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The mother of a 13-year-old girl fatally shot on a private school bus in Homestead, Fla., in front of her little sister on Wednesday said she wants answers.
“How did it happen? How did he have it on him? How did nobody notice?” said Ady DeJesus during a press conference, as she cried and appeared shaken. “I want answers myself.”
Lourdes Guzman, 13, known as Jina to her family and friends, was shot while riding a private school bus about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Southwest 296th Street and Southwest 137th Avenue in Homestead, police said. Eight other children, including Guzman's 7-year-old sister, were on the bus at the time of the shooting, which appears to have been an accident.
Jordyn Alexander Howe, 15, was charged with manslaughter in the shooting and carrying a concealed firearm, authorities said. He waived his right to appear at a Wednesday morning hearing in juvenile court, where he was represented by a public defender.
RAW VIDEO on NBCMiami.com: Student Shot on School Bus in Homestead
Howe will remain at the Miami-Dade juvenile assessment center, a judge ruled. According to Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts spokeswoman Eunice Sigler, the state plans to prosecute Howe as an adult.
The judge set the next court date for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 11.
A telephone message left for his mother wasn't immediately returned.
Terry Chavez, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, wouldn't comment on whether anyone else would face charges but said they're still investigating the shooting.
"It's very complicated, there are a lot of things left to take care of," Chavez said.
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According to an arrest form, the children were on their way to school when Howe took the firearm out of his backpack and displayed it. The gun went off, hitting Guzman, a student at Palm Glades Preparatory Academy.
Guzman was airlifted to Miami Children's Hospital where she later died, police said. No other children were injured and Howe was immediately taken into custody.
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During Wednesday’s press conference, Ady DeJesus described her daughter as the “most wonderful girl in the whole wide world.” She said her daughter was very smart, nice and happy.
Students and parents arriving at Palm Glades Wednesday morning remembered Guzman as a girl who got along with everybody.
"She was like a sister to me," said seventh-grader Daniel LaRosa "Nobody would ever get in a fight with her." He remembered Guzman as being funny and having trouble with division in their math class.
"I just know it's gonna be different. Like, I'm not seeing her anywhere else ... that's just a nightmare," LaRosa said. "I just know I gotta stay up and don't put my head down."
Henry Martinez, an eighth-grader at the school, said he didn't know Guzman but brought white balloons to school to release in her memory. "I care," he said.
"It's sad," said one father, who only gave his first name, Robert, as he dropped his daughter off at the school. He said it was hard to explain the shooting to his daughter.
At the site of the shooting, friends made a small memorial for Guzman, leaving flowers, candles, stuffed animals and messages for the teen.
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Just sad. On so many levels.
You can say it again Cappy. This is sad indeed. If this is ruled as an accident, I am surprise they are trying him as an adult. Either way, I would not like to be in either those parents shoes. I am going to go home and hug my children and then show my 12 year old this news piece. I hope I never have to face this issue as a parent. May she RIP.
Jahmekan: Hopefully, by showing your kid this piece, you may never have to. Too many children aren't taught that guns aren't toys or props for coolness. They think, "It can't happen to me. I'm too smart," but of course, they aren't.
It may have been an accident that he shot her, but it was not an accident that he brought the gun to school. 1 life gone, 1 life in the balance, and so many other lives that have been forever changed. As Cappy said, this is sad on so many levels.
Very sad about a cfhild being killed on a school bus..But is the mother a born IDIOT?
She said this: ""How did it happen? How did he have it on him? How did nobody notice?"
How did it happen..simple answer... a 15 year old boy on same bus had a gun and shot her.
How did he it have it on him..thats like asking why is the sky blue!
How did nobody notice..not everyday a child goes on a school bus with a gun hidden on him!
Lady relax..let law enforcement do their job..yes you're thinking $$$ ( like most do in these situations)..your day will come for a civil suit..so STFU now.
RIP..little one.
A rhetorical question is one that does not need an answer, it just poses a question for us all to ponder.
How did it happen: children should not be carrying guns, which should be locked up by their adult owners.
How did he have it on him: Parents should know where their gun is at all times because it is dangerous.
How did nobody notice: Since the gun went off when he took it out of his backpack, this is not asking who noticed on the bus, but who didn't notice at home that there was a gun missing. It is a good question, and begs to be answered. Are there no laws in that state about locking up guns? Has America gone so far with the crazed tea party that we refuse to acknowledge that guns need to be secured safely? A child who does not want to harm another but brings a gun on a bus proves that guns kill people, often people just forget that. Or we could say, America did not notice, and how is that?
Now on to the rest of the questions:
How could somebody post something so heartless to a mother who is trying to find out why another family had a gun laying around the house?
How could somebody say STFU to a parent who is grieving, and then pretend some sort of condolences for the child?
How could somebody have missed the English lesson about rhetorical questions?
I can..and I did..I know damm well its all about $$$ now..have to butter up the news to make it worst to get more.
Are you new to America?
If this mother states she wants no money what-so-ever..I'll make sure I write to her and apologize ( doubt I will have too though).
