3 indicted in death of 8 year old killed at machine gun shoot
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A police chief was among three men indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of an 8-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the head with an Uzi at a gun show.
The Westfield Sportsman's Club also faces the manslaughter charge in the death of Christopher Bizilj (bah-SEAL') of Ashford, Conn., who lost control of the 9mm micro submachine gun as it recoiled while he was firing at a pumpkin.
The boy's father was 10 feet behind him and reaching for his camera when the child fired the weapon.
Pelham Police Chief Edward Fleury owns the COP Firearms & Training, which sponsored the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo Oct. 26 at the Westfield Sportsman's Club.
Two other men, Carl Guiffre of Hartford, Conn., and Domenico Spano, of New Milford, Conn., also were indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges. They brought the automatic weapon to the show, after assurances from Fleury that it was legal under Massachusetts law, District Attorney William Bennett said.
"A Micro Uzi is made by and for the Israeli Armed Forces and is intended to meet the operational needs of Israeli Special Forces," Bennett said, noting the weapon has a rate of fire of 1,700 round per minute. "It is not a hunting weapon."
Fleury and the club also were indicted on four counts each of furnishing a machine gun to a minor. Bennett said prosecutors know of at least four children, including Christopher, who fired the automatic weapons. The club faces a fine of up to $10,000 for each violation.
Fleury, Guiffre and Spano did not immediately return calls for comment. A man who answered the phone at the club said he was a member; he refused to identify himself and said no one wanted to talk.
The machine gun shoot drew hundreds of people to the sporting club's 375-acre compound. An advertisement said it would include machine gun demonstrations and rentals and free handgun lessons.
"It's all legal & fun — No permits or licenses required!!!!" reads the ad, posted on the club's Web site.
"You will be accompanied to the firing line with a Certified Instructor to guide you. But You Are In Control — "FULL AUTO ROCK & ROLL," the ad said.
The "Instructor" who was with Bizilj was a 15 year old who was not "Certified" or "Licensed."
The ad also said children under 16 would be admitted free, and both adults and children were offered free .22-caliber pistol and rifle shooting.
Christopher's father, Charles Bizilj, has said his son had experience firing handguns and rifles but the gun show was his first time with an automatic weapon.
__________________
Life is too important to be taken seriously.
This sure doesnt help the cause...this is why they set out to ban weapons, and those of us with the intellect to not let our kids shoot themselves have to pay the price as does a child who loses his life in a tragic accident that should not have happened. I'm sad for the child so young, what on earth were those people thinking.
This sure doesnt help the cause...this is why they set out to ban weapons, and those of us with the intellect to not let our kids shoot themselves have to pay the price as does a child who loses his life in a tragic accident that should not have happened. I'm sad for the child so young, what on earth were those people thinking.
Especially when they didn't say even though the gun is or was designed for the Israeli armed forces, that as long as who owned and or brought it had a class III license is legally allowed to own such a firearm. And I don;t think the guy would have brought a gun that was not only illegal for him to have and or own, but that was illegal in the state, to an event such as this.
The problem with stories like this is they don't tell the entire truth and those who gasp and are shocked at such things as well as those who are anti-gun or those who just want to join in, tend to go off half cocked and get angry not having or knowing all the details and or laws.
As it's tragic, and yes, nothing good for gun owners nationwide can come from this, it's obvious someone would bet getting brought up on charges from this tragedy.
And I believe it is true that it is legal for them to put on such a demonstration and anyone wanting to shoot or rent a machine gun can do so. As long as 1.) the machine gun is legal to be owned, 2.) the one who owns it is legally allowed to own it and is properly licensed (has a class III license), and 3.) this was all done on the property of the whom is putting on the event.
I'd also ad, I'm quite sure, the guy being a sheriff and all, and any other owners in this gun club, spoke to lawyers before holding such and event.
I mean, had this not happened, let's face it, there'd be no charges concerning the "machine gun" in the first place because I'm sure the guy who owns and or brought it has a class III license. If not, then not only is he ignorant, but so is the owner/s of this gun club, the sheriff and anyone else for not making sure everyone involved in this event and the guns used were all legal as well as legal or not to hold/have the event.
As for the so-called instructor who was only 15, well, whom ever put him in charge is and was ignorant.
As I'm quite sure some things were perfectly legal, they definitely dropped the ball in other areas which are and were a contributing factor in this tragedy. All of course said is my own personal opinion and I don't claim to know the laws pertaining to full autos/machine guns. But I thought machine guns can be owned, as long as the person is legal to own and is properly licensed and that the license for them comes through the Federal government and that over rides any state laws pertaining to a machine gun?
If I've got that wrong, about who gives the licenses for machine guns and whether or not it over rides any state laws governing machine guns, then someone please correct me...I'll gladly admit I got it wrong, if I happen to remember to check back and or if I see it..
