Felon “Dropped Gun” Where 3-Year-Old was Shot

ammoland ^ | 3 July, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Arizona -(Ammoland.com)- On Tuesday afternoon, 20 June, 2017, in Clinton Township, Michigan, part of metropolitan Detroit, a number of children were playing outside. Adults were nearby.

Different accounts have been given. Some say that a three year old found a pistol. Others say the pistol was being passed around among the children until an older girl handed it to the three year old.

There is general agreement that he shot himself. I have not seen any account by an adult who says they saw him do it.  From foxnews.com:“They thought it was a toy gun. The kids thought it was a toy gun and was passing it around. My daughter says as soon as she handed it to him, he pulled the trigger and shot himself,” Johnson said. 

“They thought the gun was a toy gun but in reality the gun was a real gun and it was loaded,” said Police Chief Fred Posavetz. “The little boy actually had shot himself in the side.”

The child was shot in the chest. Some mystery is attached to the event, because the pistol involved in the shooting disappeared, and police have not found it.   From theoaklandpress.com:

The three-year-old, identified as Cameron Dillard, picked up the gun, which discharged, causing a fatal wound. Clinton Township police said the boy shot himself in the chest.

Without knowing what the make and model of the gun, it is difficult to determine how the 3-year-old shot themselves in the chest. It can be done; three year olds can be quite strong. Most accidental shootings of young children are done by adults or older children, according to John Lott.   From an archived article:

[marktwain]

Very few young children shoot themselves or each other. The number is generally less than 9 a year.

[cyclotic]

Stop
Don’t Touch
Leave the area
Tell an adult. is the correct way for kids to deal with a found gun.

Pass it around and play with it is not.

The older kids should have known better, but since the schools and other influencers are afraid of guns, kids are never taught those fundamentals.

I know that apartment complex although I haven’t lived in the area for almost a decade. Not surprised.

[cyclotic]

Sorry, I hit post too quickly. I should have added my sympathies to his family.

[TigersEye]

I added banglist to the keywords. You should have.

[Drew68]

Very few young children shoot themselves or each other. The number is generally less than 9 a year.

I'm pretty sure if I handed my 3-year old a pistol that was loaded, cocked, and safety off he'd shoot something with it.

I'm not at all surprised that the "adults" at the scene secured the weapon leaving the police unable to recover it.

Sounds like the Nuffin brothers; Dindu, Dinsee, Dono.

[Cobra64]

Despite all other considerations, if the pistol we re DA, the incident most likely would not have occurred.