General Chat

An 18-month-old boy is critically ill in hospital after being shot in the head with an airgun in what appears to be a "tragic accident", police said.

He was playing with other young children in the garden of his home in Washwood Heath, Birmingham, on Sunday.

It is thought some children aged under five managed to access the air weapon and accidentally caused it to go off, West Midlands Police said.

The boy was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

He sustained a pellet wound to the back of the head.

Police inquiries into the circumstances have continued but it has been stressed officers were not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.

"While we are still trying to establish precisely what happened, this does appear to be a tragic accident involving young children," said DI Simon Vowles.

The above is from the BBC website, but ITV have just said the father was getting some target practise in the garden when he put the gun down to go and answer a phone call. His five year old daughter picked up the gun, and it went off, shooting a pellet into the back of her two-year-old brothers head.

Now if this is true, then surely anyone with an iota of common sense would never have left the gun within reach of young children, in fact should have taken it indoors with him?

I know he will have to live with this for the rest of his life, and will probably never make a mistake like that again, but surely this amounts to negligence? Should he be charged?

ohh dear god...

An accident is something that can't be avoided, surely.

This was at least negligence for leaving the gun out of his reach, let alone sight.

Hope the little one makes a full recovery and the others aren't too traumatised.

The father 'was getting some target practice 'in the garden with his 2 and 5 yr old children ????

It was a terrible accident, and I realise nobody meant for this to happen. But what sort of idiot leaves a loaded gun, albeit an air rifle, with his kids?

The little one is apparently stable.

I'm sorry but I think it's negligence too.

Hope the little lad pulls through xx

How many more are going to be killed or injured before they do something about them?
Should have been no where near children.

Marion

The poor little mite

Sorry the dad shouldnt of been using the gun with children around nevermind leaving it in the reach of them, and yes I do think he should have the gun taken off him and him charged.

But although my husband and son has air rifles as well as shot guns I think that ALL weapons should need a licence and be locked up when not in use, this man obviously doesnt respect the power of the weapon he uses and definatley not responsible enough.

Don't be sorry Muffy, I think he should be charged, It's beyond belief that someone who is responsible for children should be so stupid.

Yes he will never forgive himself for this for the rest of his life, but the reality is, he should not have left the gun...end of. I think he should be charged, and have the gun removed. Sadly its not illegal to own an air gun, but they are still dangerous, as is clearly shown by this incident.

I immediately thought as most of you, why doing target practice while small children around anyway, and if they were inside and he outside and they got out and touched the gun which he had left to answer the phone, still a very foolish situation to have allowed to happen.
Shame he wasn't playing with the children instead of using a gun anywhere near them. His punishment is the injury of his child, said still to be 'critical' at 11pm Sunday night.
Hope this little lad pulls though without brain damage or anything major as a result of this incident. If he does not pull though or is left disabled, his sister will have to cope with that too, bless her.

Lizx

You cant blame the children..
HE is entirely to blame, A loaded weapon should NOT be left Unattended........he should at least have fired off the shot. BEFORE going inside.....

Bob

This morning the grandfather of the little girl said that she is *very active* indicating a bit of a livewire... well, most five year olds are.

The father should be charged.... this was not an accident, it was a tragic set of circumstances set in place by one man's absolute stupidity and negligence. Nothing accidental about it.... totally avoidable. So therefore should not be classed as accidental... an accident is a set of circumstances that cannot be foreseen so therefore cannot be avoided.

I'd give him target practice if I got my hands on him.

Bob you are absolutely right

Love

Daff xxx

Possessing a dangerous weapon without due care and attention.... causing serious bodily harm through carelessness... i don't know, Eldrick!! I know it is kneejerk... but there are more laws in place to sort out stupid drivers than stupid people with guns and knives...... and we all know that a prison sentence would not happen, a slap on the wrist and a telling off.... the prison sentences are kept for old people who with hold their council tax, or people who embezzle and defraud... where money taken from big business is involved, not death and injury to little innocents!!

You and I both know that target practice and young children don't mix!!

Please don't make me stop my rant against this man's stupidity.... I haven't had a cuppa yet and I am narky!

Love

Daff xxx

Lol Eldrick... I know, I know...!

But I do think that if stupidity and negligence leads to this sort of tragic occurrence, there should be a by law somewhere to rap a knuckle or three..... at the very least putting him under a supervision order that means he can wield nothing more deadly than a plastic spoon!!

We have a bit of a problem with youngsters and their air rifles on the lane at the side of us.... they aim at bedroom windows, cats, the ponies in the field, whatever.

Last year, there was a young lad killed by the negligent discharge of an air rifle in his nan's shed, not a stone's throw away from here, they had been messing around.... what a tragic waste of a young life!! (the rifle was his cousin's, it wasn't in the nan's shed, a group of lads had been out with the rifle messing around)

If there was legislation to ensure that anyone in possession of an air-rifle had to show competence in it's use before being allowed to remove it from a rifle club or armoury, then that would at least make it more likely that negligent use could be punishable some way or another.

I am definitely not against firearms... I am a markswoman myself.... but I do think that even a ball bearing gun has the potential to be lethal!

Love

Daff xxx who is going to go and read through all the reports again, because a nasty suspicion began to play on my mind and I have had a cuppa now so should be more rational and balanced, lol!! xxxxx

Lol Eldrick.... far too rational for me, I'm afraid, today..... I feel a hang 'em and flog 'em moment coming on... well, more than a moment, really!!

My ex BiL bought my 10 year old nephew one of those ball bearing guns.... nephew then promptly aimed it at the family dog without giving it a second thought!!!! He didn't fire... he was 'messing around' and *practicing his aim*!! Grrrrrrr!

Victoria Meldrew session coming up... however, I have a brilliant afternoon planned.... I am expecting visitors... I haven't seen them for 34 years, so I am really looking forward to it.

Love

Daff xxxx who is off to dig out the best china mugs, lololol xxx

couldn't he be charged with negligence? Of course I don't want him sent to prison but a charge of some sort would make other people realise the seriousness of using any sort of fire arm when children as young as that are around. Children are inquisitive and like to show off. If the little girl is a 'live wire' he should have known she would be likely to investigate the gun. i hope the little one makes a full recovery.

Ann
Glos

Those damn things should have been banned YEARS ago.

Last year, a very young neighbour was playing with his friend in our cul-de-sac. He had an airgun, and aimed it at me playfully. I playfully put my hands up, saying "oh mister, don't shoot!" to which he replied, "Glenys, watch it! It's loaded". I laughed and said OK, I see, to which he replied that no really, it was loaded with pellets.
I then asked him to put it down, to which he aimed at me again. I shouted at him to put it down, then he ran off, saying he was only joking.

Trouble is, it really could have been loaded; you just don't know with these things.

We back onto fields here, and very often people go up into the fields, shooting whatever they can lay their grubby little mitts on, with airguns.

I could mention other tragic incidents, but don't want to depress you all. I hate the things. :-((((((

I really feel strongly about it, and will probably contact our MP about it.
x
Pssst Ian - I've had a couple of coffees this morning, and still feel the same lol.

have a lovely day Daff

Thanks Ann.... I have been watching the road reports from the direction they will be coming... it doesn't look too good!

Love

Daff xxx