# How is this possible? (Mother shot by toddler at Walmart) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569 "2014-12-30T21:49:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/1 "2014-12-30T21:49:11Z")
[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2014/12/30/22156436.html](http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2014/12/30/22156436.html) Long story short, it seems that a two-year-old reached into their mom’s purse, pulled out a handgun, fired it and killed the mom. Now I’ve fired handguns a couple times at indoor shooting ranges and I found that it takes a bit of effort in the index finger to pull the trigger. I can’t imagine that a toddler would have that kind of finger strength and hand dexterity, let alone have enough time to figure it out without being noticed. The article states that the mother was with three other children so I guess she was distracted, but still. Your thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/2 "2014-12-30T21:51:48Z")
I think she’s a stupid asshole. Depending on the gun, the trigger can be difficult to pull or require almost no effort whatsoever. I’m assuming there was no manual safety, she’s double stupid for carrying it with one in the chamber. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/3 "2014-12-30T21:53:54Z")
Some handguns, I presume especially those marketed to women who carry it in their purse, may not require much trigger pressure. I’ve also heard of gunsmiths who will modify even .45s to require very little pressure. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/4 "2014-12-30T22:19:28Z")
The kid probably had their whole hand inside the trigger guard. Toddlers can have quite a grip. The kid reached into the purse, felt something interesting, grabbed for it, and Bang! Sad someone died, but people that stupid shouldn’t be allowed to breed in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/5 "2014-12-30T22:29:21Z")
At least it’s the idiot parent who thought it was a good idea to walk around with a gun rather than one of the kids or an innocent bystander. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/6 "2014-12-30T22:46:47Z")
Women’s purses are very dangerous places. ---
**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:** [December 30, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/7 "2014-12-30T22:50:47Z")
Are you saying that women’s purses ought to be banned? ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/8 "2014-12-30T23:20:54Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Are you saying that women’s purses ought to be banned? You can have my purse, when you pry it from my cold dead fingers! Oh wait! I don’t have one. I’m a man. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/9 "2014-12-30T23:29:01Z")
It’s America. Find a similar story anywhere else on earth. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/10 "2014-12-30T23:30:22Z")
What kind of gun was it? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/11 "2014-12-30T23:44:39Z")
Glad it was her and not some innocent person. ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/12 "2014-12-30T23:55:51Z")
I, too, am dumbfounded by the idea of a mother, with a toddler, carrying a loaded weapon without a safety in an open purse. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/13 "2014-12-31T00:03:14Z")
Hmm. I didn’t know Idaho is so dangerous that carrying a loaded gun in one’s purse in ready access of a toddler would ever make sense to someone. Learn something new every day. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/14 "2014-12-31T00:05:32Z")
She’s a momma grizzly, fiercely defending her young from any and all dangers. Or, at least, she used to be. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/15 "2014-12-31T00:08:21Z")
No, Idaho is so dangerous _because_ carrying a loaded gun in one’s purse in ready access of a toddler seems to make sense to some people. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/16 "2014-12-31T00:13:11Z")
Joking about this is not funny whatsoever. Just the other day, some lady we knew died in a Walmart due to falling prices. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/17 "2014-12-31T00:26:20Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > No, Idaho is so dangerous _because_ carrying a loaded gun in one’s purse in ready access of a toddler seems to make sense to some people. It’s also totally legal to buy or sell a gun at a yard sale or flea market, unless Hayden, Idaho had a local ordinance against it. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/18 "2014-12-31T00:29:12Z")
You know, sometimes I really wish we DID have a “like button” around here. If we did, everyone who posted before me would get a “like”. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/19 "2014-12-31T00:34:51Z")
Once again the media misreports a negligent discharge as an accidental one. This was not an accident, it was an act of negligence. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569/20 "2014-12-31T00:39:08Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Once again the media misreports a negligent discharge as an accidental one. This was not an accident, it was an act of negligence. You’re right. That toddler should never be allowed to own a gun. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-this-possible-mother-shot-by-toddler-at-walmart/708569.md?page=2)