Boyfriend shoots 6 year old boy with an airgun

[punkguy0017]

 
Vince Dewitt: Middletown man shot girlfriend's 6-year-old son with air rifle, police say
Pellet severed intestines
Julie O'Neill
joneill@wcpo.com
 
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio  – When he puled the trigger, Vince Dewitt didn't think the high-powered air rifle he was pointing at his girlfriend's 6-year-old son was loaded.

But now the child is recovering from emergency surgery after a pellet severed part of his intestines, and Dewitt is facing an assault charge.

"I'm mad because it was such a stupid thing," said the boy's mother, who was painting in the basement and saw it all unfold.

"From what we've been told after interviewing the family and the victim, this was a case where they were roughhousing in the basement of the house and the boyfriend was just playing around," Middletown Lt. Scott Reeve said.

The incident happened Easter Sunday afternoon while Dewitt, the mom and her two boys, 10 and 6, were together.

"His intention was to do something scary and scare the little kid and hope they would just run up stairs and leave him downstairs to work on the project they were working on in the basement," Reeve said.

"This gun makes a very loud pop when it goes off, even when there's nothing in it. Unfortunately there was a pellet in it."

Dewitt, 35, of Middletown, was very remorseful while talking with detectives, even breaking down in tears.

"The detectives that interviewed him said that he was just extremely emotional about what happened and he couldn't believe he had made such a serious error in judgment," Reeve said.

Nevertheless, police considered Dewitt's action reckless and charged him. Dewitt was released soon afterward.

That model air rifle is about four times more powerful than the Red Rifle BB gun of yesteryear. A pellet travels about 1,000 feet in a second.

A neighbor, Nancy Carnes, said the boy was learning to shoot the air gun.

"(He) loves to explore and loves to have a hands on experience outdoors, and so he was learning about how to use an air gun," Carnes said.

Reeve said adults need to understand the real danger these air rifles pose.

The boy is expected to be at Dayton Children's Hospital for another week.

His mom said her boyfriend is an emotional mess.
 


 
 
 
 
 

[Laz]

  I really don't like when people who don't know firearm safety still have a gun! Yes, the airgun is not considered a firearm in the States, but it is still a gun and certainly can be as dangerous as one and hence, should be treated as one.

Maybe if everybody who got into airguns joined forums like these, they would be surrounding themselves with people who know safety and know these airguns aren't toys, it would help put some common sense into people.

Or stop selling airguns in big box stores to the general gun-dumb public and let us enthusiasts who know gun safety and common sense continue with our hobby peacefully (ie we all buy from airgun designated sites or shops).

I'm reading and hearing about more and more accidents with "pellet guns and bb guns" these days everywhere and it is just sad.

You guys have it good down there (well most of you). I had to study and put in some effort (acquire PAL) just to be able to buy the same guns any 18 year old kid can just walk in to a walmart and buy without licensing. (Vague example, I don't buy guns from walmart  )

I don't know if licensing for airguns would benefit you guys because I don't know if it even benefits us (keeps full power airguns out of just anybody's hands here). As I am even reading more and more about dumb stories like that up here more than ever.

But if people like that keep it up and Obama get's his wish, you may never know...

I'm all for your 'free market' of airguns!

JMO

[punkguy0017]

Well said bravo I agree

[Benwaller]

+2

[mudduck48]

TREAT ALL GUNS, AIR OR PB AS IF THEY ARE LOADED!!!! Dumb @@@.

[L-phant]

I really don't like when people who don't know firearm safety still have a gun! Yes, the airgun is not considered a firearm in the States, but it is still a gun and certainly can be as dangerous as one and hence, should be treated as one.

Maybe if everybody who got into airguns joined forums like these, they would be surrounding themselves with people who know safety and know these airguns aren't toys, it would help put some common sense into people.

Or stop selling airguns in big box stores to the general gun-dumb public and let us enthusiasts who know gun safety and common sense continue with our hobby peacefully (ie we all buy from airgun designated sites or shops).

I'm reading and hearing about more and more accidents with "pellet guns and bb guns" these days everywhere and it is just sad.

You guys have it good down there (well most of you). I had to study and put in some effort (acquire PAL) just to be able to buy the same guns any 18 year old kid can just walk in to a walmart and buy without licensing. (Vague example, I don't buy guns from walmart  )

I don't know if licensing for airguns would benefit you guys because I don't know if it even benefits us (keeps full power airguns out of just anybody's hands here). As I am even reading more and more about dumb stories like that up here more than ever.

