Police chief on trial for child's death at gun show

Police chief on trial for child's death at gun show

www.salon.com

The video, taken by the boy's father, shows Christopher Bizilj, of Ashford, Conn., shooting the 9 mm micro Uzi when the front of the weapon kicks back toward his head and part of the boy's skull appears to fly off.

Former Pelham, Mass., police Chief Edward Fleury, whose company co-sponsored the gun fair at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and furnishing weapons to a minor. He's on trial in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Eesh...

This case is truly bizzare, and horrific at MULTIPLE levels, and leaves a whole HOST of questions in my opinion...

Number one, what is the FATHER doing, standing by and letting his son handle a FULLY AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN?!?

Secondary, why in the world was this father not investigated for negligence in allowing this to happen, ALONG with the folks at the gun show?

This is another one of those senseless events where people on multiple levels are being so irresponsible and not thinking things through, and in this case, a young boy died a brutal death needlessly.

www.salon.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


Third: Why in the HELL was a 9 year old boy allowed to even handle a loaded gun without the parents consent let alone allowed to handle a loaded machine gun?

Fourth: Why in gods name was the gun loaded in the first place just lying in reach of a child?

Oh how happy I'd be if there never were guns... and how much happier the carolina parakeet, the quagga and the thylacine would be, too.

Fifth: who on earth let a minor into a gun show in the first place? Whoever took him (his father, i presume) and whoever let him in should be up for prosecution, too.

Oh, good god. Good job finding this, TC. But so many questions come to mind... and i won't bother repeat what other people and you have already said.

But still, this is really rare. I hope the parents get punished for letting(and filming, mind you) a 9 year old kid for handling a gun... my oh my, what the world has come to be.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective

Secondary, why in the world was this father not investigated for negligence in allowing this to happen, ALONG with the folks at the gun show?

Something similar happened years ago at the Rockingham NH race track where a father allowed a youngster to climb a wrought iron corner post up on to an awning. The kid fell to his death and Daddy sued and won.

In the USA the only person NOT LEGALLY responsible is the parent...

I can't believe your all saying that a 9 year old should be allowed to handle a gun.
They should be learning with at least BB gun or a .22 rifle by that age.

Now I do think a 9mm uzi is a bit over the top for that age but it just sounds like
the father shouldn't have had the camera in his hand and should have been literally right behind the kid
making absolutely sure no mistakes were made.

I don't think this has to do with a young kid firing a weapon but more a lack of proper guidance and oversight

btw... I started shooting pistols and rifles at age 5. And with proper training from the start, I know I'm much safer for it.

reply to post by SnakeShot


Pray why do you feel that it is so vital that children learn to use guns?

What great benefits do guns bring to us as a society?

Originally posted by TheWill
reply to post by SnakeShot

 

Pray why do you feel that it is so vital that children learn to use guns?

What great benefits do guns bring to us as a society?

They preserve freedom from being trampled by despots and criminals!

Don't think you're so high and mighty for abhorring guns, you use them also you just massage your conscience by transferring the dirty work to others like police and military and paying them to use guns to preserve your freedom and safety.

reply to post by SpaDe_


Well there are states with "Familly Fun Centers" as they are called that kids can actualy shoot guns....how grand. Lets rejoys in human kind and it's stupidity.

Typical reaction. Blame everybody on earth except who's really at fault...the father.

I cant figure out if this is some hyperemotional reaction as if the family believes suing everyone present will bring their kid back to life or if this is just being egged on by anti-gun lawyers or simple money seeking lawyers.

When all is said and done that father gave the okay for his kid to handle that weapon. Ignorance is no excuse. In fact ignorance should have been the thing that prevented the kids death. Dad doenst know the gun, never fired it, has no clue how to handle it then he never should have let his kid handle it.

Because he f'd up royally he has to drag the whole world into his pain.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by hawkiye


Oh, I never said I had a particular problem with killing in the name of a cause. However, guns - and other weapons that separate the killer from the kill-ee - detract rather from the value of life, and make it seem far more disposable. Much like abattoirs and packaged meat, in that way.



EDIT to add: guns only preserve freedom from being trampled by despots etc. when they, or similar weapons, are already being used to take freedoms.

