haven't seen many solutions to this problem.
The far left will say, as was said in the article, that we need to ban guns entirely. I completely disagree with this approach. Responsible gun owners make up such a minute portion of gun crimes that would not curb gun violence.
The far right and libertarians will take the opportunity to argue against the leftist push for more controls. I can't agree with that position either. I don't mind the hunter having rifles/shotguns, people owning handguns for protection, but assault weapons and armor piercing bullets don't belong in the hands of civilians. How many animals are you killing that have kevlar vests?
Again I agree with T_Steel that guns don't kill people, it's the people pulling the triggers. I don't see what type of legislation could have prevented a tragic case like the one in Texas. Rambie suggested earlier mandatory safety classes and background checks should be required for anyone purchasing a gun. Background checks are absolutely necessary as is the 5 day waiting period. I am doubtful that mandatory safety classes will be more than wastes of money. Some people will go to them and follow the rules. Even that wont guarantee that attendees will follow the safety tips given to them. I think I can safely speculate that the Texas shooters would not have followed what they learned in the safety class as they couldn't even follow common sense.
Stupid is stupid. You can't legislate intelligence.