(TX) Daughter’s death drives Seguin man's fight

[patentmike]

So the same parents who didn't teach their kid not to load a gun and point it at somebody are going to use a trigger lock because the law says they have to? That could only make sense to a legislator.

 

[HighVelocity]

So the same parents who didn't teach their kid not to load a gun and point it at somebody are going to use a trigger lock because the law says they have to? That could only make sense to a legislator.

I never said anything about a trigger lock law. All I'm saying is that kids will be kids and if you are not able to personally oversee your weapons (kids home with your guns while you're not, leaving loaded guns on the table accessible to children etc) then a trigger lock is a good thing. Besides, if there are no adults in the house then who is the gun there for? Do you want to come home and get shot by a burglar with your gun when a $10 trigger lock could have prevented it? Do you want your kid to load a weapon and shoot somebody when a $10 trigger lock could have prevented it?
Do you want your 5 year old to pick up your loaded 9mm off the night table and shoot your wife in the back like it happened here in Fort Worth? :banghead:

 

[Otherguy Overby]

Again I ask:

leaving loaded guns on the table accessible to children etc) then a trigger lock is a good thing. Besides, if there are no adults in the house then who is the gun there for? Do you want to come home and get shot by a burglar with your gun when a $10 trigger lock could have prevented it?

Is there anyone on THR, who would even consider putting a trigger lock on a LOADED weapon?

 

[Evil_Ed]

HighVelocity,
Was there anything locked up in your house as a kid you DIDN"T know how to access??? I mean, the key has to be somewhere and kids in general are curious little buggers so they WILL find the key or steal it off Daddy's key ring if necessary. When I was a kid I had bypassed every child "safety" device by the age of 6 and knew where EVERYTHING in my parents house was located including every bit of ammo, all the guns, my dad's knives, the emergency cash stash, all the adult magazines, etc ad nauseum.

So tell me now how a trigger lock is going to do anything besides diddly and squat?

 

[patentmike]

I'm not arguing with you, High Velocity. I'm questioning the whole "blame the gun" line of reasoning. The person who leaves a loaded gun on the night stand where a 5 year old can reach it is not going to use a trigger lock.

If you buy a house on a lake, do you build a fence around the lake and hope they don't get past it, or do you teach the kids to swim?

 

[LiquidTension]

fatally shot in the head by a friend with a loaded gun.

Why did the author feel the need to put the "loaded" part in there? Isn't that a given if the gun actually fired?

 

[nico]

Not to speak for him, but it seems like you guys are misinterpreting HighVelocity. I haven't seen him say anything about requiring trigger locks or blaming the gun for what happened.

Personally, I would completely support gun safety courses in school (I'd bet the NRA would be more than willing to help compile a curriculum). That being said, I don't think the law should mandate things with the goal of preventing negligent shootings, but I think it's perfectly reasonable to hold people responsible for what happens with their guns while in their house if they were negligent in storing the gun.
When I have kids (I'm only 21 now, so that won't be for a while), I plan to have most of my guns stored in a safe with a handgun and shotgun bedside in some sort of quick access retention device (a mini safe for the handgun and a locking bedside stand for the shotgun). I also want to teach them about guns early and get them into shooting. That being said, they won't have access to any of the guns without me present until they're in their late teens.