In my opinion it was an accident..kid was as how-off and hit the trigger!
Mike277 - Just because everything is about money to you doesn't mean it has that same hold on everyone else, so STFU, loser squid.
Attacking and calling other posters names is against the TOS..you have been reported!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Report away Mike. You deserved it.
Elizabeth...
You are making a lot of assumptions here. The article doesn't clarify whether or not the 15yr old gunman had the intent of shooting someone or not. Guns don't kill people, the person pulling the trigger kills people. Furthermore, the article doesn't specify whether or not the gunman obtained the firearm from his family's home. Those points aside, the STFU comment from another poster was uncalled for.
But of course, guns don't kill people, yada, yada, yada. Condolences to the grieving family. Such a tragic loss!
Enough of this NRA crap that guns don't kill people. Guns DO kill people. The suggestion that this might have been an accident, as in so many other cases, proves that it wasn't the kid who intended to kill, but the deadly damn weapon he had in his hand.
If the NRA can brainwash the entire nation with such a stupid slogan, then we are in for a long ugly haul.
Some people are just plain broken. Mike277 is one of them. If being called names gets you all flustered, maybe you should refrain from calling the mother of the dead girl an "idiot".
Tragic all around.
I certainly don't believe that the kid should be charged as an adult either. This problem is of our own making here in America. We adults are guilty en-masse of allowing such easy access to readily-concealable guns that it is all too common for our children to possess them. In many communities it is easier for children to possess handguns than it is to get illegal drugs or even beer. There must be a better way.
Technology has advanced well beyond the point where far less lethal personal protection weaponry is both available and a viable alternative to guns. I find it odd that wildlife protection officers try so hard to tranquilize wild animals that present a threat rather than just killing them, and yet when a human is found threatening to anyone, shooting to kill is easier than buying a 6-pack of beer!
Is that all that all that human life is worth? What possible good can be accomplished trying this kid as an adult remembering that incarceration runs $50K per person per year and that this kid's chances of ever being a productive adult diminish greatly if he is kept in an adult prison for any length of time too? We all have a substantial investment in our young people and I do not feel that responsibility for an accidental shooting is good reason to destroy another kid's budding life because we adults are all guilty of allowing these kind of handgun accidents to happen over and over again with our addiction to having the power of life or death over other people.
Isn't it odd that in all the major countries in Europe, where a majority of Americans ancestors hail from, their murder rates are between 1/5th and 1/10th of what ours is, and in all of those countries, legitimate hunting weapons are still legal too! What good reason can possibly justify allowing 10,000 Americans to die needlessly every year just so that handguns can still be legal? The right to bear arms does not have to mean the right for handguns to be so readily available that hundreds of accidents like this one happen over an over again every year. Perhaps whichever adult is responsible for this gun ending-up in this kid's hands might be prosecuted for allowing this to happen too?
about the $$$, mike??? wow, are you an IDIOT? obviously NOT a parent. Money doesn't count for 2 cents if a parent is ever to lose a young child. She's not an Ambulance Chaser, her DAUGHTER JUST DIED!
My question is..why was a loaded gun just sitting around..What America needs is responsible gun owners..Where their unloaded guns locked up and bullets placed in another safe place. :/ I would think this kind of story happens too much! What we need are responsible gun owners who need to keep these guns out of reach of their children and any other person who can easily obtain it to conflict harm, whether or not it was their intention. My condolence to the family on their lost.
Guns kill people?
Holy crap, I've got 4 under my bed - do you mean to tell me that they've been plotting against me the entire time, waiting for the moment to strike?
No Pete - they can't possibly kill anyone. Hand them out to kids if you want.
Shooting guns is more fun than sex, especially sex with hopelessly bewildered utopian pacifists who cling frightfully to superseded world views.
Don't want your kids handling guns irresponsibly? Try being a more responsible parent. Teach your kids to handle guns responsibly. Oh... right... I forgot. You're hopelessly bewildered utopian pacifist with an understanding of human nature based on wishful thinking.
Well... there you go then...
Are you really sure about whom is brainwashed here Brit?
I have many firearms, not a single one of them has spontaneously walked to a school yard and opened fire, ever.
This is a case of irresponsible parents and a poorly trained child. The kid wasn't taught to respect the power of the firearm, and I doubt that the parents taught them that firearms are never to be casually brandished in public in any circumstance. They are only used if their life is directly threatened. He wasn't informed that concealed carry to a school is prohibited as well.
If you are going to have a firearm in a house where there are kids, they need proper training and learn how to handle them and fire them. They need to learn how to respect the power they have because they are intended to stop attackers who are threatening your very life, they aren't wet noodles.
Most firearms should stay locked in a gun safe, as are all mine except one. A firearm locked in a safe is no protection at all if someone comes barging in with nefarious intentions.
