Sad, all around

Terrible story out of Arizona where a firearms instructor made a terrible mistake that cost him his life and is bound to create long-term psychological problems for his 9 year-old student. As terrible as his death is, the consequences for the child are more unsettling to me.

I won't recount the story since you can read it at the above link, but there are a number of cautions here.  I would hate to come away from this questioning the wisdom of having one's child learn firearms handling at the range.  But I question whether the novelty of having a 9 year-old handling an Uzi on full automatic is worth the potential risk to child or others on the range.  We do not know what experience this child had with firearms and, to be honest, that might be somewhat irrelevant.

I certainly question the instructor in this case for how this went.  More than one round on semi-automatic was called for.  Having her fire multiple shots on semi would have been a good middle step.  And the position he took while coaching the child - I am not an expert on Uzis but the video clearly suggest that knowing the direction of the twist in the rifling would have suggested a recoil up and to the left - right where he kept his head.  A lesson for all instructors (and, yes, I am a certified firearms instructor) - behind and low, supporting the shooter from behind, looking over their shoulder.  Correct fundamentals between shots.  Of course, one had to consider mitigating recoil for an burst of fire from an Uzi in the hands of a 9 year-old shooter, supporting her shoulders and,perhaps, even keeping a hand on the gun! A complete and fatal lack of situational awareness.  On the range, one can never let their guard down.

The other sad consequence - not to speak ill of the dead, but this is the kind of instruction that gives all firearms and firearms owners and instructors a bad name.  You can never be complacent.  Anti-gun groups are scared of firearms - there is a reason for that; they can be dangerous if misused.  Foolish and deadly events like this merely reinforce those beliefs, as well as the belief that even law-abiding and experienced people cannot control them. From that point on, those of us who are trained, have served in the military, and are certified as instructors see our claims to competence diminished.  It may not be logical or fair, but it is what it is. Especially when one has a child on the range.

In the end, mostly I feel sorry for this child who will have to live the rest of her life with the knowledge that she was holding the firearm that did this.  She will take more responsibility for it than she deserves because that is the way children are.  There will be the memory to haunt her and a  video to follow her through life.