Texas Boy, 7, Dies ... Shot for Trespassing

[yxz]

if the "bad" guys were to get bigger guns wouldnt you need to get bigger guns too?

next thing you know you accidentally the whole town..

[XerXis]

I also believe that our 2nd Amendment is an extremely important right if we are to live in a Democracy. The fact you don't support one of our fundamental rights in this great country leads me to question your patriotism.

whahahahaha, great ;), you're one of those guys who make patriotism seem like a bad thing because they are so fanatic about it

[Anarcho-Capitalist]

There is no connection between a gun and gun crime. You'd be a communist if you made one. ---Bill Hicks ^.^

I prefer the taste of a good deer any time. Just sayin'.

I also believe that our 2nd Amendment is an extremely important right if we are to live in a Democracy. The fact you don't support one of our fundamental rights in this great country leads me to question your patriotism.

Rogue, I usually support your beliefs, but patriotism is a collectivist notion.

Patriotism is just a way for the government to reel you into it's BS policies like gun control. If you support liberty and fundamental rights, you shouldn't ascribe to the idea that patriotism is an important quality to have. It's not. It's just the unadulterated worship of the state that undermines your freedoms to begin with.

[FloatingFatMan]

Gun laws aside, who the HELL fires a shotgun at a bloody CHILD?!? Trespassing or not, who but an utter sack of crap would ever fire a gun at a kid, eh?

Jeez, what's wrong with some people? Bloody rednecks. I hope they're locked up for ever.

[undu]

I also believe that our 2nd Amendment is an extremely important right if we are to live in a Democracy. The fact you don't support one of our fundamental rights in this great country leads me to question your patriotism.

Of, course, that's why in most european democracies there's no right to bear arms and their laws are based on the right to live. :rolleyes:

[greatestfall]

There is no connection between a gun and gun crime. You'd be a communist if you made one. ---Bill Hicks ^.^

I prefer the taste of a good deer any time. Just sayin'.

I also believe that our 2nd Amendment is an extremely important right if we are to live in a Democracy. The fact you don't support one of our fundamental rights in this great country leads me to question your patriotism.

many things lead me to question your "patriotism"

[Calum Veteran]

Its one thing to have a sign saying "Trespassers will be provided a warning and may be shot" with "Trespass, and I'll love to shoot you to death." Unless my life were being threatened, I'd have a hard time shooting someone for walking on my grass. I couldn't live with my self if I shot a child. The sign this guy posted hardly makes me thing he will ever be remorseful.

I agree completely with this. As much as I am now saying that we unfortunately need guns to protect ourselves in today's society, they should only be used as the last line of defence - a last resort. This 7 year old kid did nothing to threaten them. They could have kept their eye on him and the family and/or asked them to leave; then, if they didn't leave and started becoming a threat, they could have threatened them with a gun. The only time the gun should have been used to shoot, is if the family produced a gun or another type of weapon and actually started trying to break in. Even then, with the 7 year old kid... there may be other ways to stop him than shooting him.

That's true but murders by hachet / machete would rise dramatically.

Unfortunately, that would also probably happen :( It's still not as easy to get to someone that way, but it would happen...

I puzzled as to why people think only the military or police should be able to use guns.

That's one of the major underlinings of a fascist society.

Would you be saying the same thing if gun crime had never been a problem? The only reason why I'm saying people should have the right to bear arms now-a-days is for protection against people who have guns - how ironic, but unfortunately, it has had to come to this...

In my neighborhood, I don't have to worry about getting shot.

Unfortunately, I think anybody living anywhere, especially in America, needs to worry about getting shot in today's society. An 11 year old kid (Rhys Jones) got shot for walking home one night, in the UK, in what I think was a place you wouldn't expect to get shot in.

[Pc_Madness]

So if the child had stepped onto their property to take a leak, and he/she was shot... would that be legal? *confused*

[RAID 0]

I cant get over how bad this is.First the wife shoots, then the husband gets all jealous n says "oh give me it, give me it, I want a shot".And as for the 2nd amendment crap, that list was made up in the late 18th century, blah blah blah...

The right to assembly is 18th century. The "separation of Church and State" is 18th century. The First Amendment, the Freedom of Speech is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 18th century. I like how you can nit-pick what rights you think people should have. You're awesome. Why don't you just tell everyone in this world how to live their lives. :rolleyes:

[Anarcho-Capitalist]

So if the child had stepped onto their property to take a leak, and he/she was shot... would that be legal? *confused*

There are 3 basic rights: Life, liberty and property.

Even if the boy were taking a leak on the woman's property, it's not the same as destroying her property or taking it away from her. It was no different than a deer taking a leak on her land. Therefore, there is NO property issue here, period.

Now, the boy's loss of his own life, that's a far more serious matter and the owner who shot him will have to pay for it.

[Jiggah]

So if the child had stepped onto their property to take a leak, and he/she was shot... would that be legal? *confused*

Unless I'm mistaken, it depends on the state. I think in Texas, it's allowable even if it's not in self-defense and just defense of property. In some other states, it's only if you are being attacked, so even if you were attacked and the assailant ran off, you wouldn't be permitted to use deadly force since he was running away.

[Lilrich]

This is sickening, what in god's name were these people thinking? These guys were not even causing offence, or harm to the couple and still they get shot this is absolutely ridiculous and just shows how out of hand gun crime is be it america, uk, or anywhere else.

[Anarcho-Capitalist]

This is sickening, what in god's name were these people thinking? These guys were not even causing offence, or harm to the couple and still they get shot this is absolutely ridiculous and just shows how out of hand gun crime is be it america, uk, or anywhere else.