What a way to try to minimize the whole situation. There is no way this was an accident! Accidents are a series of events in which each event, taken by itself would have had a negligible outcome. But when you put them together the whole scenario changes and the outcome is unpredictable. Take drunk driving for example. Having a few drinks may be innocent enough. Riding in a car is a fairly benign activity. Drinking to excess removes the barriers to "accident". How does one "accidentally" become drunk. How does that drunk accidentally get behind the wheel and drive away? The only uncertainty about a drunk driver is how far the driver will get before getting involved in an "accident".
As for this shooting incident - how does one accidentally load a weapon? How does one "accidentally" put a gun in a backpack, hoodie pocket, waistband, etc (wherever he had it concealed)? How does one accidentally reach into the storage area and grasp the weapon? How does one accidentally put thier index finger on the trigger? How does one accidentally exert enough pressure on the trigger to discharge a round? The only thing accidental/unpredictable in this incident is where is the bullet going.
The girl was involved in an "accident" - the guy was involved in a series of deliberate intentional acts that resulted in her accident. But there was nothing accidental in his actions.
Four guns under your bed loaded? What happens if your house gets broken into while your not home? Then we have four more guns in the hands of people who most likely are not responsible enough to possess them!
What happens when one of them ends up in the hands of another luckless kid because of your irresponsibility with guns?
People like you are the very reason that we have this problem.
What happens if somebody breaks into your house and drinks your beer, steals your car, and kills somebody in a wreck? Are we responsible for the actions of criminals - not hardly.
Old Timer - your age has addled your ability to reason. People not keeping their personal possessions locked down under security to rival Fort Knox is not the very reason crime is rampant.
Didnt take long for the anti-gun nuts to turn another sad story into a political campaign against scary guns. Ooooh, so scary. The NRA (which Im not a part of, nor do I own guns, but I believe in this thing called freedom) has always stressed gun safety. They are not about morons shooting off guns or bringing them on school buses. This kid obviously didnt know what he was doing, and should of never picked up the gun without understanding what it could do. Im sorry for the girl and her family. I cannot imagine losing a daughter (mostly because I dont have children), but I do have a sister so it would wreck me entirely. I also feel sorry for the other kid who brought the gun. The guy was a freaking moron, but it seems that he had no ill intentions, and just wanted to show off. He'll carry what he did with him for the rest of his life, and I hope for peace with both families.
We are for responsible people using guns responsibly. Not some kid who doesnt understand guns, carrying one onto a schoolbus.
This whole story is sad....and was preventable.
The second amendment is there to protect you from people who take the first amendment to far in our government and society.
That is not going to change and is very clear....
You know what can change???.... Parents raising there children to not handle guns until properly trained and licensed, or better yet, making sure your child is not carrying concealed weapons to school on a bus.
This is a tragedy only for one reason... HUMAN STUPIDITY. The mother should be going after the child carrying the gun and the child's parents and "not" the schools, media, buses and drivers, racism or any of the bull@!$%#. That is if she wants blood for such a tragedy.
i agree go after the kids parents since he is under their care till he grown..most parents dont and wont check their kids for weapons befo school..and even if they did the kid could hide it sumwhere outside and grab it in the morning..point is someone is always responsible and since he too young...has to b his parents..$$ wont bring child back..wont even ease pain..the shooter needs to b held accountable as well as much as the state will allow..have to start showing that every action whether good or bad will have a reaction...prayers to family who suffered loss
And how did this 15 year old get his hands on a gun? I think some other, serious charges need to be filed on whomever owned it and/or gave it to him.
I agree - If this weapon belonged to the kids parents or some other adult then they should be charged with criminally negligent homicide as a minimum. Some adult is responsible for putting this weapon into the hands of a 15 year old kid, whether deliberately or through gross negligence in not properly securing the weapons. I am all for people being allowed to own weapons, but with that right comes the responsibility to properly safeguard those weapons and keep them out of the hands of children or others who should not have access to them.
Does it REALLY matter what COLOR these kids are? The tragedy is one young GIRL is gone and a young MAN is responsible. The whole situation will be life altering for all involved.
PUT the RACE card away and see people for who the are....NOT what color they are. The death of a child is NEVER forgotten.
And people wonder what is wrong with our country? rockin moroccan is one fine example.
With all the violence on TV, and the violence in the video games they play, is it any wonder? They watch people shot and killed, and then see those actors back on TV next week. It is NOT a reality to them. They become so hardened to what they see, nothing is shocking anymore. What do parents expect?
RIP, Lourdes - and prayers to all the families involved.
Renee: I don't think that anybody wants it to be forgotten. However, since many people don't want to pay the taxes to fund police investigations, the answers might not come out any time soon. The only hope is that there is no statute of limitations on murder. New facts could come up 40 years from now, and the case would be reopened.
Are you kidding me? Most of the kids I grew up with owned guns before they were 15 and hunted regularly.
Renee - 15 year olds know the difference between TV (and movies and games) and reality. Enough with blaming entertainment. They live in a world in which many of the leaders are quick to suggest violent methods of solving problems and they see the result every day on the news. These two things are much more persuasive than entertainment known to be illusion.
