Posted on 09/25/2018 10:51:12 PM PDT by Simon Green
A 14-year-old boy was struck and killed by a stray bullet in what was apparently a freak accident while riding in the back seat of a car with his family Sunday.
Zackary Kempke and his family were driving near the Monte Cristo mountain range in a remote area of Rich County in Utah when he was struck in the head, according to the Rich County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office said the bullet came from someone who was shooting at a target several hundred feet away from where Kempke was shot.
The individual who fired the shot and multiple witnesses said that they did not know there was a road down the range, according to the sheriff's office, and could not see the vehicle passing by due to massive trees and brush blocking their view.
Kempke’s uncle, Cory Hopkins, told the Deseret News family members were initially angry and thought the shooter should have been more careful, but have let go of the anger.
“We’ve all had time to think, and you know ... that family’s going to live with this for the rest of their life, and I think that’s tragic on that point too,” Hopkins told the Deseret News.
Authorities have not filed charges at this time because the shooting appears to be unintentional.
"It appears to have been unintentional," the sheriff's office said. "When the investigation is complete, all information and evidence will be turned over to the Rich County Prosecutor for further action or charges."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Firearm Safety Rules
1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
“Be sure of your target and what is beyond it”
Rule number 4. Clearly violated because they did not know a road was just out of sight in the direction they were shooting.
No excuses.
We shoot at an old gravel pit sometimes. One area with a low wall of dirt faces back out towards the asphalt road. I don’t shoot in that direction - I’m always a bit leery of one of the kids letting one go too high. It hasn’t happened yet, but....
I’m gonna say negligent homicide and a few years in prison. On top of that, damages, assuming the homeowner’s insurance policy covers it.
Didn’t they have a berm at that range???
Simon, you are so right! The range where my Dad and I sighted in our rifles had a very high backstop, maybe 12 feet high. It would be criminal to fire over that wall.
It wasn’t clear in the story, so I did a little digging. The shooting took place in the middle of the woods. There was no range.
Over the past 10 years, I’ve seen a tremendous increase in the number of people at our local public range on forest land. I’ve seen Cooper’s rules broken so many times that I won’t even shoot there anymore if others are there. Heck, just yesterday I was in a gun store and was swept multiple times by a customer AND the salesman.
Bad move. Always know where a bullet is going.
That pisses Me off when that happens and I make sure the IDIOT(S) involved know it. My last time was at the local Pawn Shop.
You should have jumped their case IMO.
ZF-
Just curious, if this shooter should be doing time then what should the cop in Dallas that murdered Mr. Jean get in Jail time ?
[Just curious, if this shooter should be doing time then what should the cop in Dallas that murdered Mr. Jean get in Jail time ?]
Whereas someone who’s setting up a target has plenty of time to figure out what’s behind the target and what might be hit by stray bullets. In any event, it is important to deter any future accidents that are fairly easy to avoid with a bit of thought beforehand. Prison time and hefty damages are therefore appropriate.
Never mind. I ask a simple question. It needed a simple answer not a could a, would a, should a, Apple/Orange type.
A firing range should always have some kind of backstop or enough distance and complete visibility for the earth to act as a backstop. Make sure that you can always see the backstop. Never take a chance on elevating above the backstop.
Clear the range before firing.
Firing ranges should not have public roads down range hidden by anything less than what will stop bullets.
It certainly sounds like it was unintentional but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t negligent.
A legitimate target range, even temporary, has a solid earthen backstop of some kind. This was stupidity on steroids.
i shot a bullet into the air...
I think this is relevant to your comment.
Bookmark
I was shooting once and some idiot rode a mountain bike over the berm.
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