[TigersEye]

Kids do dumb things if they're not taught better and sometimes even when they are. Either way I'd still call it a failure of the parents. If they weren't teaching them responsibility that's an obvious failure. But if they were and these kids just didn't cotton to the lessons then the parents should have seen that guns were just too much for them to handle. Probably other freedoms too because a kid that likes trouble will find it with or without a gun.

Apart from responsibility it seems they also lacked any thought of respect for life.

[sdillard]

Take the kids out and shoot THEM in the legs. See how they like the pain.

[pandoraou812]

I think you are correct about the parents. I also think at 12 yrs old the parents ought to have the guns locked up or at least know when & where their kids were using them.