Gun instructor accidentally shot by 9-year-old with Uzi dies

[herding cats]

DOLAN SPRINGS, Ariz. (AP) — A 9-year-old girl accidentally killed an Arizona shooting instructor as he was showing her how to use an automatic Uzi, authorities said Tuesday.

Charles Vacca, 39, of Lake Havasu City, died Monday shortly after being airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Mohave County sheriff's officials said.

Vacca was standing next to the girl at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills when she pulled the trigger and the recoil sent the gun over her head, investigators said.

Authorities said the girl was at the shooting range with her parents. Her name was not released.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/instructor-accidentally-shot-girl-9-dies

Because these adults couldn't or wouldn't be responsible this child is going to bear the damage for life of what they did. I'm hoping this gains some traction and at the least others can learn from this tragic situation. What kind of person would ever think a 9 year old child has the strength to handle a weapon like that? Not to mention would think it would be a good idea to let one try? If this isn't illegal, it really should be. Even though I realize stupid isn't often illegal, sometimes we need to legislate to keep people from doing totally stupid things.

If this is the wrong place to post this, please just let me know and I'll delete my post.

[Ptah]

1. showing her how to use an automatic Uzi

showing her how to use an automatic Uzi

showing her how to use an automatic Uzi

showing her how to use an automatic Uzi

showing her how to use an automatic Uzi

[Xipe Totec]

2. Happened to me with a semi-automatic Colt .45

My trainer was a Mexican Olympic silver medalist in marksmanship.

He was training me to shoot for the first time.

The first shot went off level and in the general direction of the target.

The second shot (involuntary) went off at 30 degrees above the horizon.

The third shot (involuntary) went off at 60 degrees above the horizon.

The fourth shot (involuntary) went off at 90 degrees above the horizon.

At that point the instructor reached for my arm and the weapon and stopped a fifth shot which would have been at 120 degrees, or pointing backward as it were.

That was 45 years ago and I haven't fired a semiautomatic weapon since.

[itsrobert]

3. His facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/charles.vacca?fref=ts

Sad story.

[exboyfil]

5. He really did love his guns

I wish his family comfort in their time of loss.

[Half-Century Man]

4. I have fired Uzis, as an adult

Too much gun for 9 year olds. I would seriously question your judgement to even teach a 9 year old with a single shot .22cal rifle.

[exboyfil]

6. Agree totally

This family was on vacation (I heard it was from Australia). I wonder how much experience the 9 year old had with guns, and how an instructor could place a Uzi into the hands of a 9 year old (or anyone who they have not worked with in the past.

I thought it was a big deal to fire a single shot .22 when I was 9, and I had been using a pellet rifle since I was 5.

[Half-Century Man]

7. I got a single shot 22 with a built in trigger lock on my tenth birthday.

I got possession of the key on my seventieth.

[Sancho]

8. People Control, Not Gun Control

This is my generic response to gun threads that illustrate dumb and criminal possession of guns. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70’s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that weren’t secured are out of control in our society. As such, here’s what I now think ought to be the requirements to possess a gun. I’m not debating the legal language, I just think it’s the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because it’s clear that they should never have had a gun.

1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a regularly renewed license. If you want to call it a permit, certificate, or something else that's fine.
2.) To get a license, you should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc. This check is not to subject you to a mental health diagnosis, just check on your superficial and apparent gun-worthyness.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learner’s license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 or 25 or some other age, fine. 21 makes sense to me.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) when outside of home. Guns should be secure when transporting to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and special circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.).
9.) If you buy, sell, give away, or inherit a gun, your license information should be recorded.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, are served a restraining order, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process.

Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a driver’s license you need a license to fish, rent scuba equipment, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.

[SunSeeker]

12. Gun Control IS people control.

And I absolutely agree, we need to make it much harder for some some people to have guns. But no civilian should own a semi-automatic (let alone full auto) assault rifle/submachine gun.

[Shrike47]

9. This is so sad all around. She didn't have the strength to handle the gun.

He's dead, she'll feel horrible (as will her parents). Everybody loses.

[DashOneBravo]

10. Sad indeed

There are a lot of people hurt by that incident.

I don't see the need for a 9 y/o to be shooting a full auto weapon.

[chervilant]

11. Utter lunacy,

to think a 9 year old should be allowed to fire an Uzi. And, this guy was an instructor? How very sad.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

13. The video in this ABC story sums up the gun culture

http://abcnews.go.com/US/girl-accidentally-kills-instructor-firing-uzi/story?id=25139216

The owner, showing about as much emotion as if you told him on of his "brothers" had a fender bender in the parking lot, tosses out a lot of bromides about his concern.

Shortly thereafter, he calmly cites that it's "within the critera" to allow a nine year old to shoot an Uzi, all with a smug smirk on his face, condescending to the reporter (whose question is cut in this video...."How does a nine year old get their hands on and shoot an Uzi?&quot

Circle the wagons, folks. Law and the 2nd Amendment means more than your "family member's" life.

[SunSeeker]

14. Poor girl. That idiot's splayed head will haunt her for the rest of her life.

She's lucky she wasn't hurt physically, but the emotional wounds will last a lifetime.

This is not the first fatal accident involving a child and an Uzi. A 2008 incident at a gun show resulted in the death of the child, not the idiot who gave him the Uzi:

During the gun show, 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj was firing the micro Uzi when he accidentally shot himself in the head. He died instantly.
...
Christopher's father, Charles Bizilj, was present at the time of the shooting and videotaped the entire incident.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/14/massachusetts.gun.show.verdict/