Playing with gun leads to murder charge (for 16yr old)

[RamboLiberal]

James Trueblood Jr., a student at Service High School, has been charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the March 5 death of Brenton Buckmaster, 15, according to court documents.

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Though there was no .357 ammunition in the home, there were American Eagle .38 special rounds, which fit a .357 revolver. Trueblood Sr., who was in his bedroom watching TV, told police he saw his son loading and unloading the revolver but that he didn't know what his son did with the ammunition when his son left the room. The boy told police he thought the weapon was unloaded when he returned to the living room.

Buckmaster was lying on the couch as the other friend played a video game. Trueblood Jr. told police he leaned over the back of the couch, gun in hand. It was only inches from Buckmaster's back as he repeatedly cocked and uncocked it -- pulling the hammer back, then pulling the trigger with his thumb holding the hammer to ease it home, according to the charges.

"He said that the last time he hit the trigger and the gun went off. He said it was a total surprise," Huelskoetter said in the affidavit. "(Buckmaster) said, 'What the (expletive)?' then fell to the ground. James Trueblood Jr. put the gun on the kitchen table and got a towel to stop the bleeding."

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/836161.html

IMHO the father ought to charged with some crime as well. A teen shouldn't be loading/unloading a gun unless on a range or hunting with adult supervision.

[konnichi wa]

1. The saddest part is that he knew the rules of gun safety

and completely ignored them. Hard to imagine why he would do that.

[Tim01]

2. "he thought the weapon was unloaded" always ends the same way.

Would people hang out jabbing each other with the blades of running but not spinning chainsaws? Figuring that it was ok as long as the trigger wasn't pulled? Or as long as the brake was on? No, of course not.
They are dangerous tools. Not cool trinkets for "real men" to play with when they are hanging out watching TV.
Christ! It makes my head explode.


MY 10 YEAR OLD BOY HAS BETTER GUN SENSE THAN ANYBODY IN THAT HOUSE!

[walkaway]

4. We hope N/T

[gorfle]

5. Yes it does.

Rule #1 - Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.

Rule #2 - Never point a firearm at anything you do not wish to destroy.

Rule #3 - Never put your finger on the trigger until you intend to fire the weapon.

Rule #4 - Always be certain of your target and what lies beyond it.

[jeepnstein]

3. The father should be charged as well.

Alaska is bound to have something about child neglect, contributing, or some way to tie him up with the murder.

As always, there is much more to this story than the press is reporting. The trial will tell the tale.