Would you let a nine year old shoot a Uzi?

[DaGOOSExyz]

This didn't have to happen. It shouldn't have happened. A man is dead and a little girl will carry the knowledge the rest of her life that she accidently killed someone. I am not going to speak ill of the dead but this never should have happened.
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DOLAN SPRINGS, Ariz. — 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.

A woman who answered the phone at the shooting range said it had no comment. She did not provide her name.
It is not known if the range had an age limit on shooting or if the girl was going through a safety class.

Ronald Scott, a Phoenix-based firearms safety expert, said most shooting ranges have an age limit and strict safety rules when teaching children to shoot. He said instructors usually have their hands on guns when children are firing high-powered weapons.
“You can’t give a 9-year-old an Uzi and expect her to control it,” Scott said.
Authorities released a video of the shooting instructor showing the girl how to fire the weapon moments before he was accidentally shot.

 

[FredBart]

Naturally, this is a big story on BBC news. Giving a nine year old a Uzi is the fault of the instructor, the range and of the parents. The parents were filming it, apparently with a cell phone.

 

[scooter123]

Absolutely NOT. With the exception of the child, IMO anyone who would do this deserves the consequences. So, I have no pity whatsoever for that "shooting instructor", he should have known better.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I've fired an Uzi. They're the most difficult full auto firearm to control. They are notorious for doing exactly what occurred here. Even for a grown man with lots of experience in these matters, the Uzi learning curve is pretty steep and controlling the muzzle rise is very difficult. I can't imagine giving one to a 9 year old.

 

[Llando88]

Very sad to hear. Prayers and condolences to the folks involved.

I wasn't there, so not passing judgement.

But.

I am not sure what someone is thinking, giving an automatic weapon to a nine year old. It really does make you shake your head.

Maybe they really do need those stupid useless warnings on ladders.

 

[TTSH]

Would you let a nine year old shoot a Uzi?

Ahhh... nope!

 

[JcMack]

Lot's of blame to go around, starting with the parents. What true grit task was planned next for this 9 yr. old? Maybe hunt hogs with a Bowie knife.
Now this kid has to live with this. The adults involved are all dumber than dog ****. One of them paid the ultimate price.

 

[rojodiablo]

Would you let a nine year old shoot a Uzi?



Yes. Just not AT me........

And, I'd switch it to semi on the selector. Not that complicated.

 

[rojodiablo]

Very sad to hear. Prayers and condolences to the folks involved.

I wasn't there, so not passing judgement.

But.

I am not sure what someone is thinking, giving an automatic weapon to a nine year old. It really does make you shake your head.

Maybe they really do need those stupid useless warnings on ladders.

She shot the dang ladder, too???!! Jeezus; what's the world coming to???!!

 

[OldDominion]

I've fired an Uzi. They're the most difficult full auto firearm to control. They are notorious for doing exactly what occurred here. Even for a grown man with lots of experience in these matters, the Uzi learning curve is pretty steep and controlling the muzzle rise is very difficult. I can't imagine giving one to a 9 year old.

I have to disagree on the Uzi being the hardest to control. I have a little experience with Class3 guns, and the Mac10 in.45ACP was the one I had the most control problems with. At 1200 plus rounds per minute and being so small, after the second round it was punching holes in clouds and doing its best to jump out of my hand. I had a full size Uzi and I could dump a 32 round mag and keep it on the paper. The minis and micros may be a different animal, but the full size guns are fun to shoot. Add the wood stock a suppressor and it is pretty tame. As for letting a 9 year old shoot it, that would depend on the situation. I know some 29 year old people I wouldn't let shoot one.

 

[The Big D]

Morons!

When will idiots like the range operator, the instructor (may he rest in peace), and the PARENTS learn that a gun is not a play thing. We know one will never learn that fact...and the child must live with her mistake forever.

A similar incident happened in Massachusetts not too long ago. Will see if I can find the thread on that...

Be safe.

