Bangkoktraveler Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair. The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, police Lt. Lawrence Valliere said. The boy, Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., was with a certified instructor and "was shooting the weapon down range when the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury," a police statement said. Christopher died at Baystate Medical Center. Police said the boy's father was at the gun fair and accompanied his son in the ambulance, but it wasn't clear if he was at the firing range with Christopher at the time of the accident. Police didn't give the father's name. Although police called it a "self-inflicted accidental shooting," police and the Hampden district attorney's office were investigating, officials said. "We are going to review all the circumstance regarding what happened, who was involved, what authorities they may or may not have had, who was supervising," District Attorney William Bennett said Monday. It is legal for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. Those conditions were met in this case, he said. He declined to release the supervisor's name. The club said on its Web site that the event, run in conjunction with C.O.P Firearms and Training, is "all legal and fun." People are allowed to fire weapons at vehicles, pumpkins and other targets, it said. Officials of the private club and the firearms group could not be reached for comment. There was no response to a message left on a club answering machine. The C.O.P. group's machine clicked off without taking a message. The sportsman's club was founded in 1949 and describes itself on its Web site as promoting "the interest of legal sport with rod, gun, and bow and arrow, both directly and through training." It has eight firing ranges as well as archery and fishing facilities located on 375 acres in Westfield, about 100 miles west of Boston. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. Link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Now that's a shame! 8 years old and shot himself with an Uzi with a certified instructor there? not much of an instructor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi, First question should be "What the fuck was an 8-year-old doing with a loaded Uzi in his hands?" Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Hi, First question should be "What the fuck was an 8-year-old doing with a loaded Uzi in his hands?" Sanuk! Or better yet "Why did the father allow his 8 year old son to try to shoot a loaded automatic uzi"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Or since when was it legal to own an Uzi? It's not exactly a sporting weapon. Wonder what else they've got ... RPGs? Claymore mines? WP grenades? Napalm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Sure you can own a uzi, at least in some states. They are a Class 3 weapon starting at about $6000.00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchapstick Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Sounds like Dad deserves a Darwin award Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyinEwa/Perv Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 This is truly sad on many levels. I have an 8 year old boy and this story reinforces why I am overprotective. Probably a bad idea but hopefully he won't be leaving me if I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Unelievable. "Children who are taught to fire guns with a responsible adult are far less likely to commit crimes with guns, compared to other children." Definately applicable in this case..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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