(EDIT: In other words, I dislike, but do not abhorr, guns for transferring the dirty work from the wielder to the weapon)

Originally posted by SpaDe_
reply to post by DimensionalDetective

 

Third: Why in the HELL was a 9 year old boy allowed to even handle a loaded gun without the parents consent let alone allowed to handle a loaded machine gun?

He had the parents consent. His father was videotaping the boy playing with an Uzi. You can not get much more consent than that.

Fourth: Why in gods name was the gun loaded in the first place just lying in reach of a child?

The boy was firing at targets. It would seem at this gun show there was a spot where it was safe to discharge a weapon.

The boy's father, emergency room Dr. Charles Bizilj, testified Thursday that he videotaped Christopher with the micro Uzi, which jammed several times. He said he started and stopped videotaping several times as the gun jammed. At one point, he said he picked his camera up, looked toward the firing line and couldn't see Christopher.

Even if the police sponsored this event, they are not at fault. The fault clearly lies with the Father for being a complete idiot and allowing his 8 year old son to play with a gun. Guns are not toys. The fault lies also with the vendor, for allowing an 8 year old to test fire an Uzi. The sponsor of the event according to the article did not consent to allowing an 8 year old to test fire an Uzi. The vendor and the father did. Fault in my eyes seems pretty easy to figure out.

Just look at the charges. Involuntary manslaughter and furnishing weapons to a minor. Unless the Police Chief was standing right there and offered the weapon to the little boy, he holds no responsibility merely for being a co-sponsor for the event. The father does. He was idiot who stopped recording several times when the gun jammed.

reply to post by TheWill


Typical ignorant reponse. I could spend an hour responding to that but I know it won't make any difference to you.

Originally posted by SnakeShot
I can't believe your all saying that a 9 year old should be allowed to handle a gun.
They should be learning with at least BB gun or a .22 rifle by that age.

NO...they should be learning that guns kill people, people with guns get shot at and survival is about being smart, not armed.

Is having a gun a substitute for intelligence? Seems more so these days.

And to anyone who says teaching kids to use guns will help them protect themselves in future....it will only protect them from others who have such EASY access to firearms and see them more as toys and status symbols to bolster sad little egos fed by TV junk. A vicious circle.

The right to bear arms means a greater chance of death for the bearer or victim...fact. American "freedom" can be so deluded and self destructive at times.

I feel sorry for the kid, yet another casualty of an inherant weakness in a messed up society.

Keep locking and loading until the last man is standing. Just keep it over there please.

reply to post by nerbot

The right to bear arms means a greater chance of death for the bearer or victim...fact.

Nope sorry not a fact but a myth perpetuated by anti-self defense media hype! If you think it is a fact I dare you to do some research and try and prove it. Guns in society save more lives then they take that is the true fact and they protect society from those who ignore the norms of society and would trample it rob you and kill you.

reply to post by DimensionalDetective


A tragedy that should have NEVER been allowed to happen. OMG the boy was flippin 8 YEARS OLD!! Shooting a 9mm Uzi

which jammed several times. He said he started and stopped videotaping several times as the gun jammed

And here the "father" is being described as:

Bizilj testified calmly with no visible signs of emotion

I am just freaking speechless!! What in the hell was wrong with this guy?!?! I mean technically I can't really call the guy a total and complete idiot considering:

The boy's father, emergency room Dr. Charles Bizilj

So what is he then?!? I mean don't get me wrong I am retired U.S. Military and gun enthusiast with my wife currently carrying a Springfield XD-9 Subcompact 9mm and myself having chose the Glock 19 (special military / Law Enforcement model) but there comes a time when say....COMMON SENSE is supposed to kick in, and clearly that did NOT HAPPEN with this guy. I grew up in the mid-west U.S. and as many know, we are introduced and familiarized with fire arms typically at a young age. But I was familiarized with a flippin Browning 12 guage breakdown barrel single shot SHOTGUN first at the age of 10!! NOT AN UZI AT 8!!!

This is a clear case of negligence on the part of that boys father....plain and simple! He had TWO opportunities to have affected the outcome with the first being not even allowing his boy to shoot a weapon of that design in the first place, and 2nd...

...Christopher with the micro Uzi, which jammed several times. He said he started and stopped videotaping several times as the gun jammed...

THAT WAS HIS 2ND OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AFFECTED THIS HORRIBLE AND TRAGIC OUTCOME!! Even though I know that all little children go to Heaven, I will pray for Christopher Bizilj nonetheless. As far as his "father" goes....THIS is something that he will live with (and will hopefully haunt him) for the rest of his life!!