Renee I could not agree with you more. Death just isn't real to them. It's something funny to entertain them. A teen is more likely to watch Hollywood movies, tv and video games than follow what a world leader does btw.
"And how did this 15 year old get his hands on a gun?"
Simple. Because it is ludicrously easy to lay your hands on a gun in the USA. Because Americans think that it makes for a safer society to have lots and lots of guns around even if, inevitably, they end up in the hands of the mad, the sad and the bad.
Yes people (not just kids) have been desensitized to violence but that's not really the whole issue as to why kids do dumb things. Our brains aren't fully developed until we're into our early 20's. Teenagers literally do not have the mental capability to fully reason out consequences of their actions. Yes they know that they shouldn't bring a hand gun to school but apparently they do anyway. Where an adult would carry it securely and when taking it out probably wouldn't aim it in someones direction, a teenager who's not thinking of "what if" would toss it in his backpack and take it out while riding on a bumpy school bus with his finger on the trigger. Until something actually happens or they're forced to think about consequences everything they see is in abstract.
This is a tragic situation for both sides. They are both just kids who have now lost their lives.
Renee is 100% correct. These kids are surrounded by fantasy death and killing on TV, video games, and the Internet.
I got my first gun at 12. It was not locked up, the magazine and shells were right there beside it within easy reach. It never broke out and went on a killing spree either. I'm almost 66 and I still have it, in fact I've added many more over the years and, again, none of them have ever started shooting up the neighborhood. In fact I carry a .45 every day and everyplace I go and have for 25+ years. I've never considered shooting anyone except once when a couple Spanish speaking "gentlemen" decided I and my motorhome looked like easy pickings.
BTW: the Second Amendment is not about hunting, it's about having weapons to defend yourself. That's per The Supreme Court of the US as well as some state's constitutions and court cases.
Elizabeth,
We are for taxes to fund cops. We are not for taxes to go to bloated government entities and welfare rats.
So many lives ruined because some kid found a gun and thought it was “neat”. Why the F wasn’t that thing locked up?! The owner of the gun is responsible for properly securing it!
A firearm locked in a safe is no protection at all if someone comes barging in with nefarious intentions.
The child needed more training to respect the firearm, and some basic law classes about carrying a firearm in public.
Along with the 15 yo who ever owned that gun needs to be charged, there is no reason that kid should have had a gun on a school bus.
His parents need to be looked at as well, if they had done a better job of raising him he never would have brought a gun to school.
It's stuff like this that makes all responsible gun owners mad as hell when things like this happen, there is no excuse for this.
Hearts and prayer to this innocent girls family, and damn right her mother wants answers, she has every right to demand answers.
what if he broke into someones home and stole it? we are now jumping to conclusions that he got it from home or someone gave it to him. its the mentality the people have that weapons are cool and easy to come by, all parents should educate that you do not play with firearms except to hunt and defend yourself. the gangs are responsible for this mind set and yet we do not or just don't care after a 12-16 hour day of working parent our kids.so they watch crap and think thats how the world is. man is this world getting dumber or what. if parents had the time to raise their kids and know their mindset we could stop most of these terrible happenings. my heart goes out to the parents of this very young girl and for her also such a waste of a good life
.
okie58,Good post.Gangbangers who are 12 years old get handguns from older gang members and do drive bys.The issue to me is not his age but how he came into possession of a handgun and did it go off accidentally.Back in the day when most people lived on farms kids at a young age were taught that guns were to hunt for food and to not aim and shoot at another human being unless you mean to kill the person and suffer the consequences.Kids need to be taught gun safety.
DeJesus, Martinez, LaRosa, Chavez.....all from Miami....wonder why a gun was around.
Most people in S. FL. bought a hand gun after what happened with Hurricane Andrew
jw101 - you verge on racism. Don't forget about the killings (both accidental and purposeful) that happen in Georgia, Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Texas ... oh, hell, in every state and city in the country. Guns aren't the sole property of Blacks and Hispanics.
I never stated that. There were multiple attacks after Hurricane Andrew and Miami is one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S.. The city is mostly Hispanic and there are illegal immigrants everywhere. Car rental companies are no longer allowed to put advertising on their rental cars because tourists were being killed by simply driving into the wrong neighborhood.
I'm old enough to remember when the city was not like this.
I'll bet the gun was perfectly legal.
Condolences to the family
The gun may very well be legal, but the ability of a child to gain access to it and its ammunition should be very illegal. The Second Amendment does not protect gun owners from being irresponsible with their weapons.
"I'll bet the gun was perfectly legal."
In what way? I assure you that possession of a handgun, on a school bus, by a minor, is not legal.
Spike - don't be a tool. You know exactly what Rogger means. It was a legally owned handgun by someone in that kids family. All the comments and discussion in here and you picked that topic...
Ban handguns.
Obviously the handgun was meant for hunting deer. Just like semi-automatics with extended magazines. Or wait, maybe he thought the girl on the bus was an elk. A senseless death, but let's not "jump the gun" and blame gun-owners.
Or so some might say.
