# Murder Epidemic by Four Year Olds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281 "2013-04-10T02:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **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:** [April 10, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/1 "2013-04-10T02:27:58Z")
“A 4-year old boy shot and killed Wilson County Deputy Daniel Fanning’s wife Josephine, inside his home on Saturday, the Huffington Post reported. The deputy was inside showing his weapons collection to a relative when the officer’s wife and nephew entered the room. The child grabbed one of his loaded guns off the bed and fired a single shot, hitting the deputy’s 48-year-old wife, Josephine.” > **[4 Year-Old Shoots Tennessee Sheriff Deputy's Wife: Josephine Fanning...](https://www.lawyerherald.com/articles/3103/20130409/4-year-old-shoots-tennessee-sheriffs-deputy-wife-josephine-fanning.htm)** > > A 4-year old boy shot and killed Wilson County Deputy Daniel Fanning's wife Josephine, inside his home on Saturday. The deputy was inside showing his weapons collection to a relative when the officer's wife and nephew entered the room. The child... "A 6-year-old boy who was accidentally shot in the head by a 4-year-old playmate has died from his wounds, authorities said Tuesday night. Prosecutor Joseph Coronato, speaking earlier Tuesday at a news conference, said the boy got the .22-caliber rifle from his home and it discharged accidently Monday evening. The children, whose families live in the neighborhood, were about 15 yards apart." [http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201\_162-57578783/6-year-old-boy-dies-after-n.j-accidental-shooting/](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57578783/6-year-old-boy-dies-after-n.j-accidental-shooting/) “Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/2 "2013-04-10T02:34:44Z")
Epidemic ? No! Tragic ? Yes! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/3 "2013-04-10T02:59:29Z")
Nonsense. There was a two-year-old who just shot his mom in the gut within the last day or so, as well, so clearly it’s a toddler epidemic, not a 4-year-old epidemic. (Mom was sleeping with her 3-week-old; talk about sibling rivalry.) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/4 "2013-04-10T16:18:42Z")
The important unanswered question is, “Were the 4 year olds laughing about it after they did the shootings?” Because nothing is more precious than a child’s laughter. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/5 "2013-04-10T16:27:43Z")
You know, diapers do make excellent bandages and or tourniquets… so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/6 "2013-04-11T01:57:36Z")
What if it was a murder for hire? Toddlers make really cheap hitmen. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/murder-epidemic-by-four-year-olds/655281/7 "2013-04-11T05:29:02Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > You know, diapers do make excellent bandages and or tourniquets… so there’s that. I have actually used them for just that purpose.