So There's This

OANST · #1 03-08-2010, 12:41 PM

A mother in Tennessee is claiming that her daughter fatally shot herself in the stomach with a handgun she mistakenly believed to a Wii controller. At least, that's her only explanation for what could have happened.

The gun was left lying around by the victim's stepfather, who claims he produced the .380 caliber pistol to deal with a potential prowler, then left it on a table and promptly forgot all about it. Even more astoundingly, the mother was in the same room as the three-year-old girl when she picked the gun up and managed to shoot herself with it.

This story is all kinds of f*cked up. A man leaving a gun -- safety off -- in easy reach of a three-year-old, and a mother who is in the same room as a kid playing with the deadly weapon and somehow not noticing. That's before we even get into the fanciful notion of a child, however young, somehow confusing a gun with a controller.

Story and text courtesy of destructoid. Because I'm too lazy to wrap quote tags, that's why.

Wings of Fire · #2 03-08-2010, 12:44 PM

This was obviously caused by exposition to violent computer games.

Seriously though, the parents should get jailtime for negligence at least. This is a prime example of why people shouldn't own guns.

Mac Sirloin · #3 03-08-2010, 01:17 PM

:

A mother in Tennessee

"This can't be good."

Sekto Springs · #4 03-08-2010, 02:58 PM

That's pretty fucking terrible.
Irresponsible parents are the worst, and I get a knot in my stomach when I hear about a child dying on behalf of the parents' negligence.

:

That's before we even get into the fanciful notion of a child, however young, somehow confusing a gun with a controller.

Yeeeaahh...
I'm thinking the only logical scenario here is that they have a rail shooter game of some kind with the gun-shaped controllers. In that case, I could understand how a girl her age couldn't make make the distinction between the two. I assume they're trying to say she couldn't tell the difference between her daddy's piece and a wii remote though. Strange. Not impossible, but strange.

OANST · #5 03-08-2010, 03:01 PM

:

Yeeeaahh...
I'm thinking the only logical scenario here is that they have a rail shooter game of some kind with the gun-shaped controllers. In that case, I could understand how a girl her age couldn't make make the distinction between the two.

That makes sense until you start wondering how often children point even fake guns at themselves. At other people, sure. At themselves? Hmmm.

used:) · #6 03-08-2010, 03:06 PM

Good God.

Sekto Springs · #7 03-08-2010, 03:08 PM

:

That makes sense until you start wondering how often children point even fake guns at themselves. At other people, sure. At themselves? Hmmm.

Also, the likelihood of a three year old girl being strong enough (or coordinated enough for that matter) to shoot herself in the stomach sounds like quite the feat. Was the girl a contortionist or something?

I don't know much about guns, but I do know that most guns require quite a bit of pressure on the trigger before going off. When I was her age, I wasn't even strong enough to turn the steering wheel of the car, let alone squeeze the trigger of a pistol while holding it in such an awkward position.

OANST · #8 03-08-2010, 03:10 PM

Yeah. Did she pull the trigger with her thumbs? I don't know, man. I don't know.

Sekto Springs · #9 03-08-2010, 03:13 PM

NOTHING MAKES SENSE ANYMORE!

***Nate*** · #10 03-08-2010, 04:21 PM

:

This was obviously caused by exposition to violent computer games.

Sooo... longwinded explanatory game dialogue is dangerous now?

Wings of Fire · #11 03-08-2010, 04:24 PM

:

Sooo... longwinded explanatory game dialogue is dangerous now?

Everything to do with video games is dangerous.

Everything.

Aleks55 · #12 03-08-2010, 07:25 PM

Do they even own a freaking Wii? I know there is an odd gun thing for the Wii, but it sure as hell doesn't look like a freaking hand gun. Also I kinda have to agree with you, how does a 3 year old manage to aim at its own stomach and pull the trigger, gun trigger can be pretty hard to pull.

