Three-Year-Old Boy Shot Dead By Drunk Man While Playing With A Gun
A 3-year-old Montana boy was fatally shot in the back last week by an intoxicated man who said he didn’t realize that the firearm was loaded while they were playing, according to prosecutors.
26-year-old Galen Hawk is charged with negligent homicide in the death of Lonato Moran-Allen on Wednesday.
Lonato Moran-Allen
[su_center_ad]The two lived in the same northwestern Montana residence, but weren’t related, according to the Associated Press.
However, a tribute page set up following the boy’s death lists a Galen Hawk as one of the boy’s uncles.
According to what Hawk told investigators, he saw the boy holding his gun on Wednesday evening and took it away, court records stated.
Hawk said the boy then ran down the hallway, looking back toward him while pretending to shoot a toy gun. That’s when Hawk says he pointed his gun at the child in response and pulled the trigger, while believing the gun wasn’t loaded because the magazine was in his pocket.
The autopsy found that the bullet entered the little boy’s upper back near his right shoulder and exited through his lower chest on his left side.
The boy was transported to the hospital by Hawk and two other residents of the house, where he died only weeks before his fourth birthday. Hawk tried to perform CPR on the boy before taking him to the hospital.
Hawk had been drinking whiskey and alcoholic lemonade prior to the shooting and was “buzzed,” he told investigators.
“He chose to take a handgun … a .380 handgun, loaded, while he was intoxicated, and pointed it at a child,” Lake County Deputy Attorney James Lapotka said.
Hawk did not enter a plea and his bail was set at $100,000, according to the AP.
Hawlk’s Public defender Matt Pavelich, told the court that Hawk would like to attend Lonato’s funeral on Tuesday, but the judge did not make a decision on that.[su_csky_ad]
rg9rts October 28th, 2014 at 8:13 am
Only 4 days left to enter the NRA shooters contest…and the field is soooo crowded…we even have a 3 month old shooter and the usual school boys so hurry YOU might be lucky too
William October 28th, 2014 at 8:58 am
Another tragedy that could have been prevented by the hotly contested magazine safety disconnect. For the layman it is a simple device that prevents the weapon from firing when the magazine is removed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(firearms)#Magazine_disconnects
The problem with semi auto pistols is that you cannot see if there is a round in the chamber,( although many have a tiny sliver of red on the loaded chamber indicator that tells you there is a live round). It’s the old “out of sight out of mind” scenario. Couple that with a drunk guy or a tired cop unloading after a double shift and accidental discharge is a possibility.
Of course the die hard gun nuts venomously appose such safeties because it could interfere with such cool sounding activities like “hotloading” that occur when they are in that firefight that will never ever occur in their lifetime.
Denise October 28th, 2014 at 10:00 am
whether you can see the round or not, why was he playing with a small child with a gun nearby? I lived in england, and these accidents don’t happen. those who hunt never “accidentally” shot another person. they’ve been properly trained in the use of firearms. people in the usa are not properly trained. they take a few lessons at a shooting range, and that’s it. just like some people shouldn’t be parents, some people shouldn’t own guns.
William October 28th, 2014 at 10:41 am
why was he playing with a small child with a gun nearby? and on yop of it, he was drunk.
Part of my point really. There is so much wrong with this scenario, that I felt the need to point out there is a device that would have prevented the weapon from firing. No device can completely “idiot proof” a weapon, but in this case and many like it, the magazine safety disconnect would have worked.
” and pulled the trigger, while believing the gun wasn’t loaded because the magazine was in his pocket”
Suzanne McFly October 28th, 2014 at 10:52 am
At least this idiot was charged.
Larry Schmitt October 28th, 2014 at 10:53 am
I always thought rule number one of gun safety is never point a gun at anyone, unless you intend to shoot him. Rule number two is always assume the gun is loaded.
Ronald Woolever October 28th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
I do believe we have already had more accidental gun deaths this week than Ebola deaths, but well you know, we don’t have a problem with guns in this country do we.
GreatLakeSailor October 28th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
And the NIH*, by Republican (& NRA, of course) sponsored and passed law, are prohibited from studying and publishing findings of the health risks of guns.
*might be the CDC, can not remember, but pretty sure NIH
whatthe46 October 28th, 2014 at 10:02 pm
fox won’t admit that though.