Man shot and killed by juveniles while bush hogging

[oosik]

While I agree with sentiments, I can understand @oosik response as they were in position of weapons and had already demonstrated a certain lack of judgement in their actions...

We are dealing with some local yahoo's at the moment who are shooting at anything that moves and spotlighting game at night. Surprisingly hard to get the game wardens and sherif to act. Three were arrested a month ago, and they are still at it... I don't like it it, but I don't like any of the alternatives either. It is posted, there are game cameras up with cell phone transmission of the photos and still...

All the best,

Peter

You are absolutely correct ponytug. I VERY SELDOM go anywhere on my property with any type of gun. I'm quite remote and never expect to see anybody - other than the neighbors.

In this situation I was "armed" with my pole saw and a large pair of pruners. I might, could have, been more aggressive and used the pruners.

 

[Deere Dude]

Could have been trying to shoot something else nearby, 8 & 9 year old may not be good snipers.

My guess is they knew what they were shooting at and missed a couple times and kept on untill something happend not realizing the terrible consequenses of it. The farmer probably didn't know he was targeted until he felt it

 

[RalphVa]

I was using a 22 at that age, often unsupervised. I was fine, but I had a cousin who would have been crazy enough not to be trusted with one unsupervised at that age. Some kids just want to shoot and kill all sorts of stuff. Human? Just another thing I can shoot.

 

[Beeenvenue]

I was using a 22 at that age, often unsupervised. I was fine, but I had a cousin who would have been crazy enough not to be trusted with one unsupervised at that age. Some kids just want to shoot and kill all sorts of stuff. Human? Just another thing I can shoot.

I hunted squirrels with a 22 often, starting at age 7. My uncle gave me lecture after lecture and sat with me several times before I ever stayed by myself. I recall clearly when he dropped me off the first time how to look for a spot that had clear lanes in most directions and the one direction that had a house a long way away - and I better not ever shoot that direction! And how a simple 22 could kill a squirrel or a person. Dead.
Properly taught/trained there’s nothing inherently wrong with an 8yr old with a gun. Unfortunately it sounds like that proper teaching and training probably didn’t exist here.

 

[bdog]

I was shooting 22’s unsupervised at that age but never did anything remotely close to that. Dad was the instructor for our 4H shooting sports program. I learned to respect guns at a very early age. Different kids have different mindsets and levels of responsibility. What a tragedy. I wonder how close they were. A BB gun could kill a person if the hit was right so I am definitely not saying the potential to kill isn’t there but a single 22 shot from a distance would likely be survived more times than not.

Not that it would have helped in this situation but I always carry a gun anywhere I go what’re it is out an about in public, back in the woods at the ranch, or mowing my front lawn.

 

[Hay Dude]

Philly only allowed 7700 gun permits in 2020. That’s far less than each of the 4 suburban counties surrounding Philly. Word on the street is anyone seen open carrying is going to get a beatdown like they never believed, just daring the open carrier to shoot in self defense.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Just now talking with my wife about this she reminded me of a story I've tried to forget. 25 years ago, +-, I was doing some residential work for a woman who had three kids. The youngest was a boy right at 10 years old; he literally scared the crap out of me just being around him. He tortured first, then killed any small creature / animal he could get his hands on. He would set booby traps for us around the house to try and hurt us. His father had died and I tried talking to him several times. He told me once he couldn't wait to start getting an erection... I laughed and asked why; So I can start raping little girls, he said. Shook me to my core. We would never turn our backs on this kid and watched him like a mouse watches for a Hawk. Only the second time in my life I felt like I was truly in the presence of evil.

 

[Gee Ray]

Several of you have mentioned the lack of parenting. You fail to understand the problem. Many of you grew up in a time that if you screwed up you would get your backside warmed up by your father or you feared you would get a tune up.

Today there is no father in the home. The mother must work and the computer is the baby sitter.

The biggest problem is the threat of the state to punish the parent if the child even thinks he/she has been abused. In some places yelling at your child is abuse. Do not even think about corporal punishment. It is an automatic trip to jail.

I am not an advocate for child abuse but corporal punishment should not be ruled out.

Thanks Dr. Spock.

The problems in our schools can be attributed to the lack of discipline and the fear of school officials to control the students.

The child holds the power because their accusations are all that is needed. There are no consequences if the child/student tells a lie that may ruin a parents or teachers life.

 

[ruffdog]

Today there is no father in the home. The mother must work and the computer is the baby sitter.

So now we have 2 generations that are lacking responsibility. One, for making a child and not following through. Two, the child that never gets real parenting.

 

[Fuddy1952]

My guess is they knew what they were shooting at and missed a couple times and kept on untill something happend not realizing the terrible consequenses of it. The farmer probably didn't know he was targeted until he felt it

I was thinking the opposite happened. We can all speculate but hopefully the true story will be known (if anyone sees it, please post).
I think back 60 years. My buddy and I had our 30 and neighbors 2500 acres to go on. (Super nice old fellow, let us kids go anywhere... bike, hike, sleighride, hunt, etc).
I'm 9, friend is 8 with a .22.
One shoots at a squirrel and missed. Finally hear a guy mowing on tractor...one says "bet you couldn't even hit that mower". Other one shoots, hits the man! A 1:100K chance, a sniper sharpshooter would miss...but dumb luck.
My reasoning is there aren't too many evil sociopathic 8 & 9 year olds. Absolutely stupid. How many kids that age die all the time on a dare, taking a chance?
We hate hunting season here. Years ago a bullet hit the barn not far from my wife. We all heard it, saw a piece of wood fly off. Never saw the shooter, but lots of bullets can travel a mile. All it would have taken is if that shooter had moved his rifle 1/16" at that range...