2-Year-Old Accidentally Kills His Mom in Wal-Mart

[blank]

A 2-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his mother after he reached into her purse at a northern Idaho Wal-Mart and her concealed gun fired, authorities said Tuesday.

 

Veronica J. Rutledge, 29, was shopping with her son and three other children, Kootenai County sheriff's spokesman Stu Miller said. Rutledge was from Blackfoot in southeastern Idaho, and her family had come to the area to visit relatives.

 

She had a concealed weapons permit. Miller said the young boy was left in a shopping cart, reached into his mother's purse and grabbed a small-caliber handgun, which discharged one time.

 

Deputies who responded to the Wal-Mart found Rutledge dead, the sheriff's office said.

 

"It appears to be a pretty tragic accident," Miller said.

 

The victim's father-in-law, Terry Rutledge, told The Associated Press that Veronica Rutledge "was a beautiful, young, loving mother."

 

"She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

 

The woman's husband was not in the store when the shooting happened at about 10:20 a.m. Miller said the man arrived shortly after the shooting. All the children were taken to a relative's house.

 

The shooting occurred in the Wal-Mart in Hayden, Idaho, a town about 40 miles northeast of Spokane, Washington. The store closed and was not expected to reopen until Wednesday morning.

 

Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said in a statement the shooting was a "very sad and tragic accident."

 

"We are working closely with the local sheriff's department while they investigate what happened," Buchanan said.

 

There do not appear to be reliable national statistics about the number of accidental fatalities involving children handling guns.

 

In neighboring Washington state, a 3-year-old boy was seriously injured in November when he accidentally shot himself in the face in a home in Lake Stevens, about 30 miles north of Seattle.

 

In April, a 2-year-old boy apparently shot and killed his 11-year-old sister while they and their siblings played with a gun inside a Philadelphia home. Authorities said the gun was believed to have been brought into the home by the mother's boyfriend.

 

Hayden is a politically conservative town of about 9,000 people just north of Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho's northern panhandle.

 

Idaho lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year allowing concealed weapons on the state's public college and university campuses.

 

Despite facing opposition from all eight of the state's university college presidents, lawmakers sided with gun rights advocates who said the law would better uphold the Second Amendment.

 

Under the law, gun holders are barred from bringing their weapons into dormitories or buildings that hold more than 1,000 people, such as stadiums or concert halls.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-boy-accidentally-kills-mom-wal-mart-27907771

[Brendeth]

I guess he really wanted that Superman toy.

Seriously though, what a terrible thing. That poor kid will grow up knowing what he's done and will mess him up.

[+JHBrown Subscriber¹]

Why was this gun "ready" to be fired? No safety catch?

 

She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

 

Sounds like irresponsibility to me. A gun sitting loosely inside of a purse within reach of a 2 year old is a recipe for disaster. What if this kid accidentally killed my daughter who happened to be in that isle because of this mothers stupidity! 

[DocM]

Why was this gun "ready" to be fired? No safety catch?

She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

Sounds like irresponsibility to me. A gun sitting loosely inside of a purse within reach of a 2 year old is a recipe for disaster. What if this kid accidentally killed my daughter who happened to be in that isle because of this mothers stupidity!

Repeating from the gun thread,

It's unlikely a toddler could pull the trigger on a double-action (DA) pistol, it takes 7-12 pounds of pressure over a long throw. It had to be a single-action (SA) with the safety off, which is a no-no by itself. SA's also have a lighter trigger pull. Extra points for not having it in a real holster.

Moms bad.

More points for a Single Action being left in her purse with a round in the chamber.

Clarification,

A single action is often carried cocked so it's ready to be fired if needed. This with a lighter trigger and poor practices can cause accidental discharges.

Double actions are carried un-cocked, the trigger cocking them over its stiffer and longer travel. IMO this makes them safer for most concealed carry.

Newer weapons have been getting additional interlocks that help prevent accidental discharges, with or without a safety on the weapon (many don't have one), but stupidity trumps any safety mechanism.

Anecdote: a few yeard ago Detroit cops switched from single to double actions because of singles being more prone accidental discharges, causing injuries known as "Glock Leg," though many other single actions have had the same problem.

[MikeChipshop Member]

Why was this gun "ready" to be fired? No safety catch?

