Local news reports
The alleged shooter, 16-year-old Braiden McCahren, has been charged as an adult, with first degree murder. He shot his friend Dalton Williams, who was the same age, in the chest with a shotgun, said police.
The Capital Journal in Pierre reports that the teens somehow bought a .22 caliber rifle from a local gun shop. The boy had other guns at home.
Then they picked up Williams and went back to the shooter’s home to eat. The third friend told police that the he was arguing with the McCahren over a paintball incident and that they began wrestling in a joking manner.
Then McCahren retrieved the shotgun and aimed it at friend—known as “T.Y.” “T.Y.” tried to slip out of the door. Williams stood in between the two boys and that’s when the gun fired. The gun fired at close range into his chest.
T.Y. ran out of the house and called 911. Williams died at the hospital.
It sounds like the intended victim escaped unharmed and the other friend took the shot. Should that matter? Let's say you try to shoot someone and end up shooting someone else. Can you claim that you didn't intend to shoot him?
What about the parents? Do they have any responsibility in this? Are 16-year-olds allowed to own their own guns in South Dakota?
Please leave a comment.
The Federal minimum age for the purchase (not possession however) of any modern powder firearm is 18 years, for a long arm and 21 years for handguns, provided that such handguns are sold at a FFL dealer, otherwise the minimum age is only 18. One must be at least 21 to register a NFA item. Similar restrictions apply to all modern powder based ammunition, as such rifle and shotgun shells are restricted to those who are at least 18, while handgun ammunition must be sold to persons over 21. There is no federal prohibition against children (such as the ones described in Mike's post) possessing long arms (the minimum age for handgun possession is 18). As the State of South Dakota does not punish the possession of long arms by kiddies, any police officer who saw them with said weapons could not have done anything.
ReplyDeleteThe minimum age for possession of any firearms under any circumstances ought to be raised to 21 years. In accordance with such, the age of majority and age of consent should also follow suit, all to be set at 21. Adult children (American rednecks) with guns is bad enough. Allowing their intolerable offspring to be armed is even worse.
Mikeb,
ReplyDeleteI didn't say that you where "cognitively challenged".
I said that you are kind to those (pro-gun fools) who are cognitively challenged.
You have the (gracious) patience to actually listen to their deranged rantings and pretend to take them seriously. I applaud you.
Thanks, Black Cap. I think the antagonists also misunderstood. But, that was on another thread somewhere, wasn't it?
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