LA - Marie Smothers, 87, shot to death by 8yo boy, Slaughter, 22 Aug 2013

[oceanblueeyes]

Yes, with a flashlight? Guess we need to ban those too!

It is a sad situation for the grandmother who lost her life this way. However it really isn't a simple answer. If the weapon belonged to the grandmother and she owned it legally she had every right to have it for protection. I doubt it crossed her mind that the enemy was within though since she was trying to care for this kid even in her old age. She probably knew if she ever needed it to protect them both she would need it where it was accessible because a gun locked up in a safe doesn't protect anyone.

IMO

 

[Kimberlyd125]

IMO, if it was hers and she had it in the home, it should have been locked up. There was a child there.

But, we don't know at this point whose it was or where he got it.

ETA: but I do agree that if she owned it legally, she had every right to have it for protection. Along with that right comes responsibility to keep it away from children.

JMO

 

[oceanblueeyes]

That's what I've been thinking. If the gun belonged to her and he's not old enough to be charged with a crime, I'm assuming there would he no charges.

I'm sure we will find out more in the coming days.

I want to know who that gun belonged to and how he got it.
I'd also like to know how he was able to have Grand Theft Auto. Who did that belong to? Did someone buy it FOR him ? She may not have even known he had it or that it was so violent. She was 90 years old.

So many questions.

I just gathered since it is said he was being raised by her that she was the owner of the gun. I just read a month or two back where a 78 year old woman saved herself from being killed because she drew her weapon on the perp.

I think the older people get they feel even more vulnerable and they can become targets just because of their age.

So many questions but it is very sad.

I just don't understand the rage in some of these very young children that make them capable of killing someone.

Is it the videos or some other kind of disconnect? I really don't know the answer. Maybe an accumulation of many things in society today.

 

[fhc]

Wording has changed a bit. Now it says she was his current caregiver....

Smothers, 90, was the child's current caregiver.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/8-year-old-shot-grandmother-after-playing-video-game


Not that it makes much of a difference. Maybe it was a temporary thing. I'm not sure what to think.
Since he was released to his parents that leads me to think he wasn't taken from them and placed with the grandmother or anything.

Such a strange case.

In the video report at the above link it states that the boy was visiting his grandmother in Slaughter from his Baton Rouge home.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

IMO, if it was hers and she had it in the home, it should have been locked up. There was a child there.

But, we don't know at this point whose it was or where he got it.

ETA: but I do agree that if she owned it legally, she had every right to have it for protection. Along with that right comes responsibility to keep it away from children.

JMO

ITA! He should have never even known where she kept her gun.

I hope they answer where she kept it. Did she have it in a lock box and he had watched her at times unlock it and knew where the key was?

Hopefully we will learn more.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I just gathered since it is said he was being raised by her that she was the owner of the gun. I just read a month or two back where a 78 year old woman saved herself from being killed because she drew her weapon on the perp.

I think the older people get they feel even more vulnerable and they can become targets just because of their age.

So many questions but it is very sad.

I just don't understand the rage in some of these very young children that make them capable of killing someone.

Is it the videos or some other kind of disconnect? I really don't know the answer. Maybe an accumulation of many things in society today.

I totally agree.

A lot of kids are losing the sense that human life is valuable.
It's treated like its disposable.

Like the "thrill kill" of the Australian baseball player and the poor elderly veteran that was beaten.

Both crimes were committed by youth. Both crimes are senseless.

It's scary to think about.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

In the video report at the above link it states that the boy was visiting his grandmother in Slaughter from his Baton Rouge home.

Oh so he was just visiting her.

I would never expect my elderly mother/grandmother to watch an 8 year old child. That is too much of a burden on someone this age........even for a visit imo.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

In the video report at the above link it states that the boy was visiting his grandmother in Slaughter from his Baton Rouge home.

Ahhh! Thanks. I haven't watched any video. Just been reading.

I sleuth on my phone and videos are difficult sometimes.

 

[animlzrule]

Until people start caring more about their children than their "right" to have guns, we will continue to see this over and over and over. And since they don't care about the safety of their kids, maybe they'll care about being locked up. That said, if this child was being left in the care of a 90 year old woman, and was being allowed to play with games like Grand Theft Auto, I predict these aren't the type of parents who care much about their child anyway, and his future is probably pretty bleak, even if he hadn't killed his grandmother. If it was her gun, well, foolish acts can sometimes have dire consequences.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I totally agree.

A lot of kids are losing the sense that human life is valuable.
It's treated like its disposable.

Like the "thrill kill" of the Australian baseball player and the poor elderly veteran that was beaten.

Both crimes were committed by youth. Both crimes are senseless.

It's scary to think about.

And some of these crimes are horrific in nature. Gruesome and premeditated even. Mind boggling actually.

I do wonder if it is because many children today do their socializing a lot through a computer or texting or other social avenues. A child needs one on one close human interaction with others to know how to be warm, compassionate, and loving. A box made of wires and chips can't teach children those things and most of all it cant teach them to value human life.

Youths are even murdering because their X-Box was taken away or some other material thing they had attachment to.......

IMO

 

[Kimberlyd125]

And some of these crimes are horrific in nature. Gruesome and premeditated even. Mind boggling actually.

