Nanny State in Overdrive

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Guns are sometimes recovered during traffic stops but officers got a surprise this week when the “gunman” was a 3-year-old girl in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

When confronted by police the girl dropped the weapon safely and wasn't harmed, but an adult in the car was arrested.

Queshawn King, 19, of the 3300 block of West Monroe Street, was charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon for having a loaded weapon inside the vehicle, misdemeanor endangering the life and health of a child, and misdemeanor possession of a firearm without a valid FOID card, police said.

King was one of six people inside a vehicle that police stopped because they saw two children inside who were not in car seats or wearing seatbelts late Wednesday night in the 3800 block of West Gladys Avenue, according to a police report.

Linky. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-police-guntoting-toddler-found-during-traffic-stop-20120602,0,5117791.story?track=rss)

Damned seatbelt laws!

[Newtons Bit]

Irresponsible parent is irresponsible.

[Travis]

Leaving your gun out like that is really mind blowing. Seriously.

[Bikewer]

We've had several child-involved shootings here over the last couple of years where some brain-dead "banger" left his piece lying around where the kiddies could get to it.

[Xulld]

Kids can surprise you. Sadly a person I went to school with learned that lesson the hard way. They were moving, and had everything packed up, including the two hand guns they own. They left the house for a few minutes to sign the papers and were heading back home to find there 6 year old was shot by his 10 year old ASD sister.

To me this is more of an issue of not having a proper understanding of what you are trying to achieve by buying a gun in the first place. If you want a gun for protection, it needs to be on you 24/7.

That is the only place guaranteed to be safe from everyone, children, criminals, drunks (or otherwise irresponsible person) randomly stopping by your house who are welcome, but irresponsible.

Unless the gun is just a recreational item having it in a case is IMHO senseless and if you are going to keep it in a case, get a FREAKING keyless lock, kids are not stupid, they find keys and try them.