Cruise Director
05-02-2002, 06:02 PM
In the news of Utah, we have THIS (http://www.standard.net/standard/news/news_story.html?sid=00020501231027632369+cat=news+template=news1.html) as a top headline this week.
BRIGHAM CITY -- Police and neighbors hope an incident where a 4-year-old boy brandished his father's police-issue handgun and shot toward a crowd of children will serve as a reminder for gun owners to properly secure their weapons.
No one was seriously injured in the incident, but neighbors are questioning how the boy was allowed access to the gun.
It was supposed to be a happy time of kids playing at a small neighborhood day care Tuesday afternoon. But it turned into a confusing and terrifying moment for four young children.
The children, including one 5-year-old and three 6-year-olds, were playing in Cheryl Thomson"s back yard in the 100 South block of 400 East when a 4-year-old neighbor boy came over to play.
The other children told the boy he had to get permission from his parents to play and said he should let Thomson know he was in the yard. But the childish argument turned into a yelling match.
"I was in the basement (of the house) when I heard (the 4-year-old boy) yelling at the kids and could tell he was very angry," Thomson said. "Later on I heard this big bang -- a big crack -- and then this little boy started crying. At first I thought a tree had broken and fallen on him, but then I knew it wasn"t that. As I was running back upstairs to get outside, he was running away."
The boy, who is the son of Box Elder County Sheriff"s Deputy Todd Jensen, then went back to his home. Brigham City Police Lt. Michael Nelsen said the boy took his father"s .40-caliber Sig Sauer police-issue handgun from the closet, then went back to the house where the children were and fired one shot.
Police are not sure if the bullet was fired into the air or deep into the ground. Investigators seized the gun Wednesday afternoon, and it is being analyzed to see if it fires properly.
Nelsen said preliminary information from the investigation has been forwarded to the Brigham City Attorney"s Office for screening.
"I"m sure that charges of some kind may result in this," Nelsen said.
None of the children were injured except for the boy, who Thomson said got hit in the cheek by the gun when it recoiled, although Nelsen was not able to confirm that.
"We could tell where (the boy) was standing because his shoes were lying on the ground, and the gun was right next to it," Thomson said.
Thomson said shortly after the incident, an upset Jensen came to her house with his son, wondering what had happened. He apparently didn"t realize his gun was missing, and he was stunned when Thomson pointed to the firearm laying next to the boy"s shoes, she said.
Lynn Yeates, Box Elder County Sheriff"s chief deputy, said Jensen was on his normal days-off shift rotation and was not scheduled to be back to work until today. If the Brigham City Police Department"s investigation is not completed by today, Yeates said Jensen would be placed on paid administrative leave.
The sheriff"s department is also conducting a parallel but separate investigation into the incident. Yeates said the department"s policy on handling weapons off-duty is one of a "common-sense policy." That means keeping it secure and away from being easily accessed by others, he said.
"We are all glad no one got hurt," Yeates said. "This is a lesson for everyone to keep your firearms secure and away from children."
Jason Jensen, whose daughter was one of the children at Thomson"s home, said he is disappointed that a law enforcement officer"s child didn"t have adequate training from his parents on the danger of guns.
Jason Jensen, who said he is not related to Todd Jensen, said he owns several guns and has taught all three of his children they are not to touch any of the guns without permission and close supervision of a parent.
"As Joe Schmo right off the streets, I know that I"m not to keep my guns and my ammunition together in the same place and never have the gun loaded," Jason Jensen said.
Added Thomson: "I"m not a vengeful person, and I know that that family is going through enough right now. But I want to have my security back, and I want to be assured that steps will be taken that something like this will never happen again."
I've got my own thoughts on this but would be interested to hear yours. How do you punish and teach the 4 year old? How do you approach the situation of the boy's parents? Should it matter that the man is a Police Officer?
Disturbing.
BRIGHAM CITY -- Police and neighbors hope an incident where a 4-year-old boy brandished his father's police-issue handgun and shot toward a crowd of children will serve as a reminder for gun owners to properly secure their weapons.
No one was seriously injured in the incident, but neighbors are questioning how the boy was allowed access to the gun.
It was supposed to be a happy time of kids playing at a small neighborhood day care Tuesday afternoon. But it turned into a confusing and terrifying moment for four young children.
The children, including one 5-year-old and three 6-year-olds, were playing in Cheryl Thomson"s back yard in the 100 South block of 400 East when a 4-year-old neighbor boy came over to play.
The other children told the boy he had to get permission from his parents to play and said he should let Thomson know he was in the yard. But the childish argument turned into a yelling match.
"I was in the basement (of the house) when I heard (the 4-year-old boy) yelling at the kids and could tell he was very angry," Thomson said. "Later on I heard this big bang -- a big crack -- and then this little boy started crying. At first I thought a tree had broken and fallen on him, but then I knew it wasn"t that. As I was running back upstairs to get outside, he was running away."
The boy, who is the son of Box Elder County Sheriff"s Deputy Todd Jensen, then went back to his home. Brigham City Police Lt. Michael Nelsen said the boy took his father"s .40-caliber Sig Sauer police-issue handgun from the closet, then went back to the house where the children were and fired one shot.
Police are not sure if the bullet was fired into the air or deep into the ground. Investigators seized the gun Wednesday afternoon, and it is being analyzed to see if it fires properly.
Nelsen said preliminary information from the investigation has been forwarded to the Brigham City Attorney"s Office for screening.
"I"m sure that charges of some kind may result in this," Nelsen said.
None of the children were injured except for the boy, who Thomson said got hit in the cheek by the gun when it recoiled, although Nelsen was not able to confirm that.
"We could tell where (the boy) was standing because his shoes were lying on the ground, and the gun was right next to it," Thomson said.
Thomson said shortly after the incident, an upset Jensen came to her house with his son, wondering what had happened. He apparently didn"t realize his gun was missing, and he was stunned when Thomson pointed to the firearm laying next to the boy"s shoes, she said.
Lynn Yeates, Box Elder County Sheriff"s chief deputy, said Jensen was on his normal days-off shift rotation and was not scheduled to be back to work until today. If the Brigham City Police Department"s investigation is not completed by today, Yeates said Jensen would be placed on paid administrative leave.
The sheriff"s department is also conducting a parallel but separate investigation into the incident. Yeates said the department"s policy on handling weapons off-duty is one of a "common-sense policy." That means keeping it secure and away from being easily accessed by others, he said.
"We are all glad no one got hurt," Yeates said. "This is a lesson for everyone to keep your firearms secure and away from children."
Jason Jensen, whose daughter was one of the children at Thomson"s home, said he is disappointed that a law enforcement officer"s child didn"t have adequate training from his parents on the danger of guns.
Jason Jensen, who said he is not related to Todd Jensen, said he owns several guns and has taught all three of his children they are not to touch any of the guns without permission and close supervision of a parent.
"As Joe Schmo right off the streets, I know that I"m not to keep my guns and my ammunition together in the same place and never have the gun loaded," Jason Jensen said.
Added Thomson: "I"m not a vengeful person, and I know that that family is going through enough right now. But I want to have my security back, and I want to be assured that steps will be taken that something like this will never happen again."
I've got my own thoughts on this but would be interested to hear yours. How do you punish and teach the 4 year old? How do you approach the situation of the boy's parents? Should it matter that the man is a Police Officer?
Disturbing.