Girl, 9, kills shooting instructor

[+OverSword]

From the article:

TUCSON Ariz. (Reuters) - A 9-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed her shooting instructor at an Arizona range with an Israeli-made Uzi submachine gun when the weapon's strong recoil caused her to lose control of her aim, police said on Tuesday.

They said that Charles Vacca, 39, had been standing next to the girl at the Last Stop shooting range in White Hills near the Nevada border on Monday morning showing her how to fire the automatic weapon.

When she pulled the trigger, the recoil forced her aim over her head, and Vacca was shot in the head, according to a Mohave County Sheriff’s Office statement.

Vacca was airlifted to nearby Las Vegas, where he was pronounced dead. A spokesman for the sheriff’s department did not know how many times Vacca was shot or what model of Uzi the girl was firing.

Some Uzi models are capable of firing up to 1,700 rounds per minute, or almost 30 rounds per second, according to the manufacturer’s website.

The girl, whom police did not identify, was at the outdoor range with her parents.

Last Stop, which includes a restaurant, bar and RV park, has a “Burgers and Bullets” program that offers customers lunch with a trip to the range, where they can choose from among more than 20 automatic weapons to shoot, according to its website.

Link

[+OverSword]

My favorite part: “Burgers and Bullets” program that offers customers lunch with a trip to the range

Why would you let a little girl fire a fully automatic weapon? Another Darwin moment.

[libstaK]

How he failed to see the possibility of the recoil causing bullets to run amock is beyond me, I know it would be my greatest fear if I was holding and shooting such a weapon fgs.

And would it not make sense to use blanks if you are training someone on a weapon for the first time - especially a child?

[+OverSword]

How he failed to see the possibility of the recoil causing bullets to run amock is beyond me, I know it would be my greatest fear if I was holding and shooting such a weapon fgs.

And would it not make sense to use blanks if you are training someone on a weapon for the first time - especially a child?

It defies all common sense. Can you imagine how that little girl will be affected by this as time goes by?

[amaterasu]

What on earth were the people who facilitated this would think would happen if you put a nine year old child behind an uzi?

The kid is the victim, she is forever going to have to live with killing a man on fabulously fun family day out?

eta

I had ...note had.... been a holder of a firearm in the UK until 1996 when there was an amnesty after Dunblane. I had been shooting since the age of 10 (pistols) and reloading ammo for years before that but I would never allow any of my children to fire an automatic weapon ..... shame on them all involved!

Edited August 26, 2014 by amaterasu

[spartan max2]

I'm all for gun rights but really does your nine year old need to shoot an uzi. Like wtf

[+OverSword]

I don't want to speak too negatively of the dead which is limiting my ability to comment honestly.

[aztek]

it was an accident, thousands of kids, use guns under supervision and do not shoot anyone, accidents happen, even among trained professionals.

[Lilly]

You have to be 16 years old to get behind the wheel of a car...but a 9 year old is allowed to shoot an Uzi. Does anyone else see this as problematic? I certainly do.

[bubblykiss]

I was helping babysit my nephews (5 &7) along with my mother. She gave them needles with the hopes of teaching them how to sow.

The 7 y-o lost his immediately. Needle gone.

I would not trust a 9 y-o with a needle, much less a weapon of life ending potential.

But then again, I don't drink paint in my spare time either. So who am I to judge?

[+OverSword]

You have to be 16 years old to get behind the wheel of a car...but a 9 year old is allowed to shoot an Uzi. Does anyone else see this as problematic? I certainly do.

That's not true. You can drive at any age but not on the road until you are licensed. I shot my first gun at 9 or 10.

[White Crane Feather]

When I fired my first weapon, at about nine. Someone was holding my hands, and my sister was also in the mix with her fingers in my ears.

A 9 year old with an Uzi. ?????? Not sure about that one there are other weapons to learn on.

Edited August 27, 2014 by White Crane Feather

[Kaikou]

Just a little bit of thought goes a long way.

[Kazahel]

I was telling my son about a similar incident not even a week ago. I was telling him how I thought it was crazy they allow young kids to fire those types of weapons.

I will never forget the first time I read about something like this happening. Do you guys remember this one..

http://www.foxnews.c...zi-at-gun-show/

The father must be haunted from that and this girl probably will be too.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Kazahel

[Likely Guy]

It defies all common sense. Can you imagine how that little girl will be affected by this as time goes by?

Common sense went alackin' that day. What stupid tool would put that thing in a child's hands?