Sad thing is alot of people aren't going to question this and simply go with "Well they blamed video games they must be telling the truth"

Taco · #13 03-08-2010, 07:50 PM

That's a retarded claim to make. A child even that young cant get a gun and wii controller mistaken. She probably though "I'm gonna play with daddy's toy!". Kinda seems like the parents either wanted to get rid of her which is despicable, they're severely stupid, or were high. Or maybe a combination.

Sekto Springs · #14 03-08-2010, 07:56 PM

I don't think this particular event will really add any weight to the "Videogames = bad" argument. It's just unfortunate, nobody's at fault besides the parents.

Also, exactly how the hell do they know she mistook it for a Wii controller?
Did she say "Wii would like to play" before shooting herself? I'm not even joking, I just want to know how they assembled this for the press.

Pilot · #15 03-08-2010, 08:00 PM

:

Everything to do with video games is dangerous.

Especially those with a "Bad For Everyone" ESRB rating.

Sekto Springs · #16 03-08-2010, 08:33 PM

Pilot · #17 03-08-2010, 08:36 PM

Sekto Springs · #18 03-08-2010, 08:38 PM

We already turned this into a completely different discussion. High five, everyone!

Pilot · #19 03-08-2010, 08:58 PM

So there's this: As far as violent video games, I think I most prefer Grand Theft Auto: Kansas.

T-nex · #20 03-08-2010, 09:43 PM

God you guys suck...

Anyway I think the parents may be trying to displace the blame or something.

Havoc · #21 03-09-2010, 06:21 AM

:

Also, the likelihood of a three year old girl being strong enough (or coordinated enough for that matter) to shoot herself in the stomach sounds like quite the feat. Was the girl a contortionist or something?

That's funny, on a Dutch news site where this story was posted someone said the exact same thing. I'm wondering it too, .380 doesn't have a very light trigger if I'm not mistaking.

MA · #22 03-09-2010, 06:46 AM

why the fuck did this thing even have the clip in? if its for protection, typically at night, then you slide the clip in before you go to bed, and put it somewhere safe out of sight. you never leave the clip in loaded during the hours you're not home or are in no need of it, and you never leave it anywhere in the vicinity of actual ammunition when you have children running around.

or even better, don't own one.

Wings of Fire · #23 03-09-2010, 06:49 AM

So is there any evidence, apart from the mother's testimony, that it was an accident?

AlienMagi · #24 03-09-2010, 07:24 AM

Is there a link to your news source or anything?

Also:

:

Seriously though, the parents should get jailtime for negligence at least. This is a prime example of why people shouldn't own guns.

This

MeechMunchie · #25 03-09-2010, 08:21 AM

This is just horrible. I don't see how a mother could not notice her child picking up a gun in the same room, let alone why a father would leave a gun lying around near such a young person. Either they're hiding something, or they're awful parents. Guns are bad, mmkay?

Strike Witch · #26 03-09-2010, 12:36 PM

A bit more information, including the "peripheral"

OANST · #27 03-09-2010, 12:43 PM

The gun is very lifelike. This in no way excuses the actions of the parents, however.

Pilot · #28 03-09-2010, 02:07 PM

You guys all seem to think you know what you are talking about, based on what you think happened by reading a copy-pasted news article (or by picking up contextual clues and not even reading the post) Is it any of our business?

OANST · #29 03-09-2010, 02:14 PM

As it pertains to our opinion of gun laws in our country? Yes? As it pertains to the safety of our children and ourselves? Yes?

I do understand what you are saying, though. Odds are that the parents of this child are devastated beyond belief, and a group of strangers talking glibly about the death of a child doesn't do anything to help the situation.

Pilot · #30 03-09-2010, 02:19 PM

Yep, pretty much. I just think it's so easy to make judgements of others and situations we don't really understand the circumstances of; based on second-third-fourth-hand information sometimes. In my opinion, this only creates a larger problem.