"Spike - don't be a tool. You know exactly what Rogger means. It was a legally owned handgun by someone in that kids family. All the comments and discussion in here and you picked that topic..."
Tim,
Don't read into posts that which is not there.
Fact: The topic was the gun. No information about who owned it, had control of it, or if said person could legally own a firearm. To my knowledge, the VAST, VAST majority of guns are initially purchased legally. After that, who knows? e.g.---Chicago, NYC, etc..
motegaze, do you really honestly believe that the second amendment was for hunters and target shooters? What about extended magazines?
Obviously the handgun was meant for killing children on a bus. Or so some might say.
Your gun training is not an excuse for a gun "enthisast" to be negligent withe the storage and safe-keeping of his or her weapons. It is clearly the responsibility of the owners of firearms to keep their weapons under lock and key and out of the reach of a child. And, yes, a thirteen year old is a child. Therefore, the gun owner should go to prison for criminal negligence at the very least, and manslaughter, if at all possible. Civil charges could, and should, be brought against the gun owner, as well.
enthusiast*
Hey Takenaka, tell you what... Ban them after you personally gather the guns from all the criminals who own them illegally. I bet you don't get past the first criminal intact.
This is not about the gun, t is about some irresponsible gun owner (likely the parents) not securing their gun as it should be. Teens steal cars too, and cause accidents, and even deaths. Should we ban them too because some parent left the keys for the kids to find? Hold the parents responsible for this, not the tool you moron.
Takenaka - go door to door with your collection box and let us know how that works out for you.
'Course, it's easier to blame inanimate objects than face the really tough issues like accountability and responsibility!
I suppose you'd like to ban plastic buckets? (hint: go look up how many kids die in them each year!)
But the gun is not illegal. Where it was, who it was carried by and what it was used for was.
Just like owning and driving a car is legal (BTW: criminals can own and drive cars but it's not legal for them to even touch a gun, let alone buy, possess or use one), but if you drive on a sidewalk and purposely kill some children, that is illegal.
A gun is simply a tool, like a hammer. It's how you use the tool that matters. And yes, people are killed with hammers too but I don't see people trying to ban them.
Another gun accident and another needless death. I am saddened that another family has to fall victim to gun violence.
Guns do kill people - The trigger was pulled but by accident and I don't think this kid had any idea what would transpire the moment he whipped out that gun to show off. Now an accident has resulted in a child being killed close to Thanksgiving.
total BS...triggers don't get pulled 'by accident' and the timing near a holiday is irrelevant...one more case of POOR parenting...but hey, lets blame an inanimate object for the death.
zeivah as tim said don't be a tool. the trigger can not pull itself a person has to do that so letsnot blame the weapon but the person with the weapon
It's a lot harder to pull a trigger when there's no trigger to pull. Guns are made to be used. Handguns are made to be used on people. If I have a pen in my house, and don't use it, it is a useless pen. If I have a pen, it should be no surprise that I use it on paper. If I have a handgun in my house, it's no surprise if, during a moment of rage or depression which many people experience in our frustrating society, I use it on a person.
People are ultimately responsible for their actions. However, not everyone thinks responsibly or carefully all of the time. Remove temptation, and remove the threat from the weak elements of society.
In short, don't blame guns. Blame pens.
Actually Allen, triggers do get pulled by accident. Or am I wrong and accidental discharge doesn't exist.
Guns do go off by accident, sometimes backfiring.
Lots of things kill people and there will always be accidents, no matter how hard we try to protect ourselves, our children, and our society. Grieve for the losses, do your best to keep each other safe but understand that there is no complete safety from pain, injury, and death.
Our society promotes and glorifies the use of weapons through video games, TV, movies. Kids are raised and to some extent programmed to not be afraid of guns and that you're bad and cool for having them. Handguns are for injuring/killing humans, not hunting animals. So sick of this scenario over and over. But, hey, guns are big business in the U$A and money rules.
Yes its all the fault of media and video games! There's an estimated 300 million people worldwide that play just online games, this doesn't take into account all the people that play single player at home. I played video games growing up and my dad was a hunter with several guns. I never had the desire to hunt, or play with his guns, or own a gun myself now that I'm an adult. Common Sense, use some common sense and figure out just how many gun toting gamers there would be if your statement is true, and if you really believe gamers think using guns is so cool, I'd be careful what you say because there's more and more gamers every year.
Riverboy, every single shooting is committed by a gamer, everyone knows that. -rolls eyes-
Can't imagine the horror.
@Common Sense - I have played literally thousands of hours of games where the goal is to use a gun to kill someone, but the one time I have been around a handgun in person I was pretty terrified.
Tell me again how media and video games are making people ruthless killers?
