Mass. boy dies after accidentallly shooting himself with Uzi

[GreenEyedGirl]

What the boy was using was this:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The UZI SMG (Sub Machine Gun) is the original and senior member of the UZI family. This revolutionary sub machine gun was the first to introduce design features that later found their way into many other guns. The UZI's angular body is made from pressed steel parts. The UZI uses a unique blowback mechanism with a bolt that wraps around the end of the barrel. Empty cases are ejected through slots in the body. This unique design is the key to achieving a combination of firepower and compact dimensions.[/FONT]


From this website: http://www.uzi.com/firearms.html

Anyone who knows anything about guns should know this is far too powerful a weapon to be in the hands of an 8-year old.

By the way, I let my son play with toy guns-I did when I was a kid and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm certainly not a murderer and neither are my brothers. Safety is the key.

 

[CaliKid]

I understand LE has to follow the book when it comes to charging people, But...SERIOUSLY?!?! Ugh, I will be so beyond mad if no one is charged.

This IMO would at least warrant child endangerment charges.

 

[imamaze]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/11/08/questions_grow_after_uzi_death_of_child/
Questions grow after Uzi death of child
The Boston Globe
The micro Uzi machine pistol placed in the hands of an 8-year-old at a Westfield gun club's pumpkin shoot last month is so hard to handle that it has earned a nickname among gun enthusiasts: the "Fifty-fifty."
"That means there is a fifty-fifty chance that you'll either kill whomever or whatever you're aiming it at or kill yourself," said Steve Traver, owner of D&S Gunworks, a firearms company in Hancock. "That machine gun should have never been at that shoot. It doesn't have a grip and has such a high rate of fire that even adults have a lot of difficulty controlling it. It's designed for highly-trained bodyguards, not children."
More...

 

[MeoW333]

"It is unclear how the micro Uzi came to be at the club that day.
Some gun sellers said there is very little demand for the gun. "It's useless," Swinson said. "They aren't very practical and don't sell much."

(from above article link in imamaze's post)

Why on earth would anyone aware of how dangerous a gun it is let a child or any aged adult shoot it? Children shouldn't be shooting guns at gun fairs; where was the father's judgement? If he's a phd you'd think he'd have common sense.

 

[believe09]

They include the chief of police and the gun club...unless I missed it, they do NOT include an indictment for the father who allowed the boy to handle the gun...

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/18203270/detail.html?rss=bos&psp=news

 

[chicagofa13]

IMO the father should have been charged. He takes the kid and allows him to shoot. Complete idiot.

 

[Soulmagent]

Edward Fleury trial for this case is on in session in case anyone wants to watch it. I watched some of it monday and today. I am not sure how far into the trial they are I have only been catching pieces but there are interesting facts being bought up.

Like part of the uzi Christopher was firing was missing a piece. I will look for links on that later as I am a little unclear on which piece and if it effected the "safty " of the weapon.