The deadly shooting of a Boy Scout at a summer camp in San Diego appeared at first to be self-inflicted but investigators now say they are interviewing witnesses and examining forensic evidence to determine the cause of death.
San Diego police were called to a suicide attempt at the Fiesta Island Youth Camp and Youth Aquatic Center in Mission Bay at 7:35 a.m., Lt. Mike Hastings said.
Inside a tent, officers found a 12-year-old gunshot victim with a handgun nearby.
Paramedics tried to revive the child, but he was pronounced dead at the campsite, according to a spokesperson for San Diego Fire Rescue.
In an afternoon update, investigators would not say where the scout was wounded or how many times he was shot, only that the boy may have been shot more than once in the "upper torso." Earlier, police said the boy had shot himself in the head.
This is a child whose parents had every reason to believe would return safely from a trip to a Boy Scout camp with his fellow Scouts.
But now thanks to America's "gun culture" the next time they see their child he will be laid out on a slab in a morgue instead of bouncing off the bus anxious to tell them of his adventures.
Just another example of the 2nd Amendment keeping our citizens safe.
(H/T to Raw Story.)
It never occurred to me that the gun nuts would sanction firearms in boy scout camp. So sad for the family of this boy. And the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteNo way was it a suicide if there was more than one shot.
ReplyDeleteAt bit of my own history:
ReplyDeleteAbout 55 years ago, when I was a 7 year old kid, my parents were considering sending me to a particular sleep-away camp. All signals were go until my parents found out that the camp had riflery. My mom was adamant - NO WAY was she going to let me go there. My dad- at the time a recent WWII combat veteran said - haven't we had enough with the guns?
Well, I didn't go to that camp. They found another camp within their means the next year. We learned, over time, that the director of the first camp was a dangerous ego maniac and worse. So there ya go!
We don't need no stinkin' guns to enjoy nature in camp!
From what I read yesterday there were no riflery or other gun activities at this camp which was for aquatics. Also, this kid's dad was at the camp too. Not sure what this means in terms of how this happened but I would say it is unlikely that firearms were "allowed" at this camp and more likely it was sneaked in by a scout or a parent of a scout. Beyond that who knows? It is terrible. My son was a boy scout and I sent him to summer camp many times. They did have riflery and black powder and archery classes there. I never even allowed my son to have toy guns, but by the time he was old enough to go to summer camp I had no problem with him learning how to safely use a gun under the supervision of adults. No gun accidents ever occurred there. And he never became a gun owner or use I am happy to say.
ReplyDeleteThese parents are trying to do good things for their kids, have them lean about different topics, keeping them engaged and off the streets, playing well with others, being civil and just going out enjoying nature. "Gun Culture" should be an oxymoron, and it doesn't belong anywhere- especially near kids.
ReplyDeleteI feel for the parents of this child and his family. I'm sure those who survived are having trouble dealing with it as well.
I saw it on the local news and they got it wrong, a single gunshot wound to the head, then saw the update and now they have to investigate and wait for an autopsy, adding insult to injury and prolonging the grief of this family.