Okay, being a gamer myself, and playing shoorter games or even games that use several different weapons (crowbars, swords, bows n arrows, etc), I've never had anything "programmed" into me regarding how guns should be viewed in your eyes. I've always had a fear and respect of guns because my father was a sheriff deputy. I understood the dangers. I don't think anyone is cool for having a gun nor do I think guns are necessarily bad when used properly. It comes down to people being responsible as owners. This whole thing of blaming the media and entertainment business is only placing blame where it is undue. You need to be looking at those who are being irresponsible and uneducated about guns. It's just like people blaming Marilyn Manson for his music when the 2 guys went on a shooting spree at Columbine because that was one of the artists they liked.
common sense if youv'e ever been hunting and had a wild boar or similar varmit come at you the hand gun comes in mighty handy as most rifles for hunting are single shot and need to be readied for another shot other wise its an assault weapon lets not get stupid and classify all weapons as not needed
I agree but you'd have a hard time convincing people of that. People are addicted to violence IMO. And like any addict, deny, deny, deny.
Shot me a lot of gophers with a handgun. Powerful fun!
Think I'll dig out my old Dungeons and Dragons game and put on some Ozzy while I'm at it.
The real question is why would a 15 year old WANT a gun. Gang? Protection? Freaking wacko?
Showing off. Getting attention. Bragging rights.
His liberty for the rest of his life has ended.
No Guns, No Murder By Guns . . . BAN THEM ALL TODAY !
Blame the gun not the one who used it.
Typical BS mentality from the left wing morons.
I am sure the gun jumped out of his pocket and discharged on its own.
No cars, no death by cars. No smoking, no death due to smoking. No stupidity, no death by stupidity.
See how that works?
I have no problems with guns. It's some of the idiots and right wing morons who own them I have a problem with.
What about the left wing morons and idiots who own guns? Do you have a problem with them too?
I bought a chain saw, but I wouldn't take it on a bus. I bought a gun at age 18 but it was a shotgun to be used for hunting. Never took it on a bus to school.
we were educated on firearms as kids and learned that guns are not toys. we did not have them locked up and knew what they were capable of. now we lock them up or put locks on the trigger and if you really need it by the time you can unlock it it's to late. we need to teach the youth of today responsability and there are consequences for their actions but as i said earlier most parents have to work 12-16 hour days to make it as we give our taxes to other countries and illegals or do stupid scientific studies
"stupid scientific studies" bring medicines that save lives... oh forget it.
I'll give her the answer, stupid irresponsible parents having stupid irresponsible kids
What the heck is an offendant? Someone needs to teach this Principal some basic English skills. Come on, this is the person in charge of educating the next generation? These kids don't have a chance - I'm just astonished at her comments. She shouldn't be in charge of a corner store let alone a elementary school.
This is why America's schools stink. The 'system' has pushed through dumb teachers just to have more minorities on the books. In the 1950's .... these people would have never made it into a school. This is what you get with affirmative action: Jerks who can't read or write properly.
I just love the new ads I see on t.v. ..... the ones saying: America needs good teachers!! Ha ! Unions will never let school systems get rid of all the loser teachers now ensconced in our schools. So, America you now have dopes teaching younger dopes.
An offendant is an offender. See: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by C. & G. Merriam
Co.
Proof that all your Private School $money$, private buses, private classes, and religious indoctrination doesn't mean squat = same results as Public Schools = kids get shot because adults are careless and lazy.
The bus was private, the schools it delivered kids to were public charter schools.
Maybe it was just a Black thing, or possibly George Zimmerman did it, or perhaps it was just a brazenly stupid kid who knowingly overstepped a whole bunch of boundries.
what is "a Black thing"? If Robert Bales shoots 16 Afghan civilians, including women and children, is that "a White thing"?
Lady, I am so sorry for your loss. I would also like some answers too. God Bless
Why would a 15-year-old WANT a gun?
Because his family's political climate means guns are carelessly handled and worshipped, his video games and action movies glorify guns, he's been taught to "be a man" and "cool", and our nation is ruled by the gunsellers (NRA).
No, our nation is ran by those who want to "understand" what he was thinking, call the perp the "victim" and the victim the "cause". Our nation is ran by those that don't believe in responsibily and accountability for one's actions. Our nation is ran by those that pander to the lowest common denominator because heaven forbid that stupid should hurt.
Actually, the NRA has no interest in people being hurt or killed by firearms and the reason young kids glorify blasting the hell out of people with firearms is Hollywood. Ironic isn't it, a bunch of elitist liberals who hate guns making fat bank off the exploitation of guns and violence in stupid movies.
the nra is a political front group for the gun manufacturers, and they have "no interest in people being hurt or killed" the same way defense contractors have no interest in wars breaking out and Symantec has no interest in computers getting infected with viruses. it just happens to align very conveniently with their interests when people feel the need to buy lethal weapons.
The NRA was founded in 1871, does not sell guns, promotes RESPONSIBLE gun ownership, encourages marksmanship, and defends the 2nd Amendment.
Plantagenet,We grew up on cowboy and Indians and war movies in the 50's and never had anybody get shot and killed at school,at home or on the bus.If people can't teach kids the difference between reality and fantasy than they are not qualified to be parenting children.
