Last week, Michael Payless, 33, sat watching television in his home with two of his children. Then, in a split second, he was dead from the bullet of a gun. Behind the trigger -- his 3-year-old son.
According to police, the boy found a loaded handgun lying nearby, and picked it up, and accidentally discharged it. His father was pronounced dead at the scene.
The story is so heartbreaking on so many levels. For the children who lost their father, and for their mother who lost her husband and will now be faced to raise her children alone. But mostly I ache for this 3-year-old boy. How do you live your life knowing that you shot your own father?
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Sure, he'll be told it was an accident, that it wasn't his fault. But will he ever truly be able to accept that and move on? I hope so. I hope he -- and his entire family -- get the kind of support and counseling they need to deal with such a tragedy.
Perhaps most heartbreaking of all, however, is how easily all of this could have been avoided -- if only a loaded gun hadn't been lying around. There are few details, and it's not clear whose gun it was or why it was in the home, but I can't think of any explanation that would justify it.
Nothing can undo this tragedy now, but others can learn from it. I'm not someone who seeks to ban guns, but with the right to bear arms comes the incredible responsibility to treat them with the utmost care, and never ever put them anywhere a child could potentially get a hold of them. Ever.
Do you have guns in your home? What measures do you take to keep them from your children?
Image via Westside Shooter/Flickr
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Comments 90
I don't remember a time I have ever lived without guns... I grew up with a 4-H group who taught gun safety and training. Even my (at the time) four year old brother knew gun safety, and that they aren't toys. This is just pure negligence any weapon should not be taken lightly when kids are around.... I loved shooting guns for competitions but I preferred Archery as my sport; so my children will also grow up knowing that guns aren't toys.
All guns unloaded and locked in either a locked case or locked safe....
That really sucks for that family.
We have guns but they are kept in a biometric (fingerprint) safe at all times.
Darwinism strikes again.
This is a horrible tragedy....why does there have to be judgement and blame placed anywhere?
Obviously the baby was not at fault. I don't know why anyone would even point that out.. I'm with Autumn Scott on this one. She wasn't saying that the father wasn't at fault, just that he didn't kill himself. Comments where people puff out their chest and say "well I would never leave a gun lying around, he killed himself!" Duh. You don't get a cookie for not leaving a gun around. It makes me sick that instead of having some reaction to the situation (anger, compassion, whatever) people instead post inane and stupid comments to somehow pat themselves on the back for being better than the guy who got shot by a 3 year old...
its a sad story who cares whose fault it was a man is dead and anyone trying to say he deserved it is a heartless person I feel bad for you
If you have guns in your house with small children they should be locked in a gun safe...unloaded...just in case. I'm sad that the dad died, but he didn't handle his guns appropriately.
The child will probably need therapy....can't imagine how he'll get through this.