7 Year Old, Craig Allen Loughrey Killed Outside Of A Gun Shop

[HarveyDarkey]

Craig Allen Loughrey was buckling himself into a safety seat at the time he was shot.

AP reports:

A 7-year-old boy had been buckling himself into his safety seat in the back of his father's truck when he was shot to death after a handgun accidentally went off as his father got in the front seat, police said Sunday.

In the parking lot of a gun store in western Pennsylvania, a man's handgun went off while he was holding it as he got into his truck and the shot killed his 7-year-old son, Craig Allen Loughrey.

According to state police, Joseph V. Loughrey, 44, of Sharpsville, was getting into the truck when the 9 mm handgun discharged, wounding the young boy in the chest and Craig died on the scene.

http://globalgrind.com/news/he-has-name-7-seven-year-old-craig-allen-loughrey-killed-shot-outside-gun-shop-store-by-father-details

[MichiganVote]

1. :( Poor baby.

[ileus]

2. Prayers for the family... what a horrible accident.

Always keep your PSD in a proper holster, or unloaded if you're not carrying it.

[MrModerate]

18. Or ideally still in the gun store . . .

Or a landfill if you really want to address the problem.

[msongs]

31. it was NOT an accident. it had a specific human gun owner causing it nt

[CTyankee]

34. would this have happened if he hadn't been carrying a weapon?

would his child be alive today?

[ileus]

39. He wasn't carrying the firearm that was the problem.

If it's out of the safe it should be on your side. IF it's further than arms reach away it's useless to the owner and becomes a potential weapon to be used against you. Or god forbid some child comes in contact with it.

[CTyankee]

40. But that's not the reality. Or perhaps it is the way you devoutly wish it "could" have been

but we have seen this happen again and again. This coulda been avoided, he shoulda kept it safe, and then it woulda been OK and the child would be alive. But that didn't happen, did it, and in reality, it is more than likely NOT the case.

Also, if there was a strongly enforced law AGAINST carrying a gun, he might have been deterred from getting stopped by law enforcement, had the gun taken away immediately, and saving the child's life.

As it is, this man's "freedom" to have and carry a loaded gun has cost him the life of his child. Perhaps you can stop and think about what liberty and freedom means in this very real context. In that spirit, I ask you to pause and think harder about your position.

[morningfog]

3. Incredibly sad. The dad should be charged with manslaughter, at least.

[AtheistCrusader]

23. Criminal negligence.

[Logical]

4. Dad should serve some jail time. Involuntary manslaughter. Tragic.

[atreides1]

5. Why?

Was there even a round in the chamber? My gun is in my home and I don't have a round chambered!

The life of a seven year old boy cut short by an idiot father...it's not only those with mental problems that we have to be worried about, we have to be worried about people like this man...

[JohnnyRingo]

30. The dad was trying to get rid of the gun (as many suggest he do).

I live very near there, and from what I've read, he took the gun to the shop to sell it. He removed the magazine, but there was a round still in the chamber. When he showed it to the dealer he outright refused it on sight, and the dad took his son back to the car. After he buckled the boy into the car seat (safety first), he was placing the pistol in the center console with his finger obviously on the trigger. Clearly it was an accident, and taking the popular position here, and partly blame the gun, even though the dad broke every rule of gun safety. I don't want to raise anyone's ire that I'm an apologist for the NRA spouting their rhetoric... I'm absolutely not, so read my explanation:

The dad obviously knew nothing about guns because he failed to clear the chamber after removing the mag, so we know he was clueless about the first rule of safe gun handling. After it sat unused for some time, he decided he needed the money more than the false sense of protection he was receiving from something he wasn't familiar with, and he took it to a local dealer.

I know the gun was a piece of imported crap that we used to call "Saturday Night Specials" because there was no safety to prevent the gun from firing when the magazine is removed. Further it apparently didn't have a grip safety to ensure it was held properly in hand before it could fire. All quality firearms have multiple safeties to prevent accidents like this. Companies like S&W or Colt don't want a reputation for making guns that accidentally go off when mishandled.

