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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 5:50 p.m. ET: A 7-year-old boy was fatally shot by his father outside a gun shop in western Pennsylvania, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report.
Joseph Loughrey, the father, had gone in to Twig’s Reloading Den in East Lackawannock Township some time before 11 a.m. to try to sell a 9 mm Taurus handgun and a scope rifle, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Store managers weren't interested.
Loughrey, 44, and his son, Craig Loughrey, returned to the truck, where Loughrey secured his son in a booster seat on the passenger side. He then placed the long gun in the bed of the truck.
As he got into the truck, he reached to place the handgun into a glove box storage unit, police told the Tribune-Review. That's when it fired.
Authorities were called at 10:53 a.m. local time and found the boy lying next to the truck after a failed attempt at resuscitation. They stayed on scene until after 1 p.m., dispatchers said.
"All evidence at this point would suggest that this incident is accidental," the Pennsylvania State Police report stated.
According to the Tribune-Review, Loughrey didn't realize that a round remained in the gun's chamber.
“This happens all too often where people think the gun was empty,” State Police Lt. Eric Hermick.
Twig’s Reloading Den is an outdoor supply store about 70 miles from Pittsburgh.
Imy Howard, owner of Howard & Son Meat Packing store next door, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that her son heard a shot this morning. She said that Twig’s Reloading Den hosted target shooting in the back parking lot last week but not this week.
A Twig’s employee told the Post-Gazette that the incident was “just an unfortunate accident.”
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Leave a Comment:
The folks who use the rapist burglury argument are frightened. They might also be frightened by an armed State and having no arms themselves. They might be afraid of communists or whoever. Simply put, though, often people who own guns own a lot of fear too.
Recipe for disasters.
I am sure the 20 MILLION Russians Stalin killed after he disarmed them thought like you.
Scott - where do you get your BS from. I know LOTS of people that own guns and almost NONE of them are fearful of anything. There is a difference between being prepared and being a victim, and I'm sure you don't the difference between that either.
May God accept this child whose life was cut short into his loving embrace.
Amen
the only way an accident like this can happen is if several basic safety rules are willfully ignored all at once. he gambled with his son's life rather than pay attention, and lost
If you live in a "rural" area you could have two or three large dogs,the odds of some criminal attacking you would be almost zero. Or are we so scared we have to exclusively rely on a gun? What happens if the gun misfires? If it jams? If the sights are off and you miss? i rely on my dog more then my gun,because I'm not scared! Are you?
Mr Glock has friends at my house, Mrs Glock, Mr AK47 Mr 556 and Mr Ruger. Misfires and jams, NOT and as to sights being off lasers are pretty DEAD on.
@tony
I can't fit 2 or 3 large dogs in my cleavage.
And, you have no right to tell anyone what they should have based on their location.
Automatic and semi automatic weapons are more prone to jam , than revolvers or shotguns . Speaking of shotguns .
Dogs normally run together . boom all your protection is total history.
Sure the neighbors would hear it but in the afternoon in a rural area they may not think nothing of it.
Some people are so scared they have to have their gun on them at all times. A "real" man doesn't need to be that reliant on a gun,I'm not!
your just so special
Don't be scared,man up! You can live without a gun at your side at all times! If you can't you truly are scared. Real men do! People who are so very defensive about guns are truly scared little boys and girls!
@TONYWARVET Your statement, intended to inflame and instigate only serves to indicate you're ignorance. "Real Men" don't act like adolescent children attempting to insult by innuendo, Real Men also do not pick at and call names like a little bit_h. Just something you may want to think about when telling people how deficient they are in some manner, according to you.
There absolutely should be greater regulation regarding the proper handling of firearms. A standardized and uniform program that's focus of firearms safety and proper handling, as well as proficiency with the firearm should be mandatory when a firearm is purchased for the first time or when carry permits are applied for. The problem would still remain regarding person to person transactions that are not reported or the greatest of the problems, the illegal firearms that are sold and traded by people that are legally ineligible to own firearms by law. This is where enforcement of the existing laws that are already on the books would make an impact on the trafficking in firearms by gang members, thugs and any number of individuals that simply should not be allowed to posses a firearm at all. Mandatory sentencing and full term sentences would make a difference when a person receives a ten year term and is out in 31/2 years, doing everyday of that TEN YEARS would cause some to reconsider the need for that pistol in their pocket and possibly save some lives.
Tonywarvet... I know I am as real a man as anyone. I also that I am no longer able to stand and fight with some young thug. I don't carry a gun to be the big man. I carry a gun because I don't want to be the big mans victim. The father that shot his son is the party responsible, not the NRA or the hard ware. Just as if the 7 year old was killed by his father in a drunk driving wreck. Guns are a dangerous tool. If you don't understand the safty rules and follow them at all times, some one can get hurt or killed. The same can be said about almost any tool or piece of equiptment.
Do you tuck your gun into bed and kiss it goodnight Mr Gun Nut?
Tonywarvet,
I don't see Daniel Calc as a gun nut. Nor am I a gun nut. If I ever have to be in an unsafe area I want the right to carry. We who own guns are not all gun nuts. In fact most people don't even know we own them. We don't carry everywhere which you imply. I respect your opinion and agree with most of it but for a CCW permit in my state one must do 8 hours of book work followed by 2 hours of range time with instructor and pass all skills and written tests. Please don't group all gun owners as "nuts".
