US boy, 9, 'kills sister, 13, over controller'

a reply to: ketsuko

He may have cooled off a bit... but then he returned and saw the object of his ire (sister still with game controller)... and the rage was reignited... Luckily he had a gun so he could react quickly.

Kids are often irrational and do weird things.

The reason he was in a rage is almost inconsequential. It's obviously a behavioral issue that likely built up over years of bad parenting and other mental and environmental factors.

The gun made it easy for him to act quickly on the culmination of years of development in this particular situation.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

So your solution to the situation is not to address that kids are being broken by bad parenting, but to strip regular citizens of their rights?

Most people haven't done a thing to deserve that.

I know it's hard to address social issues with real solutions, but the so-called easy solution isn't one really, not anymore than saying you're going to fix education by throwing more money at it.

a reply to: ketsuko

Throwing more money at education wouldn't be a bad thing, may not immediately fix it, but I'm sure it would help.

I'm actually mostly a libertarian, so I believe that individuals should be able to do/own anything as long as it is not harming/effecting others. I also believe in social initiatives that can help create a more balanced society.

However, there is an issue in the US with guns, and it annoys me when I hear stupid arguments like "... guns don't kill people..."... yes they do.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

When my boy started hitting his head and screaming that he should die - that was enough for me to demand help from appropriate services after getting the brush off earlier (he also had a multitude of other abnormal behaviours)

at one point - when using the public health here - when they suggested medicine to control his behaviour, (the violent outbursts) - it was the absolute last straw and i went private - though it costs me a pretty penny whilst on the pension, I got results - this year so far is the greatest year we've had at school, his writing is improving, his empathy is improving, his social interactions are wayyyyy beyond what they were even 6 months ago. And no medicine involved (except for the anti-epileptic medicine, which he must take, to prevent seizures)

I honestly can't believe there are people who post here who are so brainwashed by the gun control lobby that they seriously think a boy that was mad enough to shoot his sister would've just swallowed that rage and done nothing if there wasn't a gun around.

Think for yourselves for a second. This is absurd. He would have just used something else.

Guns and videos games have been around a long time as have arguments with siblings over video games. This goes a 'lil deeper than the surface. Parents not curbing a child's addiction to digital use(games, computers,phones) might be one.

a reply to: face23785

Fair point and Even so - why would a 9 year old boy be so angry to that point? Even if he had some sort of mental or developmental issue, why was he only in the (presumed) care of a 13 year old girl who was obviously not baby-sitting him if she was playing a video game?

We can blame the parents, and they are no doubt stricken with grief and will be under investigation.

but what needs doing - as a whole - is doing something somewhere to prevent more deaths in the future like this. And if parents are going to be so lackadaisical with their children's welfare - kids need to go into a safer, healthier environment.

a reply to: auroraaus
It is a wonderful thing that you noticed a problem, sought help and is proactive in your child's life.

The system is not always very effective in dealing with children with issues that require human intervention and time.

They don't have enough staff or money to deal with a growing number of children with emotional and mental impairments. So they they rely on medications that create their own set of problems.

Too many parents are ill equipped to deal with children with chemical, mental, and emotional problems; some societal creations some created in the home. This leaves the children in a bad place and easy prey.

originally posted by: auroraaus
a reply to: face23785

Fair point and Even so - why would a 9 year old boy be so angry to that point? Even if he had some sort of mental or developmental issue, why was he only in the (presumed) care of a 13 year old girl who was obviously not baby-sitting him if she was playing a video game?

We can blame the parents, and they are no doubt stricken with grief and will be under investigation.

but what needs doing - as a whole - is doing something somewhere to prevent more deaths in the future like this. And if parents are going to be so lackadaisical with their children's welfare - kids need to go into a safer, healthier environment.

There are certainly multiple factors that come together to lead to something like this happening. Why do things like this happen, precisely? We'll never know if the reaction every time is just focused on the gun and blaming entities that literally had nothing to do with it like the NRA. People who try to go there every time are actually barriers to progress on these issues that plague our society, that cause a little boy to do something like this or a high school student to want to kill his peers. There are underlying issues that need to be studied and figured out, and the gun control lobby and their media lapdogs are an obstacle to that.

a reply to: face23785

What is this nebulous "something else" you refer to?

What other object is as deadly as a gun, that would have killed her so instantly, without the chance of a struggle?

I doubt that many 9 year olds could best their 13 year old sibling with anything other than a gun... which is probably why he went straight to firearms (fear of being beaten by his sister physically)... otherwise he would have just taken the controller from her.

You know... guns, the great equalizer and all that.

The gun is the cowards choice as it removes the need to get your hands dirty.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

that's why I tell myself my own childhood and continuing mental issues have helped create insight somewhat into what might be going on in my boy's noggin. I am medicated - and probably will be for some time still - on and off for the last 16 or 17 years, but have finished a 7 year run of regular therapy to address the issues of the past and have the skills and strategies to use if/when another episode rears it's ugly head. Like last week unsolicited interactions with a man who has been sexually harrassing/stalking me - before I got caught up in a panic attack I immediately seeked a neighbour to sit with. That has taken years of therapy mind, to get to that rationality, being aware of myself and my thoughts and holding on to that moment of control before I fall in a literal heap.