The other reason I know it was a deadly piece of scrap metal was that the dealer didn't even want to touch the gun before sending him away. He knew on first sight there was no money to be made, and opted not to check it out any closer. Had the dealer examined the gun, he would have instinctively ejected the chambered round as a matter of habit, and this unfortunate accident would never have happened.

Although every shooting accident is ultimately the owner's responsibility, this was a confluence of unfortunate events caused by someone who bought something he was completely uneducated about, and he's paid dearly for his poor judgment. He could have had a deadly accident if he assumed anyone can operate chain saws or a nail gun without learning how to safely operate them, or decided he could fix his own natural gas leak when he knew nothing about plumbing. Some people are walking accidents about to happen.

The police here agree with me that it was an unfortunate accident and didn't charge him. They made a statement the following week that he'd been punished enough for his ignorance, and incarcerating him for something he didn't intend would serve no purpose, nor would it enhance public safety. I'm sure as well that he will never own another firearm, and that's good. There are regular gun give backs where police offer a pizza for just such a firearm that was invloved in this death. I really wish he'd done that instead of trying to recoup his expense.

I'm deeply sorry for their loss.

[TheMadMonk]

32. Not an accident. If you don't know how to handle it. DON'T!

Round in chamber. Safety off. Finger near trigger.

There'd be no question of him doing jail time if a BBQ lit with petrol exploded in his kid's face. But guns and cars: "Oh noes, that would be wrong to punish him when he's already suffered so much."

[JohnnyRingo]

36. I agree with your subject line.

But the police here agree it was an accident unworthy of prosecution.

Guns (or chain saws) in the hands children or the incompetent are indeed deadly, but what purpose would be served by sending this man to Lucasville? Would it teach him a lesson you fear he may not have already learned?

[TheMadMonk]

42. No, it's to get the point across to the NEXT foolish twit...

...that gun safety is never to be forgotten for a second. That allowing them to fall into the hands of (or put holes through) children is not on.

I shall assume Lucasville is a max or supermax, and no, I would not send him there. But to a low or medium security facility that might well be a different thing.

[JI7]

6. he seemed to be enjoying life

[Arkansas Granny]

12. Most seven year olds do enjoy life. Too bad his was

cut short by an irresponsible father.

RIP, sweet boy.

[Marrah_G]

7. Loaded, safety off, in the presence of a child........

Unbelievable. I hope he is charged.

[shireen]

26. i was thinking the same

unbelievably irresponsible and stupid. Poor kid.

[orpupilofnature57]

8. Protection from who ?

[libdem4life]

9. First grader. Probably just learned to read. RIP.

[Tx4obama]

10. The story was posted on DU back on Dec 8th. I thought for a moment this was a new one.

Older post here from Dec 10th with photos: http://sync.democraticunderground.com/10021954670

Post from Dec 8th here: http://upload.democraticunderground.com/10021949175


I'm glad to know that isn't a new one.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. Some moron

from you-know-where will say this is a story from a few weeks ago, and has already been posted.

To which I say - Fuck Off.

A lovely little boy died, for no good reason.

[indepat]

13. Guns don't kill people, but people accidentally kill people all too often with

with guns. Aren't we so much safer with the masses packing heat and accidentally discharging those damned thingys with astounding frequency?

[lunasun]

29. Discharge accidents in school too if they get their NRA way

Also, some say to arm the teachers and at a party 2nite someone questioned maybe an older teacher and one hinkey young kid who could get it away from her before the teach could use it or as in this case if someone shoots accidentally and that includes school security

Just talking about would all teachers be forced to comply. We thought this could happen in the future because we also talked about someone's co -worker who had a kid & was upset because the kid joined a junior tea party group and was going to meetings.
I did not know that groups like that existed !!!
The people at the party-we all used to think the future was so bright we'd have to wear shades now there is so much unanticipated gray and this story takes it a shade darker
sad

[Honeycombe8]

14. What a cute little cowboy. How sad. What the *#@$@# was dad doing with a LOADED gun around

his child?