I do wonder if it is because many children today do their socializing a lot through a computer or texting or other social avenues. A child needs one on one close human interaction with others to know how to be warm, compassionate, and loving. A box made of wires and chips can't teach children those things and most of all it cant teach them to value human life.

Youths are even murdering because their X-Box was taken away or some other material thing they had attachment to.......

IMO

We are on the exact same page on this.
I feel the same way.

Too much technology and not enough hugs.

ETA: generally speaking. Because I have no idea yet what this child's life was like or why he shot this lady.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

It was her gun.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/deputies-8-year-old-shot-grandmother-after-playing-video-game


The gun used in the shooting belonged to Smothers. While neighbors said they are keeping the family in their prayers, it did raise questions.

"Where did she have the gun, where did he see the gun, was it in his eyesight? That's the thought that goes through my head," explained Johnnie Scott.

 

[Nova]

The eight-year-old should not have been able to get to the gun, so there is some poetic justice here.

I'm not sure an eight-year-old of average intelligence is old enough to fully understand that death is permanent and that a gun shot to the head will almost certainly result in death.

 

[Roxye]

The eight-year-old should not have been able to get to the gun, so there is some poetic justice here.

I'm not sure an eight-year-old of average intelligence is old enough to fully understand that death is permanent and that a gun shot to the head will almost certainly result in death.

Poetic justice???? What did this old woman ever do that deserved being shot in the head? She had a gun? <modsnip>

Maybe she thought his parents taught him better! Maybe, as my child knew from the age of 3!!! YOU NEVER TOUCH THIS! His father has always had guns. We have always had several safes, even the finger print one I have over the fridge.

My child is 12 now and his father is 'training' him to use a firearm. The first time his father told him to take the gun and shoot into the trap it took my son twice asking his dad if it was okay to touch it.

I am not trying to make this about gun control because it's not, it IS about gun safety and how we teach our children respect for the impact a bullet has on anything.

Gallon jugs (full of red koolaid water) taught my son exactly what a bullet could do to a human head. He will NEVER touch a weapon unless his life or his family's lives are in danger.

This kid had issues before he came to great grandma.... the least of which is parents who let him play video games rated for an adult..... this is a whole other rant for me!

 

[animlzrule]

Yes. Poetic justice. She had a gun. She had a child in her home. The child obviously had access to the gun. Never mind that there is no reason to have guns in homes where/when there are children present. A gun's sole purpose is to kill. Why expose children to that??? Mind boggling. I can't view her as much of a victim. When one has a gun in their home, and someone, be it a child, grandmother, postal carrier, friend etc. is shot and killed, whoever was responsible for bringing that gun into the home is as equally at fault as the one who pulled the trigger. I don't want my child killed by a poisonous snake. Ergo, I do not knowingly, willfully bring poisonous snakes into my home etc, etc....

 

[CatFancier]

Please do not respond to other posters in a personal way. Also, no name calling please.

 

[Roxye]

Well, certainly not with a gun. The ridiculous notion of the average homeowner being able to discharge a firearm successfully in self defense has been debunked countless times. I am infinitely more at risk of killing myself or an innocent someone else with a handgun, as statistics illustrate. Despite what fear mongering media outlets would have us believe, the likelihood of being a victim of a home invasion or violent crime is minute as compared to the likelihood of killing yourself or a loved one with your own gun. If grandma hadn't had the gun, she'd be alive tonight, or at least would have had the chance to die a non violent death.

This is EXACTLY what I am saying! If the AVERAGE homeowner took gun safety classes and taught their children the same that they had learned, we wouldn't have the issues we have today.

Yes, it is true. If grandma hadn't had a gun, then she would never had been shot. Instead she could have hammered, or knifed, of smothered. WE DON'T know what was in this child's head. He could of been hell bent on death of him grandma and would have done anything to make that happen. Her having a gun to defend her very vulnerable self against attackers has very little to do with this child's motives.

 

[animlzrule]

This is EXACTLY what I am saying! If the AVERAGE homeowner took gun safety classes and taught their children the same that they had learned, we wouldn't have the issues we have today.

Yes, it is true. If grandma hadn't had a gun, then she would never had been shot. Instead she could have hammered, or knifed, of smothered. WE DON'T know what was in this child's head. He could of been hell bent on death of him grandma and would have done anything to make that happen. Her having a gun to defend her very vulnerable self against attackers has very little to do with this child's motives.

I wholeheartedly disagree. I'm saying having a gun in your home DOES NOT and WILL NOT make a person or their children safe. Training or not. It's a fallacy perpetuated by the extremely powerful, wealthy gun industry. Stats do not support the notion that having a gun in one's home makes people safer. We will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Roxye]

I wholeheartedly disagree. I'm saying having a gun in your home DOES NOT and WILL NOT make a person or their children safe. Training or not. It's a fallacy perpetuated by the extremely powerful, wealthy gun industry. Stats do not support the notion that having a gun in one's home makes people safer. We will have to agree to disagree.

We can agree to disagree all you want. What it comes down to is training and the willingness to learn. If the average home decided to learn gun safety, then the average home wouldn't have the robberies and home invasion we have today.

It is all about what you call average, and who is willing to do what to protect their family. As we all have learned on WS, 911 just doesn't do it anymore.

 

[Hopeful One]

Well, something certainly wasn't "normal" and loving in that household to have an 8-yo pick up a gun and intentionally shoot his grandma.

And why were they sharing a bedroom? That's weird.