A report that a 4-year-old shoots his mom is devastating. That's what happened to the mother of a four-year-old boy in Washington state who accidentally shot her with a 12 gauge shotgun, according to police. Whenever this type of shooting takes place, especially when children are involved, it attracts the age-old question about whether our gun laws are strict enough.Â
According to CBS News, on Monday police were called to a residence near Tacoma in Gig Harbor to investigate a report that a 4-year-old had shot his mother. Upon arrival, they found an unidentified woman who sustained a gunshot wound to her left side.Â
After an initial investigation, authorities learned that the woman's 4-year-old son had loaded a bird-shot cartridge into a long gun and pulled the trigger. It's amazing how a young child can find a weapon, load it into a gun, and shoot his mother, while her back is turned.Â
Thankfully, the woman did not suffer life-threatening injuries from the accidental shooting. Police report that the boyfriend, who was not home at the time of the shooting, gave the cartridge to the young boy, earlier. He claims that the child was "curious" about the projectile. Imagine that? Just because a child wants to know about building a bomb, doesn't give the parent the right to school him on the art of bomb-making.Â
Here is an unfortunate event that happens in one of many households in America, almost daily. When a 4-year-old boy shoots his mom, accidentally, questions pertaining to proper parenting must be asked. Unfortunately, many victims of this type of unintended violence could have taken measures to a prevent shooting such as this by locking away firearms, properly.Â
Then, it goes one step further when we speak about the current laws on our books pertaining to the right to bear arms. Not many would argue that a gun, in this instance, was a "good thing" because it became an instrument of harm that could have taken a life. Proponents would argue that to bear arms is an inherent right given to us at birth in the U.S. This is where the sticky, and often heated argument takes place.Â
What do you think about a 4-year-old who accidentally shoots his mom? Is this an issue of negligence or bad laws on our books that are in need of amending? Would it have made a difference?Â
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