June 20, 2005

"Pa. Teen Shoots Dad After Man Kills Mom"

This headline reeks of typical anti-gun bias. Reads as though; "Kid shoots Father after some stranger kills mother". Makes it sound like a double tragedy. Sad enough already.

Andy

The local headlines around here (in Bucks Co.) said "Dad kills Mom, son kills Dad". (Got the paper right here...)

Man, Father's Day Weekend SUCKED around here this year.

Not only this mess happened, but also my 24 year old step-sister died of a heart attack Sunday morning. (And, no, she had no heart/health issues. A healthy, young, beautiful girl gone... just. like. that.)

I still don't believe it.

About this other deal, the kids locked Dad in the garage and Mom called 911 when he went to load the shotgun, but he shot his way back into the house.
That's when Mom ran onto the deck and out into the yard and he shot and killed her thru the window.
That's when Corey, the 15 year old, shot him. (The 17 year olds name is A.J.)

There's a whole other issue involved in this. Something to do with some kind of abuse from a coach at the boys' school and when (at what point was) Dead Dad was told it was happening and why did it take six months for anybody to do anything. The trial of this coach is going on right now, in fact. (And, Mom and sons had testified against him.)
Dead Dad was found not long ago, sitting in his car, in a closed garage, with the motor running.
That's why he was in the psych hospital.

He signed himself out, came home and did this.

Lovely, huh?

Having been in this situation once in my life, I'm wondering why the kid waited until "Dad" shot first? BTW - an unloaded gun is next to useless! I feel for the sons but the kid did the right thing. I wouldn't have waited for "Dad" to come back from the garage. I'd have loaded the shotgun and followed him. If he even thought about pointing that gun at me, I'd have ended it there. Heartless? Possibly. I wouldn't even think of putting myself in that kid's place, it was his "Dad" after all. However, there's right and there's wrong and sometimes you gotta choose, as difficult as that choice may be.

The best thing in that whole article was that the kid won't be charged. Finally, there's some semblance of common sense in the world!

BTW - To elaborate, yes, I've been in that situation with my mother and step-father just after he left AA. Luckily, it ended with a shotgun hole in the ceiling. I was young (11 or 12) at the time and didn't know what was really going on. Playing "Monday morning quarterback," I know what I should have done and didn't. Luckily for me, I didn't have to see my mother die. This is an event that haunts me to this day. I should have done more, however, if I had, I might not be writing this today.

The day any teenager is ready to shoot his father dead "just in case" is the day I don't want to be around anymore.
They did everything right, they are victims not criminals and will have to live with these terrible actions for all their lives.

They will forever be saying "....if only...."