WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Two Purdue University students have been arrested after a man was fatally shot near campus in what police call an accidental shooting.
Twenty-one-year-old Landon Siela of Fort Wayne died at a Lafayette hospital after being shot in an off-campus apartment about 7 p.m. Saturday.
West Lafayette Police Lt. Troy Harris says Purdue students Cory Lynch and William Calderon -- both 22 -- were pointing guns at Siela as a joke when Lynch's gun fired, striking Siela in the throat.
Lynch was arrested on suspicion of reckless homicide and pointing a loaded firearm, both felonies. He was being held Sunday at the Tippecanoe County jail on a $10,000 surety bond.
Calderon was arrested on suspicion of pointing an unloaded firearm and false informing, both misdemeanors. He was released on bond from the jail.
It's difficult to say if the gun was legally owned, but I suppose it doesn't matter. Whether Mr. Lynch was a legitimate gun owner or not doesn't change the fact that he was engaging in behaviour that violated all of the famous 4 rules of gun safety.
My question always seems to be the same. How common is this? How many times do you think this kind of nonsense results in a round being fired which luckily hits no one? Such an incident would certainly go unreported and therefore is beyond any verifiable statistics, but I suggest it's pretty common. Guys who do this are part of the Famous 10% under the heading General stupidity and irresponsibility. one half of 1%.
What's your opinion? Don't you think young people in their 20s frequently lack the maturity and common sense to be responsible with guns? I didn't say all, but I'm afraid this characterization of your average 20 something young man is true more times than it is false.
What do you think?
I believe that 20 somethings are far less mature then they were when I was 20ish and I was less mature than my father's generation was 20 something. This is a cultural phenomena that has nothing to do with gun ownership.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even the immature can be taught to respect firearms and follow the rules. I know several, otherwise immature teens in Boy Scouts that can safely handle firearms. My 6 year old can tell you the four rules but that doesn't make her mature.
I would bet that the students in this story were never taught to handle and respect firearms. Their age or level of maturity has little to do with it.
I agree that young people can be immature, impulsive, and at times irrational.
ReplyDeleteThat said, they are adults and should not be denied Constitutional rights because of age.
We don't deny old folks their 2nd Amendment rights because some suffer from dementia.
As FWM said, the major factor here was that these two were never taught to RESPECT firearms and instead treated them like toys.
The most important factor of course was alcohol. Alcohol and guns DO NOT mix, specifically because it impairs motor function and judgment.
i agree. numerical age has nothing to do with one's knowledge and respect for firearms.
ReplyDeleteMy question always seems to be the same. How common is this?
ReplyDeleteCDC keeps track of all this. Latest numbers from 2006 on accidental deaths show that there were 642 unintentional firearms deaths in all of the US. Compare that to 3579 drownings, or 1141 accidents involving pedestrians. Falls are 20,823.
So it's not unheard of, but not that remarkably common either.
"I believe that 20 somethings are far less mature then they were when I was 20ish and I was less mature than my father's generation was 20 something."
ReplyDeleteFWM just nailed it.
And MikeB, thankyou for recognizing that these idiots violated ALL 4 RULES.
At least the Tribune didn't call this an "accidental shooting" like so many other media outlets have done before.
Sure it may have been unintentional(they didn't premeditate to shoot their buddy), but when somebody points a loaded gun(Rule #1 all of them) at another person's head, sticks their booger hook into the trigger gaurd and pulls the trigger, that ain't an accident.
falnfenix, Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteSebastian, I don't like these comparisons at all, here's another reason why. Accidental shooting deaths compared to drowning deaths are what you said. But we must consider the accidental shootings that were less than fatal, some of which resulted in spinal chord injury or brain damage, many others I suppose in psychological trauma. Even accidental shootings that miss can cause psychological harm and property damage.
The near-drownings on the other hand are not that devastating. I suppose some people could develop a phobia from a near-drowning, and I suppose there are rare cases in which a person deprived of oxygen ends up in a wheelchair. But the shootings cause much more damage than what's reflected in the number of deaths.
So mikeb, why don't you take the assignment to go to the WISQARS website and compare the accident numbers and give us your analysis?
ReplyDelete20 somethings are mature enough to die for their country.
ReplyDeleteYes some are inmature, they get drunk & kill themselves & their friends, & innocents as well.
But that wouldn't leave any long lasting trauma behind would it?
"But we must consider the accidental drunk drivers that were less than fatal, some of which resulted in spinal chord injury or brain damage, many others I suppose in psychological trauma. Even drunk drivers that miss can cause psychological harm and property damage."
I'm sure more of the 20 somethings drink than own guns.