Tony thinks only men have guns.
Tony is a bigot.
This was NOT an "unfortunate accident". It was negligent homicide.
The father belongs in prison.
I really wish some people would just shut the fu_k up. Every time ANYTHING happens involving a firearm, the usual cretins that do NOT understand why we have a 2nd Ammendment crawl out of their sewer holes and start running off at the mouth capitalizing on a tragedy for their own agendas. Accidents happen you friggin idiots, whether it be with a firearm, gas grill, your car, or on a football field. Your rantings do nothing to influence people that know the use and meaning of firearms, usually they do the exact opposite and motivate law-abiding people to buy MORE firearms for fear that those who choose not to own a gun will force THEIR will on the people that choose to own one. The only thing that needs to be done about gun ownership is to continue to stress safety and responsibilty - just like we do with a drivers license and driving, which, but the way, incurs far greater accidental deaths per year than firearms. Let the man bury his son and stop the Monday Morning Quarterback drivel.
The NRA only cares about gun sales and promoting a gun culture,that's why I would never join the NRA,unless they change their ways. They need to moderate their views on weapons for sure. Safety and responsible owners with responsible,necessary weapons should be their goal.
Does the NRA back gun ownership for Violent people? Mentally Ill people? Irresponsible people? They sure don't do anything to prevent it!
some people are too stupid/careless to be gun owners ...
my heart breaks for the child and the family
@Witty One You sir, are an ass.
This has got to be the biggest collection of morons commenting on this tragedy. I had not the stomach to read all the comments, because after reading as many as I have, and to see the heartless fools ranting about gun safety, and not one taking into consideration a father will have to live with this the rest of his life. Not to mention mother, siblings, grandparents, and the many others that will be touched by this tragedy. I wonder how many of you morons out there have made a mistake, maybe run a red light, never giving a thought that you could have killed a mother and child by your mistake. Have you ever forgot something on the stove, but you didn't burn your house down with your family inside. Think about some of the stupid things you've done before you start bashing a guy that will have to spend this Christmas with the memory of his son, rather than his son. By the way did you stop and think maybe the guy was trying to sell the guns so he could get his son something for Christmas. What a bunch of stone throwing hypocritical over opinionated morons.
This is not an accident. No matter how you look at it, this man pointed a loaded gun at his son and somehow pulled the trigger. As someone mentioned above, this is more along the lines of negligent homicide.
Way to go Big Daddy. That's one less gift to buy for Christmas. Next time, air out your head.
This is what happens when people have not had gun safety training,, In the 20th century before the a person could have or buy a weapon he had to have had gun safety training,,, Probably this guys wife had had the training but the husband thought he was to Macho to go to the training.... And now your Gun control AH's and the ACLU, and the democrats plus the News Media are going to make a BIG thing over this!!!!!!
This was not just an accident, it was a homocide. A 7 year old was killed by an adult who was responsible for his gun. He should be charged and never ever able to possess another firearm. The charge should be manslaughter and he should serve time and just so you all don't confuse me with some anti-gun person I own a gun and I take responsiblity for it.
This highlights several key things. Darwin. The economy. Let me explain. The economy nbc keeps saying is good does not see a man sell his guns. Darwin because being dumb means you die off. Did he have a change of heart and decide guns were evil? No! He would've left them in the store for nothing.
This father is a idiot! First, he takes a loaded gun into a gun store to try to sell it, then he was still carrying the loaded gun outside around a 7-year old, then he buckled his son into a booster seat and took the loaded gun and opened up the glove compartment. (Follow me here) As he tried to put the loaded gun into the storage unit, he must have pointed the gun at his son and accidently pulled the trigger at the same time.
Loaded gun, safety off, pointed it at his 7-year boy, somehow pulled the trigger and kills his son. This man is a IDIOT!! He should be arrested for being so STUPID!!!!
Nooooo, he couldn’t point the gun at himself while he was putting it into storage… He had to point it as his son instead.
This man is not only an idiot, is a coward idiot!! Makes me sick to my stomach that people like this can even walk the planet.
Dan,
You are simply too dumb for words. Typical far right loony.
Accidents do happen, even to seasoned gun owners. I had a buddy I used to work with, been around guns for yrs., and he set out to clean his .22 rifle. He shoved the cleaning rod in the barrel, forgot to check the chamber, and it shot the cleaning rod through his skull. He survived for around 8 months in the hospital, then died. I myself own guns, but before I pick one up, and it has a mag in it, I always remove the mag, check the chamber, then put the mag back in if all is clear. One thing with guns....never assume.
We created our our nightmares. The Universe will continue to unfold as it should. I guess we all have to have something in our lives to make us keep on living, including the fasination with firearms.
This type of stupidity will cause the eventual repeal of the second ammendment. My heart goes out to the family of this little boy. His father now has to live with this the rest of his life..
own....NOT our
What a tragic story. If one were to believe the outrageous pro-gun activists that guns don't kiill people I guess the ENTIRE fault of this tragedy falls on the father, which means that even if the gun weren't present the child would have died anyway. Somehow this logic escapes me.
Darwin. Tragic yes, but that is life. Yes One way or another that idiot would've killed his child. Get over it.