What's almost as ridiculous is you equating this to "gun crime". This isn't the same as somebody dying from a mugger's bullet. The couple's incompetence led to the boy's loss of life and therefore, those individuals will suffer the consequences.

[Lilrich]

It is still a crime take out with a gun.....it is not incompetence at all it is murder the couple thought about pulling that trigger they walked out their and pointed that gun at the family it wasnt like they were shooting birds and were unable to handle the weapon and it got out of hand is it? That would be incometence.

They should be locked up for ever!

[Dustin B]

In some other states, it's only if you are being attacked, so even if you were attacked and the assailant ran off, you wouldn't be permitted to use deadly force since he was running away.

And to get even more technical, some would define "deadly force" as simply using a gun to wound your assailant (but not in a vital spot) in order to stop him/her from escaping while others would define it as using a gun to kill him/her intentionally while he/she is escaping. Last time I checked, vengeance was sweet, but jail time wasn't.

[Narlzac85]

I don't believe that changing US gun laws will significantly reduce gun crime. People that use guns for crime don't have to get their weapons legally. Crimes of passion will still happen, but guns would be replaced by axes, blunt objects, bare hands, etc.

I don't own a gun and don't plan to ever own a gun, but I know that controlled gun usage by well trained enthusiasts for target or game hunting is a perfectly reasonable hobby that is enjoyed by many people and as long as safety is their primary concern, that's fine by me.

Any time anyone points a gun at someone, they had better be sure they understand that there will be consequences for pulling the trigger. A right to bear arms, whether interpreted as intended or not, is not a right to shoot people. Murder is still a crime.

[Aaron Veteran]

it is useless. Why in the hell would anyone need a weapon? This isnt a third world country. Hicks dont need to go hunting. Can get beef at the local supermarket. Stop sayin lame crap.

Yes, why eat naturally raised, sustainably protein when you can have protein that has been pumped with steroids and business practices is leading to massive deforestation? Good point.

This couple broke the law, this is not even close to a 2nd amendment issue. They should be prosecuted for murder especially since they shot on common property (not their own property).

[Konstanov]

If guns were banned everywhere (apart from for military usage), murders caused by shootings wouldn't happen half as often...

I'm just saying... :)

Yes because everyday folk are the ones who are doing all the shootings. Not gang-bangers, pimps, drug dealers, and thieves.

[spenser.d]

I love when a Socialist paper like the NY Times rarely picks up stories of people defending themselves with guns but always print stories about gun accidents and gun crime.

Despite what happened to this poor kid, it wasn't the gun that killed him, it was the idiot rednecks who shoot at anything at moves. That couple should be put in jail for the rest of their lives to show that you can't just shoot at people who trespass. You can only shoot people who threaten your safety.

That's because stories of people defending themselves with guns are far more rare than stories of accidents or crime with guns. The former happens far less than I'm sure many of you like to think.

-Spenser

[techbeck]

Bishop said the area includes a dirt road, trees and overgrown brush and that it wasn't uncommon for people to go off-roading there. The Houston Chronicle reported that a sign in front of the suspects' home reads: ''Trespassers will be shot. Survivers will be reshot!! Smile I will.''

The red tells you enough about these people and their mentality. I hope the do get charged with murder.

[sharinglungs]

The red tells you enough about these people and their mentality. I hope the do get charged with murder.

I hope they both get the death penalty.

Why should they live.. seriously.

[Quillz]

Unfortunately, I think anybody living anywhere, especially in America, needs to worry about getting shot in today's society. An 11 year old kid (Rhys Jones) got shot for walking home one night, in the UK, in what I think was a place you wouldn't expect to get shot in.

Did you see the post I was responding to? I was being sarcastic, since some people in this topic are under the impression violence only occurs in the USA and the rest of the world is a utopia.

[LiquidSolstice]

Yet, the trips I have made in Texas made me realise that the US society is ****ed up from top to bottom.

There are violent gunmen who are ready to burst into a house to steal, rape and murder college students and there are people paranoid enough who are ready to shoot without warnings anyone who they think would trepass on their proprerty.

Um. Excuse you, the US society is not ****ed up, last time I checked. What jerkwater snobbery country do you come from? Did you see what I did? I generalized about you county based on one incident.

Watch what you say please, that was highly offensive.

I live in California, near San Jose, and we have a very peaceful lifestyle.

[Quillz]

Yet, the trips I have made in Texas made me realise that the US society is ****ed up from top to bottom.

There are violent gunmen who are ready to burst into a house to steal, rape and murder college students and there are people paranoid enough who are ready to shoot without warnings anyone who they think would trepass on their proprerty.

Why don't you go back to eating your cheese and drinking your wine?

Hey, that's right! I can stereotype, too.

Just because some people choose to be violent towards others is not indictative of an entire country's population. I'm sure you wouldn't like it if I made sweeping generalizations about French people just because I know a few in real life. So don't make generalizations about Americans just because some choose to be violent.

For you information, I'm against guns, have never owned a gun and never will.

[LiquidSolstice]

Why don't you go back to eating your cheese and drinking your wine?

Hey, that's right! I can stereotype, too.

Just because some people choose to be violent towards others is not indictative of an entire country's population. I'm sure you wouldn't like it if I made sweeping generalizations about French people just because I know a few in real life. So don't make generalizations about Americans just because some choose to be violent.

For you information, I'm against guns, have never owned a gun and never will.

+1. Thank you. It's good to know that there are other self-respecting Americans who really don't appreciate people generalizing about our country because of what our (or their) media tells them.