# Another 4 year old kills his Dad **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 8, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473 "2013-06-08T14:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/1 "2013-06-08T14:13:44Z")
“Authorities in northern Arizona say a 4-year-old boy has accidentally shot and killed his father at a Prescott Valley home…Police say the boy somehow found a gun in the home’s (a friend’s) living room and accidentally fired it and a bullet hit his father, who was rushed to a hospital where he died.” > **[HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News](https://www.huffpost.com/?err_code=404&err_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%2F2013%2F06%2F08%2Fjustin-stanfield-thomas-killed_n_3407551.html)** > > Read the latest headlines, news stories, and opinion from Politics, Entertainment, Life, Perspectives, and more. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/2 "2013-06-08T14:26:09Z")
And there’s a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented had his father been a responsible gun owner. _Another_ four year old? Does this happen often? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/3 "2013-06-08T14:29:33Z")
In the past several months, there has been a spate of toddlers shooting up friends and family. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/4 "2013-06-08T14:31:30Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > And there’s a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented had his father been a responsible gun owner. > > _Another_ four year old? Does this happen often? His father wasn’t the gun owner. I’d guess that the father is a responsible gun owner (or would be if he owns guns, don’t know about that part). As for the gun owner, it’s possible that he just doesn’t have kids in his house on a regular basis (or they came over unexpectedly) and he didn’t think to move it or forgot it was there if it was in a place where he always keeps it. Kind of a set it and forget it mentality. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/5 "2013-06-08T14:31:41Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > And there’s a horrible tragedy that could have been prevented had his father been a responsible gun owner. > > _Another_ four year old? Does this happen often? Four years old is kinda on the cusp between baby and ‘big kid’. You begin to feel more comfortable leaving them to play alone for a little while but at the same time, you probably shouldn’t. But, like I said, most parents do start letting kids have a bit of independence at that age. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/6 "2013-06-08T14:37:54Z")
> [@For You](#): > > In the past several months, there has been a spate of toddlers shooting up friends and family. They saw those threads about how many five year olds can you fight off. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/7 "2013-06-08T14:43:17Z")
Just watched the video, it seems like the whole thing happened really quickly. I’m sure more information will come out later, but I almost wonder if the friend had the gun out for a reason (and they made it clear the visit was unexpected) and that the kid walked over to it right away, maybe while they were still at the door saying hi. If that was the case, it’s just a freak accident. It sucks, but it’s an accident. OTOH, if they had been there for more then a few minutes, then the guy in the video was right that the friend should have said “Hold on, let me go put my gun away”. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/8 "2013-06-08T15:29:59Z")
I’m as pro-gun-control as they come, but from the posts so far it seems like a “swiss cheese” type of incident – the kind of concatenation of bad luck circumstances discussed in the current “infant left in hot car” threads. Even less culpability than those incidents, in fact – no need to explain it via some quirk of human memory or the like. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/9 "2013-06-08T16:24:22Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I’m as pro-gun-control as they come, but from the posts so far it seems like a “swiss cheese” type of incident – the kind of concatenation of bad luck circumstances discussed in the current “infant left in hot car” threads. Even less culpability than those incidents, in fact – no need to explain it via some quirk of human memory or the like. It’s definitely bad luck the gun owner was an idiot. Do you leave loaded guns lying around where anyone can grab them and shoot? You don’t have to check to see if someone else is in the car every time you get out to be a responsible car owner. You do have to put your guns out of reach every single time they’re not in your hands or you are not a responsible gun owner. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/10 "2013-06-08T16:29:13Z")
Obviously, we need to start registering toddlers. And ban assault toddlers outright. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/11 "2013-06-08T17:31:34Z")
Is his name Oedipus? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/12 "2013-06-08T18:43:33Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Obviously, we need to start registering toddlers. And ban assault toddlers outright. We need a like button… ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/13 "2013-06-08T20:30:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Obviously, we need to start registering toddlers. And ban assault toddlers outright. Be very clear in your language. Banning “assault toddlers” would do no good in this case as the child in question was a preschooler. We need to make sure any such bans are written in a language where they actually help solve the problem, and since no such language exists, we should make sure that toddlers and preschoolers do not have their rights infringed. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/14 "2013-06-08T21:36:08Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Obviously, we need to start registering toddlers. And ban assault toddlers outright. What about pit toddlers? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/15 "2013-06-08T21:48:30Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > What about pit toddlers? It’s not their fault, it’s their owners. Just make sure if you find a stray one, to take it to a no-kill shelter. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/16 "2013-06-08T23:06:59Z")
I can think of absolutely no reason to have a loaded gun sitting anywhere that a 4-year-old would have the opportunity to pick it up and shoot someone with it. Why was a loaded gun in the living room in the first place? There’s no need to have a loaded firearm in one’s home unless the intent is to use it for self-defense. I suppose that the owner might have a reason to need his gun close-at-hand 24/7, so the coffee table in the living room might possibly have been ‘the best place’ to have it at that point in time…but if that were the case it would then be of paramount importance to secure the firearm from visiting children. It seems a bit harsh at this point to criticize the father for not teaching his child to not pick up and play with other people’s possessions, though that might have averted tragedy in this case as well. Of course, I suspect that the full story is probably something slightly different that “the boy somehow found a gun”…and sadly probably involves the phrase “I didn’t think it was loaded”. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/17 "2013-06-08T23:13:35Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > What about pit toddlers? Declaw them and circumcise them. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/18 "2013-06-08T23:21:54Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Obviously, we need to start registering toddlers. And ban assault toddlers outright. The problem is not the toddlers but the hi cap diapers. ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/19 "2013-06-08T23:24:34Z")
The kid probably has spend at least a couple of years playing with toy guns. Poor kid probably thought it was just another toy. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473/20 "2013-06-09T09:46:12Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > . Why was a loaded gun in the living room in the first place? . I suppose that the owner might have a reason to need his gun close-at-hand 24/7 Even so, why was the gun cocked with a bullet in the chamber? Sounds like a _terribly_ irresponsible gun owner. Is he a mafia hit man or a gang member, expecting an assassin to burst through his front door any minute? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-4-year-old-kills-his-dad/660473.md?page=2)