With my boy, it is a slow process too, getting him to develop insight into his emotions and thought processes, which is a lot for an 8 year old boy to take on as it is. I can't just leave it up to his teachers or aides or health professionals, I got to do it too. In a language he can understand.

it's not always the case he can say (and i am so proud of this) hey i am feeling pretty angry, i do not like this, i need to go and cool down. he still has those violent outbursts that really really hurt (not just me, but others, and property). he does, however, like everyone, need to build up resilience. I refuse to allow is issues as a band-aid excuse for bad-behaviour.

originally posted by: dreamingawake
Guns and videos games have been around a long time as have arguments with siblings over video games. This goes a 'lil deeper than the surface. Parents not curbing a child's addiction to digital use(games, computers,phones) might be one.

This is one reason I just had to shake my head at the people who were in an uproar about Trump inviting game industry reps to the White House in the aftermath of Parkland. Isn't it worth looking at every angle to see if there's anything we can possibly do? Obviously video games in and of themselves don't cause kids to kill, I'm not saying that. But even the CDC study commissioned by President Obama reported that that's one avenue that should at least be studied further:

The vast majority of research on the effects of violence in media has focused on violence portrayed in television and the movies, although more recent research has been expanded to include music, video games, social media, and the Internet. Interest in media effects is fueled by the fact that youth are spending more time engaging with media that portrays increasing amounts of violence. Although research on the effects of media violence on real-life violence has been carried out for more than 50 years, none of this research has focused on firearm violence in particular as an outcome. As a result, a direct relationship between violence in media and real-life firearm violence has not been established and additional research is necessary.

The source is in my sig. The portion I just quoted is in the summary on page 8/9.

a reply to: face23785

for the record - I am not a fan of guns unless it's for the military or farmers or people with appropriate accreditation for hunting (which i am not a fan of but meh) or shooting for sport. I am not a US citizen either, so it's not for me to waddle in the great gun debate... to a point.

All I can say is things must change to curb needless deaths like so, and that is definitely beyond mere gun control. You can add what might help prevent drug problems too to that.

a reply to: face23785

There are underlying issues that need to be studied and figured out, and the gun control lobby and their media lapdogs are an obstacle to that.

The media is a tool being used by those that are pushing their agenda, regardless to what that agenda is.

I want to scream every time I am dealing with another child victim that has become my patient, and all you hear is the same old talking points, all of which ignore the real problems.

They are even using our own children, children they have placed in the cross hairs, as mouth pieces and poster children to promote and sell their agenda. Meantime, our children are still falling victim to societal ills that are destroying their lives and their futures.

There is no magic pill that makes you smart, nor is there a magic pill that corrects all problems. There is no security in handing your life over to the government. There is no happiness in an imaginary construct lived through a virtual medium. Our children are being fed a plethora of lies, and they feel used, abused, and lost when they wake up.

Eventually, we all wake up.

originally posted by: auroraaus
a reply to: face23785

for the record - I am not a fan of guns unless it's for the military or farmers or people with appropriate accreditation for hunting (which i am not a fan of but meh) or shooting for sport. I am not a US citizen either, so it's not for me to waddle in the great gun debate... to a point.

All I can say is things must change to curb needless deaths like so, and that is definitely beyond mere gun control. You can add what might help prevent drug problems too to that.

I respect your views. It's nice to hear that from someone who isn't a fan of guns and recognizes there's more to this than just the availability of guns.

a reply to: puzzlesphere

More money at education does not help.

If it did, the US would have the best education in the world, but we don't. We spend more money on our education system than any other developed country, and look what it gets us.

Money in and of itself is just like a gun -- it is inanimate. Without an actual, workable plan, it does nothing.

Some people act as if a gun being involved has nothing to do with the crime. That is preposterous. Why is road rage a thing? Because people when angered can be emotionally unstable and make stupid, quick decisions on an action. Gotta weapon-on-wheels.. they are going to make their point!

Same with guns. There are so many more gun deaths caused by irrational behavior, then premeditated intent. Whether caused by immaturity (in the case of children), drugs, alcohol, rage induced by an argument with their spouse, suicides because guns make it oh-so-easy, the fact a GUN is available, makes so much easier to act on an impulse.

I'm not saying take all guns away. I'm saying ignoring the problem won't fix the problem. You are absolutely crazy if you think ANY level of counseling, good parenting, etc. - will make it so people don't get irrationally angry or depressed for some reason. It's still going to happen.

Sort of like people can obtain guns far too easily. That's not a theory, that's a fact. If gun vetting was much better than it is, some people that might use guns when they get unstable.. won't be able to.

But hey.. so much easier for pro gun advocates and the government to say "Oh.. it's a people problem.. not a gun problem," and simply ignore it.. thinking somehow the problem will magically fix itself.

a reply to: fleabit

What if this kids' parents were stable as a rock?

What if this kids' parents have the gun illegally?

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: puzzlesphere

More money at education does not help.

If it did, the US would have the best education in the world, but we don't. We spend more money on our education system than any other developed country, and look what it gets us.

Money in and of itself is just like a gun -- it is inanimate. Without an actual, workable plan, it does nothing.

We're definitely not getting the bang for our buck in the education system. Everybody here can probably recount a recent scandal at one of their local schools where some official was skimming money, outlandish salaries etc. Not necessarily the teachers but there is too much corruption with the officials and unions. But if you try to do anything about it it's "Oh you're attacking our education system! Don't you want our kids to get educated! Why are you attacking teachers!"

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: fleabit

What if this kids' parents were stable as a rock?

What if this kids' parents have the gun illegally?

Regardless of whether they have the gun legally, I'm sure you can agree leaving it somewhere the kid could get at it is irresponsible. I'm a big 2nd amendment advocate but there's no excuse for this.