[White Crane Feather]

Common sense went alackin' that day. What stupid tool would put that thing in a child's hands?

Well I have been through back woods Nevada. There is no shortage of ...."interesting" people. I try to stop as least as possible. If you do make it through, stop at the Paiute reservation. The best and cheapest fireworks in the world. My kids still enjoy six foot sparklers.

Edited August 27, 2014 by White Crane Feather

[Likely Guy]

Well I have been through back woods Nevada. There is no shortage of ...."interesting" people. I try to stop as least as possible. If you do make it through, stop at the Paiute reservation. The best and cheapest fireworks in the world. My kids still enjoy six foot sparklers.

People love to blow sh!t up. That's a truism. In the olden' days local people relied on blasting caps and expired tnt.

In this case, (40 years later) that poor little girl of nine years old has to deal with the aftermath of what she didn't start. It wasn't her fault, but at the age of nine she's forced to grapple with it. No one should have placed her there. This is a thing that never, ever should have been allowed to happen.

Edit: What right thinking person would give a nine year old a live UZI?

Edited August 27, 2014 by Likely Guy

[White Crane Feather]

People love to blow sh!t up. That's a truism. In the olden' days local people relied on blasting caps and expired tnt.

In this case, (40 years later) that poor little girl of nine years old has to deal with the aftermath of what she didn't start. It wasn't her fault, but at the age of nine she's forced to grapple with it. No one should have placed her there. This is a thing that never, ever should have been allowed to happen.

Edit: What right thinking person would give a nine year old a live UZI?

Like I insinuated.... In some places in Nevada... Some people are not always "right thinking".

[Likely Guy]

Like I insinuated.... In some places in Nevada... Some people are not always "right thinking".

Sadly so in so many places.

At that age, she should have been given a single shot .22 to pop off. That's where you start.

[White Crane Feather]

Sadly so in so many places.

At that age, she should have been given a single shot .22 to pop off. That's where you start.

Indeed.

[psyche101]

People love to blow sh!t up. That's a truism. In the olden' days local people relied on blasting caps and expired tnt.

In this case, (40 years later) that poor little girl of nine years old has to deal with the aftermath of what she didn't start. It wasn't her fault, but at the age of nine she's forced to grapple with it. No one should have placed her there. This is a thing that never, ever should have been allowed to happen.

Exactly what I was thinking. The death is not the only tragedy here, that poor girl now has to live with this all her life. And the poor wee thing is only 9. Long way to go.

Edit: What right thinking person would give a nine year old a live UZI?

Did you see Kazahels link?

I was telling my son about a similar incident not even a week ago. I was telling him how I thought it was crazy they allow young kids to fire those types of weapons.

I will never forget the first time I read about something like this happening. Do you guys remember this one..

http://www.foxnews.c...zi-at-gun-show/

The father must be haunted from that and this girl probably will be too.

It's happened before, and considering the love for guns in the US,

The machine gun shoot drew hundreds of people from as far away as Maine and Virginia.

I expect it will happen again. Astounding that anyone thinks a child under 10 should be able to fire an Uzi.

@ kazahel, I had not heard of this one. But crikey Moses. I could not live with myself if I was responsible for that. I would simply not be able to continue existing knowing that was something I had initated.

Edited August 27, 2014 by psyche101

[psyche101]

Sadly so in so many places.

At that age, she should have been given a single shot .22 to pop off. That's where you start.

I honestly believe a child of that age should not be using a weapon at all. I just cannot see a reason for that at all.

[White Crane Feather]

I honestly believe a child of that age should not be using a weapon at all. I just cannot see a reason for that at all.

Then maybe they should not be allowed to ride in cars either. It's much more dangerous.

[Likely Guy]

I honestly believe a child of that age should not be using a weapon at all. I just cannot see a reason for that at all.

It was never called a weapon. It was a tool to kill a meal. I'm talking about a single shot .22 here. Rabbits, grouse (that type of thing).

An UZI, that a 9 year old killed her ill informed instructor with, is a whole different animal. It's an entirely diffent animal. It's only purpose is to kill people, at short bursts, at close range.

Sadly here in this case, that mission was accomplished.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Likely Guy

[psyche101]

Then maybe they should not be allowed to ride in cars either. It's much more dangerous.

Then you are doing it wrong.

They should not be allowed to drive one for the same reasons as they should not shoot a gun. FFS, they are kids, let them be kids.