Is it at all possible that the boy with the gun was bringing the gun to school to protect himself from bullies? I could see that as a possible reason. My child is being bullied. The bully (girl) has been arrested twice for harrassing my daughter and the school district refuses to move the offender to a different school within the district. My daughter is terrified. I can see where a child in a similar situation might feel desperate to protect himself. I think we should wait for more information before going on a witch hunt.
Alice: The kid is not even enrolled in the School the bus was going to so he never should have been on that bus.
And Josh: Yes the NRA does take money from firearms and accessories manufacturers, but As Spike said, the NRA is a gun advocacy group which was started to promote safe and responsible firearms practices.
And Cleaning Lady: Times were different then. Today a great any people are so narcisisticly selfish that they see no harm in harming others. They are more predator than human.
Time for sensible gun control. No more bullying by the NRA. Get the handguns and assault weapons off our streets. Right now we have a country that is sinking in a mire of gun violence, and it's all encouraged by the NRA and the gun nutz.
HMMMM? Using your logic, Chicago must be awash in NRA members.
BTW---An "assault weapon", by definition, must have selective fire. I cannot recall a single instance of a full automatic being used in any crime. Perhaps back in the 20's and 30's.
Why "assault weapons"? They make up less than 1% of all gun crimes in the US, they make up less than 1% of all gun homicides in the US. The US isn't even close to sinking in gun violence, in fact gun violence as a grand total not just as a per-capita has been cut in half over the past 20 years. Gun crime is done this year compared to last year. How does the NRA promote gun violence? Have you even looked at NRA material or even gone to one of their meetings?
How can you claim we don't have sensible gun control when gun violence has been cut in half over the past 20 years?
Society is the changing variable here not firearms. The lower moral standards of today coupled with an open agenda of lies and the distortion of misplaced blame is much more prevalent in America these days than the truth of freedom, personal responsibility and moral behavior among a growing number of Americans.
I’m a firm believer in personal responsibility and parental obligation to instill solid values as the most effective form of crime prevention and establishing a moral society. Unconscionable criminal behavior is more the result of an overall lowering of society’s moral standards than the existence of guns.
Guns have been around for hundreds of years but shooting up schools is a relatively modern phenomenon. When I was a kid, guns were much more visible and accessible than today, yet we never thought of shooting our classmates. Why? The moral bar of socially acceptable behavior was significantly higher and Hollywood hadn’t yet sunk to today’s lows.
So what changed over the last 45 years—guns or society?
Until Americans raise the bar and instill a solid set of values in children this trend will likely continue.
http://mddall.com/sbss/0606.htm (full article)
Well said, Colonel Dan.
What. An. Ignorant. Post.
Sinking, eh? How about some actual facts?
http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/gun-violence/welcome.htm
Oh dear! Facts and statistics completely undermine your opinion!
In fact, it's the contrary!
Things are improving! In fact, non-fatal gun related violent crimes have dropped tremendously!
Overall, in fact, our country is getting SAFER!
I suppose, though, facts and truth take a back seat to crowing about your cowardly opinion on the internet.
Either way, you do look rather uninformed - to put it nicely.
Guns don't just "go off." You have to pull the trigger. Just say, "he pulled the trigger and shot and killed the girl." There is no "allegedly" here. Did he mean to kill her? I would hope not, but regardless, he MURDERED a young girl, unintentional or not. A girl is dead and this boy's life is forever ruined. Since his parents are no where to be found (in the media), we can also assume they were no where to be found in that young man's life and that is why he had a gun on a school bus.
What answers does she want that isn't already known? That some little jerk hid a gun in his backpack? That he played with it on the bus? That he killed your daughter because he was stupid, selfish and irresponsible?
It's tragic yes, but how do you expect to be fully and completely protected from someone's irresponsibility? Whether they're driving drunk or playing with weapons or simply performing stupid, reckless acts, there is no way to stop this kind of ignorance, and it's only getting worse. Every year fewer kids are being brought up and taught by their parents, and through their disconnection with their own children they allow pop culture to set the standards.
Who gave him the gun? Who had the gun in a place that it could be easily taken? Why did he bring it on the bus? Why was the gun loaded and the safety off? What were the boy's parents' attitudes on gun ownership? Did he get the gun from his parents or from 'a friend'? Did he hate the girl? Was he bullied or was he a bully himself, or did bullying have nothing to do with it? What are local attitudes toward guns and are those attitudes the kind that celebrate waving them around in public? Did other kids bring guns to school on different occasions to make him feel like it was cool?
Maybe you are right. Maybe even if a billion rules are made, there will always be senseless murders. But that doesn't mean we give up trying to stop it. At least I hope we don't!
motegaze:
All irrelevant. The boy made a choice. Or do you believe in free will and accountability?
Yeah Valid, we all know that the people with the illegal guns will turn them in. As Aerosmith sang"Dream On". Hey Roger, come and take my guns. They will be locked in the gun safe as i throw your worthless ass off my property.