Ugh...makes me so angry considering this was so preventive in the first place! I just want to say to all of my fellow conspiracy truth seekers out there....I understand that as more time goes by and with TPTB making their moves to bring instability throughout the world which is causing many to prepare for a SHTF scenario with a lot of first choices is being able to protect themselves and their families through the purchasing of a firearm, I just ask and beg this....

PLEASE EXERCISE THE STRICTEST OF DISCIPLINES WHILE HANDLING/KEEPING A FIREARM IN YOUR POSSESSION!! You need to IMMEDIATELY set some ground rules through proper and effective COMMUNICATION with your significant other such as:

1. My wife and I have total and complete understanding as to what condition our weapons are in while around the house and/or carrying for everyday use. Once you identify and agree upon a weapon condition that you will choose to follow, then above all else FOLLOW IT UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES!! Whether that condition is with a full mag inserted with a round chambered with only safety applied, or the same condition but with NO ROUND CHAMBERED...ONCE YOU MAKE THE DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT CONDITION IS TO BE USED, THEN IT MUST ALWAYS BE FOLLOWED!

2. Where will the weapons be placed while in the home, and what locations are the weapons at while outside the home.

3. Under what circumstances/scenarios will it be assumed that the weapon will be put into play and based off of those situations, what level of force should be applied (deadly/serious injury). Basically shoot/don't shoot scenarios.

Basically....you should SHOW THE RESPECT THAT THE WEAPON DEMANDS. Being on the same page whether it is with your significant other, or entire family would reduce or totally eliminate MANY of the tragic and completely unnecessary deaths that have occurred as a result of ignorance/mishandling of firearms.

Good luck,

NT

Where's the link to the video?
2nd line

Originally posted by hawkiye
reply to post by nerbot

 

The right to bear arms means a greater chance of death for the bearer or victim...fact.

Nope sorry not a fact but a myth perpetuated by anti-self defense media hype! If you think it is a fact I dare you to do some research and try and prove it. Guns in society save more lives then they take that is the true fact and they protect society from those who ignore the norms of society and would trample it rob you and kill you.

edit on 7-1-2011 by hawkiye because: (no reason given)

I agree and will personally attest (as I along with my wife are gun owners/carriers) that although I do not have any specific statistical data right in front of me at the present moment, but have to say that since Arizona eliminated the concealed weapons permit requirement in order to carry concealed that went into effect July 1, 2010...man all I had heard on the morning talk radio almost on a daily basis was how much crime/murders was on the rise in my city as compared to the previous year....to AFTER the law went into affect enabling ALL law biding citizens the ability and right to carry concealed with NO PERMIT....violent crime in my city took an almost overnight REVERSAL!!! I stopped hearing any and all news being reported on violent crime any more (and we all know that when crap is bad is when it makes it on the news....not when GOOD things are happening).

So IMHO giving the power BACK TO THE CITIZENS has made a HUGE impact on violent crime. For all you anti-gun bashers out there, let me just ask you one question.

When was the last time you heard/saw on the local news where a legal law biding citizen carrying a concealed firearm robbed the liqueur store down the street?

Point made, thank you

NT

reply to post by nerbot


So if your house is broken into by rapists and murderers, you would rather pick up the phone and hide in the closet hoping the cops will get there in time?

Should a women being assaulted just submit or hope that help comes instead of having an actual chance to avoid being a victim?

Should people not be allowed to hunt and support their family?
If there ever comes a day where you have to hunt to survive, are you going to fasion a home made bow and arrow to feed your family? (and yes, I know you can live without eating meat in some geographical locations)

If there comes a day that we have a Nazi Germany II here in america, do you think we would be better off without guns? The jews wouldn't... their guns were confiscated right before roundups.

The list goes on and on.

The fact is, guns are hear to stay. If you take away guns from law abiding people, only the criminals will still have them and crime would go up because everyone else would be such easy targets.

Point is, if guns are hear to stay, and you believe in your right to protect and feed your family using them, then kids should start learning safe practices early.

Of course theres always going to be horrible things happening like with this young kid and irrisponsible people, but thats how it is with everything... Maybe you anti-rights people would like to ban motorcycles too?

On another point, I think I read once that more crimes were prevented by law abiding people with guns than committed by criminals.