 

She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

 

Sounds like irresponsibility to me. A gun sitting loosely inside of a purse within reach of a 2 year old is a recipe for disaster. What if this kid accidentally killed my daughter who happened to be in that isle because of this mothers stupidity! 

 

Agreed. Sounds pretty irresponsible to me.

[cork1958]

Agreed. Sounds pretty irresponsible to me.

 

 

"She was not the least bit irresponsible"

 

Yep,

At least a little bit irresponsible and very sad!

[FloatingFatMan]

Actually, the father in law is 100% correct, she was NOT the "least bit irresponsible".  She was, in fact, extremely irresponsible!

 

And now, thanks to her stupidity, not only is she dead, but her child will have to live with the fact that he killed his mom.  I have no idea what that's going to do to the poor guy as he gets older, but it's not going to be good.

[TruckWEB]

This is going to be costly in therapy and probably going to end up in a suicide.  Poor kid...  I know he's only 2yo, but it's going to sink in and mark him in time.

 

And even if it's not the kids fault, he's always going to be looked at as "the kid who killed my wife" or "the kid who killed my daughter" (for the parents of the victim).

[eddman]

It had to be a single-action (SA) with the safety off

This is what I thought when I read this last night. Most probably, the weapon was in condition 0.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper#The_Modern_Technique

 

Even condition 1 is not necessary and could be dangerous.

[xrobwx71]

Actually, the father in law is 100% correct, she was NOT the "least bit irresponsible".  She was, in fact, extremely irresponsible!

 

And now, thanks to her stupidity, not only is she dead, but her child will have to live with the fact that he killed his mom.  I have no idea what that's going to do to the poor guy as he gets older, but it's not going to be good.

It's not only grossly irresponsible but unlawful to leave a firearm within access to a minor.Had the child not shot her she should and could be held responsible for criminal charges. So sad for the family and the child.

[spenser.d]

Seems like a good example of why it should be harder to get a gun. God forbid someone else gets shot by a persons kid because of that persons stupidity concerning safely carrying a loaded weapon.

[Ralph3100]

Seems like a good example of why it should be harder to get a gun. God forbid someone else gets shot by a persons kid because of that persons stupidity concerning safely carrying a loaded weapon.

 

Even if it was harder, it doesn't mean that people will be more careful. The issue here was a bad practice of leaving a gun in an unsafe state around someone who didn't know how to safely handle it. Accessibility isn't the issue as much as indifference.

[blank]

Even if it was harder, it doesn't mean that people will be more careful. The issue here was a bad practice of leaving a gun in an unsafe state around someone who didn't know how to safely handle it. Accessibility isn't the issue as much as indifference.

 

She didn't know how to safety handle it? well how do you insure that someone does?

 

In Idaho (among most states),  you need to take a safety class in order to obtain a concealed weapons permit.

 

She SHOULD have known.

http://www.ag.idaho.gov/concealedWeapons/concealedWeapons_index.html#How%20do%20I%20obtain%20a%20concealed%20weapons%20license%20in%20Idaho

 

but then again,  you can't really teach common sense.

[game_over]

Why was this gun "ready" to be fired? No safety catch?

 

She was not the least bit irresponsible," Terry Rutledge said. "She was taken much too soon."

 

Sounds like irresponsibility to me. A gun sitting loosely inside of a purse within reach of a 2 year old is a recipe for disaster. What if this kid accidentally killed my daughter who happened to be in that isle because of this mothers stupidity! 

 

Just having a gun with a child is irresponsible, never mind all this about properly secured and catches on etc.. who takes a gun to a supermarket, really? Pathetic decision cost this woman her life, and many more stupid gun decisions will cost many, many more american's their life.

[DocM]

Just having a gun with a child is irresponsible, never mind all this about properly secured and catches on etc.. who takes a gun to a supermarket, really?

>

Do you have any idea how many people, especially women, are attacked in store parking lots? They are a "target rich environment" and a place where a weapon is more likely to be needed - especially at night or during the holidays when robberies are more likely.

She could have safely carried by using a proper holster. My wife has several for different outfit styles; a bra holster, an inside waistband holster (IWB, - jeans), a thigh holster (skirts), a traditional belt open holster, and a belt fanny pack holster. She NEVER carries in her purse because a purse snatched is a weapon snatched too.

[Ralph3100]

She didn't know how to safety handle it? well how do you insure that someone does?

 

In Idaho (among most states),  you need to take a safety class in order to obtain a concealed weapons permit.

