I agree that training is the best prevention, but it's my understanding from the article that these kids had only lived there for around two weeks and it was the boyfriend's gun? In a situation like that, a lock box would have been cheap insurance until sufficient training could have been had for those children. "An ounce of prevention..." as the saying goes.

Our daughter is trained and has learned the Eddie Eagle principles...that was a first on our list when she was old enough to understand. She too has seen the damage a bullet can do and that the deer doesn't come back to life after it's shot.... A good thing for her to see and associate with guns. She's already gotten her own gun and has been shooting for awhile now. We still keep any guns not in use for carry, our immediate use, home protection, in our gun safe.

Not good enough. As I wrote on The High Road years ago:



...and...



...and...



You can read the whole thread here:

http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=138460

...my boys are both 5...

We do not have toy guns, guns are not toys.

Last week we had Gun101. I put out a revolver and a SIG - we talked about what to do if they ever encounter a gun like these either at home (which AIN'T gonna happen) or at a friends house - which freaks me out. They already have a basic understanding of death so I drove home the point about what will happen if they ever point a gun at someone and pull the trigger - their brother/friend will DIE. Tough message, but necessary.

Personally I look forward to Gun201 when we get to start plinking with the .22 revolver.

This is a sad story, i know accidents happen but this could've been avoided. I'm surprised the media hasn't put too much spin on this story (at least from what I've read)

It doesn't occur to my kids to play with one of my guns. They know that if they want to see it, they need to just ask, and I will show them the gun safely and answer their questions. That doesn't mean I don't have a couple of lockboxes around the house. Like Andrew said - do both.

+1 Sounds like my house. I often open carry at home and every once in a while one of my kids will ask to see my carry gun. Then of course all the kids want to see.

My kids will often ask me if they can see my carry gun...and will quite often look *longingly* at Pony guns carry gun until we allow them to check it out. They see us empty it and check it to make sure it is unchambered, but they are still very cautious with the direction it is pointing and they keep their finger off the trigger.

Faribault Daily News had a poll on whether or not the adult or adults should be charged for leaving the gun unlocked in this sad event. Overwhelmingly it was voted NO, they have suffered enough. I'm apalled, they should be charged, if nothing else to show others how stupid it was, and also, to show that the law is what it is, and if you don't follow it, shat happens. If they aren't charged, why even have the law in the first place?

Are they going to charge the boyfriend? He should at least get a years worth of community service to remind him what an idiot he was.

I can't imagine that he'll need any reminder. I don't have an opinion on whether he should be charged or not. I know that if I were in his shoes right now, I wouldn't be concerned with legal consequences. I'd either be dead (suicide), in a state of shock, or constantly praying for her peace of mind and my salvation through a wall of tears.

Heartbreaking.

My approach with my kids was to

1. Teach them
2. Secure my guns

My children we never allowed near my “gun space,” without my invitation. I taught them to take a firearm (1911) to pieces and how to assemble it to working condition. They knew all the parts by name, and every parts function. One of my sons was especially interested in observing and learning how to build a 1911. They all learned how to reload.

They started to shoot BBs as soon as they were able to hold the “gun.” The introduction to guns continued with .22s and ended with .45s and my favorite: .38 Super. I never forced the gun to them. They gave practical shooting a crack, but eventually chose their own way to express themselves.

Gun in our family was never an unnatural phenomenon, nor was it something to play with or brag about. Only two of my kids, a daughter and a son, took the bait and continued competitive shooting as adults.

Kids have been my most satisfying audience as regards to teaching gun. In general, I follow the NRA’s mantra, but when I have a chance I take children (and their parents) to shoot.

I have never understood these horrible “accidents.” Maybe I was just lucky?

Belt and Suspenders. Seems to be the way to go. Gun proof the kids AND kid proof the guns.

WOW, that is un-called for there is no way with any type of child in the house. where that gun should have been unattended. people like that are the reason I am unable to have my gun in the house under respect for my girlfriends mother witch is fine with me but, if it wasn't for people like that there would be no problem with me having my gun in this house. right now my guns are at a house of a trusted friend of 16 years. soon as I finish my schooling and me and my girlfriend move out is the day I buy a safe and have my guns in my house with a 4-6 year old girl in the house, and I will not be worried about anything like that happening because it will be impossible for that to happen.

Wrong. Sorry to jump on your first post (Welcome, by the way ), but nothing is impossible. When I was 6 or 7 years old, I knew where everything in my house was. I didn't drink all of my dad's whiskey, but I knew where he kept it. I didn't shoot my dad's revolver, but I could get it if I wanted to. A combination safe (or any without a key) would be a good idea, but any 10 year old kid could carry a handgun safe outside, smash it with a hammer and have himself a gun.

Besides carry guns, my stuff is all locked in gun lockers (cheap Homak and such) in a room with a locked door. My 9 year old daughter could jimmy the door. I don't know if she could find the keys to the gun lockers, but it wouldn't surprise me. A great big safe with a combination lock for ALL your guns... ALL THE TIME would be about as close to 100 % as you could get.

I'm just saying, not much is 100 %. We're all just doing the best we can (hopefully).

Well... at least you left your old man some.