Who and huh??
i would say that only the good people would turn in their weapons and that leaves the bad people with weapons so yea lets take the guns from the good people then the bad people will run this country and not sure if the gov is good or bad but I don't have alot of trust in our politicians any more dem or repub
It is a true tragedy. Unfortunately, it seems like the parents are positioning to sue the school system. Based on the information in the story, it seems like there is little anyone could have done, short of frisking all the kids before they get on the bus.
The NRA wants to legalize guns in schools. What a brilliant idea.
Billy, you erase the chalkboard
Sally, you collect the spent shell casings
Actually they want to have people who have carry permits be granted the permission to be able to protect themselves while on a college campus. Big difference between adults and grade school children.
Oh, many of those asking for that right also happen to be veterans of our armed forces. We trust them enough to go to war for us, but don't trust them enough to give them the ability to protect themselves in a gun free killing zone like a college campus?
Actually it was proposed that teachers be armed in the event of a shooter at school. It was never suggested that students carry weapons.
If we would legalize teachers carring guns, mandate required firearm safety classes at an early age, and the like: there would be no novelty in "hey look, I got a gun, see?".
Actually arming the teachers and students is exactly how Israel stopped the hostage/shooting situations in their schools.
The shooters want unarmed victims, they don't go into a police station or gun shop. They know they wouldn't stand a chance. Going into a school assures them of lots of unarmed victims.
Please throw the scumbag that leaves a loaded weapon laying around the house in Jail. If it did not shot this innocent little 13 year old just on her way to school, it would have hurt someone else. It makes you want to find the sorry a** parents of this kid and beat the hell out of them!!!!
Are we all going to have to start to drive our kids to school for fear that some morons will leave loaded weapons home for their kids to take???? This is just tragic and puts you in constant fear for your children.
God bless this poor little girl and her family.
You are assuming the gun was 'laying around the house' and not in a parents bedroom closet from which a child may have stolen it. You are presuming it was loaded and that a child did not also steal the ammunition and load it. You are assuming it was the parents gun and not one that was found in a park when left behind by when a drug dealer ran because he saw a police car go by. So many assumptions. So few facts. My sympathies to both families one has lost a child, one has a child that must live with what has happened.
USA should thank NRA for such tragedies. The blood of such innocent victims is on the hands of NRA organization and its officers. May Lord give piece to the departed soul and her family. Amen.
You nitwits who blame the NRA for every senseless shooting tragedy must have an IQ pretty close to your age! Blaming NRA is like blaming the NHRA/AHRA/NASCAR for stupid drivers. Children, including teens should NOT have access to guns as this child did. I am a member of NRA and I don't make/sell guns.
How is the NRA responsible? The NRA has been working tirelessly to teach people on how safely own and handle a firearm. The NRA has never promoted gun ownership as something cool or hip.
I can't stop laughing at this post!
Blaming the NRA. Brilliant!
Happy yet NRA and Concealed Carry insecure neurotics? Enough blood on your hands yet?
I can assure you that I am not happy about this event. And while not a spokesperson for the NRA, I feel confident in saying the NRA is not happy either.
Oh, I'm not neorotic. I'm prepared. And I have no blood on my hands, the criminals do.
Have a wonderful and SAFE thanksgiving.
Great rationalization XD, except this was a teen who killed another teen by ACCIDENT with a weapon now as available in UDSA as a cell phone. So again, thank you NRA, thank you concealed carry and thank you gun everywhere supporters who are wreaking havoc on our society and freedom to be in public without risk of a gun catastrophe, that includes a thank you to you XDm9mm. With a screen name as yours, if you think you don't have an impotence/anxiety problem without your weapon, it is time to check in with a mental health professional for a little reality feedback.
Yeah, and the American Restaurant Association is responsible for obesity. You are one of these dudes/dudettes who always bring sexual innuendo into your argument. But to play your game, I have some guns larger and some smaller than my johnson. I've been shooting since 1952 and still do as recreation. I also have a CCL. Further, having grandchildren, the firearms are locked securely in a safe, except for one revolver. One must practice responsible ownership and my guess is the owner of this handgun was not a member of NRA.
It must be horrifying for gun lovers to live in sooooo much fear.
kama sounds like you jumped on the band wagon and do not think logicaly on your own. by laying blame on the nra and chl holders is just an uneducated thought you heard from someone else. dawn we do not live in fear we feel the need to be able to protect ourselves from others that would do us harm and if you were there we would protect you also ur untill you started expressing yourself
The NRA has no blood on there hands because of this. What did the NRA do that caused this to happen? What does Conceal carry have anything to do with this?
I felt myself getting stupider as I read your posts.
Terrifying to think that people with your reasoning skills have the right to vote - although it is in the country of USDA.
LOL.
you know, if she was carrying a gun herself she wouldnt have died *SARCASM*
you are so right - there is absolutely no logical reason that law-biding citizens should be allowed to carry guns.
Ya because whenever someone makes that argument they are claiming that it is 100% effective because you know that they are not making the argument that if the victim had been armed the odds would have been better for them that they would have lived and not that it would have been a 100% guarantee that it would save their life.
My very sincere condolences to the victim and her family.