Heartbreaking
4-Year-Old Shoots & Kills Little Brother & Parents Are to Blame
Our hearts break this afternoon as news emerges that a 2-year-old boy died in Minneapolis Wednesday after his 4-year-old brother found and started playing with his father's handgun. The victim, Neegnco Xiong, was alongside his brother in their parents' bedroom when the gun discharged and he was hit. Their parents? Downstairs.
This story makes my eyes water. In Minneapolis where the tragedy occurred, it's a crime to store a loaded firearm where a child can gain access to it. Yes, accidents happen and of course the 4-year-old had NO clue what he was doing. I can't help but wonder, though: What kind of parent would put a gun within the reach of a kid!? Nevertheless, a LOADED one?
Not good ones, that's for sure.
When you have children, you have to think about everything differently. Yes, it is your right to own a handgun, but it is also your job as a parent to protect your children under any and all circumstances. No matter what the reason was that Neegnco's parents bought the gun in the first place, storing it where they did is just plain ignorant. Reports say that the parents were downstairs at the time with another one of their children, and they had a 5-year-old who was at school at the time. Just think about the tragedy that could have happened if all of the children were in the bedroom at the same time.
Deaths like this shouldn't happen, period. As unfortunate as what happened in Minneapolis was, may this event be another reminder about the importance of gun safety. No one who owns a gun should be this careless about where they keep it. I can't even imagine the pain that Neegnco's family is experiencing right now.
How do you think the gun should have been stored to prevent Neegnco's death?
Image via Chris Yarzab/Flickr
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jrl90
what the hell kind of question is that? Obviously securely stored like a safe. It isn't necessary to end every article in a question, especially a dumb one.
dirtiekittie
any legitimate gun owner should be able to answer that question. of course you store it locked away, with the ammo locked away in a separate safe, with keys hidden from little children so they don't get into either. it's a terrible tragedy that happened to these children - but let's not turn this into a gun debate, when it's clearly an irresponsible parent debate.
cmjaz
blue82
Floridamom96
laurenemb
jrl90 calm it down sister. They end every article with a question to foster discussion in the board, and I'm sure gun owners have different opinions about where they store their guns and why.
what a tragedy. that poor baby, and that poor brother. shame on the parents for not storing the gun somewhere the children can't reach it.
Autumnleaves87
You're are literally the opposite of me.
Bruickson
Scott Davis
I keep my sidearm on my side all the time unless I'm sleeping and then its in my top drawer for easy access. I don't keep one in the chamber, I have several reasons for this. Always treat a gun like its loaded, and then keep it loaded, because it does you no good if it's not loaded.
imamombygrace