But if people like that keep it up and Obama get's his wish, you may never know...

I'm all for your 'free market' of airguns!

JMO

Couldn't have summed it up better myself. Incidents like this wouldn't happen nearly as often if it weren't for the ignorance surrounding firearms and even airguns here in the states.

[avator]

Not sure what I would do if I was the biological father of this boy. It did say it was the mom's boyfriend and I guess I'm assuming it wasn't his child. What a tragedy. I know it happens but, I hate hearing about it. Walmart checks IDs for airguns but maybe they should check IQs as well.

[punkguy0017]

Lol check IQ's

[woogie_man]

It does not so good.....but it could have been much MUCH worse!!

Hopefully they learn from this, and move on.  At least the boyfriend was remorseful about it and a wreck.

[Yarp]

While this this incident is a great argument for universal arms training, it should be noted that a moron with a butter knife is a danger to self and all within reach.

[AudiS4]

And the posts where a guy kills a boy with a knife, rifle, gun, revolver, etc etc etc.

Takes up a bit more space to post them...

[Gertrude]

I do not see anything productive with these posts and feel there is nothing to be gained with continued additional related posts.

[Habanero69er]

I do not see anything productive with these posts and feel there is nothing to be gained with continued additional related posts.

+1  It is obvious the bias against firearms/airguns by the media, so when things like this happen they're going to jump all over it.

[punkguy0017]

If it has the word "Gun" in it the media will jump o. It like a pack of rabid beavers. Lol

[wwonka]

While this this incident is a great argument for universal arms training, it should be noted that a moron with a butter knife is a danger to self and all within reach.

I think "all within reach" is the operative phrase in your sentence there. Would you rather face someone with a butter knife at 50 yards or a Gamo (even)? For the life of me I don't know why we can't face reality and love our hobby at the same time. Denial of reality doesn't look good either.

[DougGuy]

I do not see anything productive with these posts and feel there is nothing to be gained with continued additional related posts.

You have a point but in all honesty, this is a good heads up on keeping in mind that these are indeed real guns, and should be treated as such, and also to remind us to put safety first and keep it there.  Complacency is not a friend but an enemy in the most insidious sense.  Drop your guard for one second, and something unfortunate happens.

[Bryan Heimann]

I am all about protecting our second amendment rights, but somethinghas to be done about this.  Maybe there ought to be some type of mandatory safety course required by law before you can purchase a gun- even (especially?) an air rifle.  We have to pass hunter's ed to hunt, and carry the card with our huntin license.  I can't believe an adult, with no harmful intent, would make such a serious lapse in judgement like this. 

[Yarp]

I do not see anything productive with these posts and feel there is nothing to be gained with continued additional related posts.

You have a point but in all honesty, this is a good heads up on keeping in mind that these are indeed real guns, and should be treated as such, and also to remind us to put safety first and keep it there.  Complacency is not a friend but an enemy in the most insidious sense.  Drop your guard for one second, and something unfortunate happens.

The fact is, if you drop your guard for one second with most anything that's dangerous, something unfortunate may follow.  Add ignorance or stupidity to the mix and something unfortunate will follow. A mishandled baseball bat can (and frequently does) cause extensive bodily harm. The same is true of pen knives, slingshots, hand tools, and teeter totters. Lawn mowers, croquet mallets and cross bows probably deserve a mention as well. 

tri-5-ron has it right. Why make a special case with our hobby...particularly here?

[Bryan Heimann]

I think you are right about all the above being dangerous in the hands of the wrong person.  I do appreciate you guys being cool so far and not flaming me.  I was afraid to post it to be honest.  I just built a bow out of pvc and bundled fiberglass reflective driveway rods that would easily prove lethal in the hands of an irresponsible person.  I think in all honesty that the guy knew better and was being a jack$&@" and I hope that an example is made of him and he is punished to the full extent of the law- God knows the family is probably better off without him.  And the fact it seems like the mother is trying to cover his butt is suspect to me as well.  Every air rifle or even bow- even my kids 15 ib bows- came with plenty of warnings and literature regarding how potentially lethal they are.  Perhaps thebest prevention is just to hammer these folks to the fullest extent of the law.  My kids know how dangerous air guns, slingshots, bows, or anything else that fires a projectile can be- and once you let her fly you can't take it back.  And i don't let em out of my sight with any of the above.  It is shameful to me as an airgun enthusiast to hear of incidents like this one. 

[avator]

Ever wish you never responded to a post and it would just go away?     ...no offense to OP or anyone else   ....just sayin