One last thing. My heart and prayers go out to this little boys father and the rest of his family. I truly can even begin to imagine what the father saw and felt when this happened. He simply took his boy to an event only wanting to share something with the boy, and to have a good time with his son. What transpired on this day was no where even a thought in the mind of this boys father. He was just out to have a good time with his son and it is what it is, horrible and tragic.
__________________ "My next door neighbors two dogs have created more shovel ready jobs then Obama has." - Gary Johnson
Last edited by GlockMeister; 12-14-2008 at 03:47 PM.
good post glockmeister .... me being a full auto class 3 owner i know not to let an inexperienced person shoot that is not ready for the difference between full auto and semi-auto.
__________________
God doesn't give rights. Men have to fight for them.
All the fines and criminal proceedings in the world
will not bring this child back nor will it affect the guilt and sorrow those involved will take to their graves. This is a case in which punishment of decent people will not be justice.
This is a time when we need to acknowledge our disagreement with some laws but also support their consistent enforcement when safety is explicitly involved. I believe that a child's rights under the 2nd Amendment are tied directly to his parent's, to be exercised at their discretion and their liability.
If furnishing a machinegun to a minor is unlawful in Mass, the people who let that happen should be prosecuted under that offense. I don't see anything wrong with that being against the law with the exception of it being directly by a parent and maintaining parental supervision.
I don't see that the people who loaned the Uzi to the club should be liable if they were not required to constantly supervise. Whoever let it get in the hands of the kid should be punished, and it doesn't have to be for any firearm related laws. Involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, parental neglect, etc. Say a parent let his kid drive a car off-road on private land. Nothing illegal as far as I know, but if they don't train them and the kid wrecks the car and dies, that's a clear case of neglect. Same with allowing an 8yr old to fire a compact automatic weapon. Did he start with a semi-auto? Or even a shouldered full auto? People get intimidated by big guns but should feel the opposite way. I'm sorry to go on a tangent, but not understanding these things is ultimately what killed this child.
__________________
Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf
Last edited by BattleRifleG3; 12-31-2008 at 12:39 PM.
Well 1 thing they could say about the owner... if the other guys who he let handle the gun while he did w.e werent certified... techically that was use by an unregistered person and could prob go against him
"One last thing. My heart and prayers go out to this little boys father and the rest of his family. I truly can even begin to imagine what the father saw and felt when this happened. He simply took his boy to an event only wanting to share something with the boy, and to have a good time with his son. What transpired on this day was no where even a thought in the mind of this boys father. He was just out to have a good time with his son and it is what it is, horrible and tragic."
+10 that was perfectly said, i have a young boy right now, 1 1/2 years old and i would be completely devistated if anything even remotely close to that ever happend to my son.
I just took my 12 yo grandson shooting and had him shoot a 17, 22, 22-250, ar15 9mm and a 380acp he has completed hunter safty ed and is always under complete control by me while shooting anything. I do not stand back and watch him I am in there with every shot. It is a shame this has happened We as reponsible adults need to teach every step of the way no mater what they are shooting.
__________________
When deep in trouble say nothing and try to look inconspicuous.
Giving a full auto micro Uzi to an eight year old was very poor judgement. What age, one must ask, was their cut-off going to be? If 8 was OK, what about 7...or 6? How small and uncoordinated would a child have to be before they were going to draw the line?
For those of you who haven't been around kids in a while, 8 years old is pretty tiny, that's a kid in the second grade. They still sit in those itty-bitty chairs at school. Bad idea.
That is so sad. My heart goes out to the families. My heart also goes out to the police chief in this. You know he was not trying to hurt anyone, yet things happen. I doubt seriously he wanted an automatic weapon in the hands of an 8 year old.
__________________
Lifetime Member NRA. Lifetime Member GWTA.
This is a very old topic, I'm sorry for the bump, but I must ask...
Is letting a minor fire a fully automatic weapon really illegal?
When I was thirteen my father and I went to range, and we rented a fully automatic AR-15 SBR with a 9mm upper. Was a hell of a lot of fun! But, being thirteen, and the range owner watching me fire it, was this illegal?
This is a very old topic, I'm sorry for the bump, but I must ask...
Is letting a minor fire a fully automatic weapon really illegal?
When I was thirteen my father and I went to range, and we rented a fully automatic AR-15 SBR with a 9mm upper. Was a hell of a lot of fun! But, being thirteen, and the range owner watching me fire it, was this illegal?
one of my brothers lives in ma. and his gun club has had an automatic weapons shoot every year for ten plus yrs. but because of this accident this yr. it was cancelled. he said that they lost thousands of $ becuase of it.
and in ma. if there is a FFL dealer present then the "renters" are legal to possess the weapons.
plus at his gun club there is an age limit and there is a range officer at every firing position. my bro. vols. for this as he is ex marine and qualifies as an expert.
__________________ JESUS....THE REAL HOPE AND CHANGE