[Scootaloo]

15. Protecting him from thugs, of course.

[Honeycombe8]

41. He probably keeps a loaded gun in his car, and he was just taking it back there.

So sad.

[kestrel91316]

16. Another happy day brought to you by a responsible gun owner.

Dad needs to be charged with criminally negligent homicide. Losing his son is terrible, but gross gun negligence needs to have consequences with teeth. Otherwise, this sort of completely avoidable tragedy will continue. AND. IT. NEEDS. TO. STOP.

[Initech]

17. And there's no connection between having a gun and shooting someone with it.

[adieu]

19. Guns do kill people

I can't imagine that the father intended to kill his son. It was just plain recklessness and when someone doesn't care to be responsible with a very deadly device, things like this happens. This is why guns should be treated with lots of regulation.

[Catherine Vincent]

20. Oh! :(

[caseymoz]

21. If a person has a gun in the house

Last edited Mon Dec 24, 2012, 07:47 PM - Edit history (1)

They're three times as likely to die of a gunshot than a person who doesn't own a gun.

That's how effective guns are at protecting people.

[1ProudAtheist]

22. Guns Don't Kill People

The most absurd words in the english language when used in conjunction with one another

[quakerboy]

24. Obviously he should have had his own gun

The boy coulda at least shot back if he'd been armed.

Bitter sarcasm, just in case it wasnt obvious for anyone reading.

[SummerSnow]

44. I'd like to ask Mike Huckabees opinion on this.

He would of course blame the child for not praying

[AtheistCrusader]

25. Accidentally went off my ass.

360 degrees of possibilities in 3 dimensions, and it happened to be perfectly oriented to hit him?
And it 'went off'?

Bullshit. Somehow, the trigger was pulled. Firearms are extensively drop-tested by the manufacturer these days.

Dad was negligent. This weapon was somehow pointed at the kid. The trigger was somehow pulled.

He needs to answer for that in court.

[RetroLounge]

27. So sad...

Well, at least the kid's funeral will be well-attended by the other members of the father's well-regulated militia.

What? He's not part of one? How can that be?

Well, when he can't hug his kid, at least he can hug his gun.

sad...

RL

[JI7]

28. the Kid was a Video Game Player

how do we know that isn't to blame ?

[tblue]

33. Is Dad still glad he has guns? Still a proud gun owner?

I read this when it happened a couple weeks ago, I think. Still makes me want to barf. Why the hell was it loaded?! Why did he take his kid to run that errand?

[JohnnyRingo]

37. He doesn't have any other guns

He was doing what many here suggest, and getting rid of it. The gun shop wanted nothing to do with it because it was a dangerous piece of crap and sent him on his way.

Dad knew nothing about guns obviously, because clearing the chamber after removing the magazine is second nature to any experienced gun owner. I wish he had taken it to a gun buy back program where the police give a pizza coupon for guns like this, because that's all this cheap knock-off was worth.

Quality sidearms have multiple safeties that prevent discharge when the magazine is removed or if the gun isn't properly held in the hand. This guy is an example of someone who shouldn't have had a gun. Maybe not a power saw either.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

35. Notice how the ultra suave gun mutters go straight to

The technical gun talk about how this guy clearly didn't obsess about gun enough otherwise he'd be able to dissassemble and reassemble the handgun blind folded. Oh, and just as blame worthy was the FACT that he was trying to SELL his gun.

You fools don't want to admit probability and statistics. This was just one more case of guns taking lives--not saving lives.

[malaise]

38. One more responsible gun owner

[LeftinOH]

43. Another child victim of someone else's 2nd Amendment rights. n/t