 

[BAM-BAM]

MSNBC has shown the video about 6 times in the last 2.5 hours...... can you say "Agenda"

To answer the original question ...... No....

 

[The Big D]

Child killed firing Uzi.

Here's a news clip re: the incident. There is a thread...cannot locate it immediately.[

Father of Christopher Bizilj, who Died Firing an Uzi, Was Urged to Let Son Use Less Powerful Gun - ABC News

Be safe.

 

[Alpo]

An uzi? I don't know. I have no experience with them, so don't know how hard they are to control.

The kid, a year or so back, that shot himself - he could not handle a full-size one, so they gave him a mini-uzi. That one is lighter and easier to hold, but it is also faster, so has more recoil.

But, would I let a 9-year-old shoot an SMG? Yep. I've done it. MP40. Age has nothing to do with it. It's all about strength, training, and the weight, balance and rate of fire of the gun.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I have to disagree on the Uzi being the hardest to control. I have a little experience with Class3 guns, and the Mac10 in.45ACP was the one I had the most control problems with. At 1200 plus rounds per minute and being so small, after the second round it was punching holes in clouds and doing its best to jump out of my hand. I had a full size Uzi and I could dump a 32 round mag and keep it on the paper. The minis and micros may be a different animal, but the full size guns are fun to shoot. Add the wood stock a suppressor and it is pretty tame. As for letting a 9 year old shoot it, that would depend on the situation. I know some 29 year old people I wouldn't let shoot one.

I'll give you the MAC10. Never fired one, but heard the stories.

 

[Texas Star]

The min. age on that range is 8 years. Responsible adults must be present, normally the parents.

I saw the video clip, which NBC cut off as the muzzle began to rise. The girl was shown firing a single shot before the instructor switched the selector to auto fire. That one shot went well.

The girl seemingly had not been instructed how to brace herself or to lean into the gun. An accident was very likely. IMO, this was incompetent instruction. I couldn't believe what I saw.

I pretty much expect the parents to sue, although they gave consent.

I feel sure the media will milk this for all they can. Which they're doing, of course.

 

[vigil617]

All I can do is shake my head and wonder, "What was everybody thinking?"

I fault the little girl none at all. My heart goes out to her, it really does.

It's true that this didn't have to happen. No accident had to happen, they just do sometimes. What leads up to them can always be evaluated later, and errors and misjudgements and negligence can be identified that, for whatever reasons good or bad, were not evident beforehand.

If there is any faint silver lining in this cloud, it is that perhaps lessons are learned and that this story and the accompanying video of the incident (which, thankfully, does not include the death of the instructor) is a cautionary tale to all.

Things that happen in this life can be so, so sad. What happened on that gun range is certainly one of them. And it reminds us, once again, to be careful in this sport, where sometimes there are no do-overs, that we all enjoy.

 

[wyccad915]

You know, when I read the story yesterday I had the same exact thoughts. I can see teaching gun safety to a 9-year old but leave the automatic weapons out of it.

 

[W.E.G.]

Definitely not a micro-Uzi.

This is not the first time there has been a tragedy with a small kid and a micro-Uzi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDgZueOX_so

Back in the 80's Quantico MCB used to allow a hot dog vendor to sell hot dogs to the shooters at the highpower rifle matches. One day on Range 4, the hot dog vendor suddenly received a gunshot wound to his leg. Stopped the match... big investigation. Discovered that the bullet was from a 9mm. Further discovered that somebody on the FBI range (over a mile away) was shooting 9mm subguns, and had experienced an elevated muzzle incident. Quantico MCB ruled that the hot dog vendor would not be allowed to sell hot dogs on Range 4 anymore.

 

[labworm]

As posted in the above video.

In 2008 a similar accident happened here in Westfield, MA.

A child, 8 year old boy shot himself with a Uzi and died.

I for one was sick over the incident and probably will never forget it.

But, as a parent it is your choice in deciding yes or no.