 

She SHOULD have known.

http://www.ag.idaho.gov/concealedWeapons/concealedWeapons_index.html#How%20do%20I%20obtain%20a%20concealed%20weapons%20license%20in%20Idaho

 

but then again,  you can't really teach common sense.

 

The person who didn't know how to handle it was the 2 year old. She knew how to handle it, but she became indifferent and decided not to follow proper safety protocols.

[Arachno 1D]

Just having a gun with a child is irresponsible, never mind all this about properly secured and catches on etc.. who takes a gun to a supermarket, really? Pathetic decision cost this woman her life, and many more stupid gun decisions will cost many, many more american's their life.

Gun ownership or even carry and conceal are not irresponsible choices and anybody or group trying to make hay over this story are after political gain.Its all down to  correct storage and training nothing more nothing less.

 

 

[Ralph3100]

Just having a gun with a child is irresponsible, never mind all this about properly secured and catches on etc.. who takes a gun to a supermarket, really? Pathetic decision cost this woman her life, and many more stupid gun decisions will cost many, many more american's their life.

 

Having a child is all the more reason to have a gun. I don't want to play any games with someone threatening me, much less if it were my kid. And like DocM said, women are attacked in parking lots all the time. That is the place I'd want one most of all. It wasn't a "pathetic decision" that cost this woman her life either and saying so is extremely disrespectful. She became indifferent and that is what cost her.

 

Just because you do not have the freedom to protect yourself across the pond does not make those here pathetic for wanting to do so. We rely on personal responsibility which she showed a lack of in that moment.

[Arachno 1D]

One could just as easily blame the game industry for the likes of Call of Duty for encouraging children to have a violent nature and for cartoons like Family Guy for encouraging Kids to maim their parents.Either is an obscure link as is the one regarding weapon ownership

[Ralph3100]

This is what I thought when I read this last night. Most probably, the weapon was in condition 0.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper#The_Modern_Technique

 

Even condition 1 is not necessary and could be dangerous.

 

Properly carried, condition 1 is where you should be at if allowable. The time it takes to rack the weapon (especially under duress) is not negligible when someone is attacking you. Shaving milliseconds off can definitely be life or death.

 

Please note that this is in reference to proper carry, not stuffing a weapon in a purse.

[Lamp0]

Gun ownership or even carry and conceal are not irresponsible choices and anybody or group trying to make hay over this story are after political gain.Its all down to  correct storage and training nothing more nothing less.

 

 

 

 

I agree with your comment, but the two images you've posted are just as guilty of being politically motivated. I mean.. that "Guns don't kill people" article is ridiculously stupid.

[+Red King Subscriber²]

Well at least she won't be able to have any more children sharing her stupid genes.

[Arachno 1D]

I agree with your comment, but the two images you've posted are just as guilty of being politically motivated. I mean.. that "Guns don't kill people" article is ridiculously stupid.

I agree that there is motivation behind those who created the images but it is in direct backlash to those with a political axe to grind who are blaming gun ownership for every sin under the sun and ceasing any news item that they think proves their crusade of a gun free country.

[Ralph3100]

Well at least she won't be able to have any more children sharing her stupid genes.

 

Your comment is really disgusting. Someone who was at least conscious about the safety of her children and herself (although indifferent to the dangerous of her weapon) is now gone and all you can say is "good riddance?" 

I agree with your comment, but the two images you've posted are just as guilty of being politically motivated. I mean.. that "Guns don't kill people" article is ridiculously stupid.

 

Which is more politically motivated: The one that spreads FUD to try and take away rights and property, or the one that sheds light on logical flaws of the other to retain their rights and property?

[Rippleman]

Gun ownership or even carry and conceal are not irresponsible choices and anybody or group trying to make hay over this story are after political gain.Its all down to  correct storage and training nothing more nothing less.

 

  

 

think: without the bomb, how much does the victims chance of survival increase? ..... without the gun, how much does the victims chance of survival increase?

The one that spreads FUD to try and take away rights and property, or the one that sheds light on logical flaws of the other to retain their rights and property?

 

Rights can change as needed. It may not be a right forever and will change accordingly. It used to be a doctors right to prescribe cocaine, but, with increased knowledge and understanding, we learned that we should not be. It is a right today, but society and needs change and with that, rights and their interpretations change with it.