4yr old shoots 6yr old w/ rifle

[Cloudwraith]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/09/us/new-je ... ?hpt=hp_t2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"The 4-year-old ... retrieved a rifle within the house, a .22-caliber rifle, came outside," Mastronardy told reporters earlier Tuesday. "... A shot went out and the 6-year-old was struck in the head."

My 9 year old had problems holding his Marlin 60 .22 upright, how does a 4 year old drag out a loaded .22 rifle and aim it enough to shoot the other boy?

[Klingon00]

That assumes it was an aimed shot. I'm thinking it was a series of unfortunate circumstances that led to this outcome. A 4 year old holding a rifle at the hip level with the muzzle end slightly elevated could conceivably end up aimed at a 6 year old head's level rather naturally I would think. Tragic to say the least.

Lessons to take from this:
1. Teach your children well. They won't learn safe gun handling practices through osmosis. It is up to an adult to teach them.
2. Perhaps a loaded firearm where small children can access them isn't the best idea, especially if you aren't 100% sure you have followed #1 above and even then, it depends a lot upon the individual child.