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Costumed Pa. Girl Mistaken for Skunk, Shot


ChickinOnaChain
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"Police say a costumed 9-year-old girl was accidentally shot outside a western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

 

New Sewickley Township police say the girl was over a hillside and wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel. Chief Ronald Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder, arm, back and neck Saturday night.

 

Leindecker told the newspaper that the girl was alert and talking when she was flown to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, about 30 miles away. Her condition was unavailable.

 

Leindecker says the man hadn't been drinking and he doesn't know whether charges will be filed. New Sewickley police said Sunday that decision will be made in a few days."

 

My question is, how big are the skunks in PA.? :eek:

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"Police say a costumed 9-year-old girl was accidentally shot outside a western Pennsylvania home during a Halloween party by a relative who thought she was a skunk.

 

New Sewickley Township police say the girl was over a hillside and wearing a black costume and a black hat with a white tassel. Chief Ronald Leindecker told the Beaver County Times that a male relative mistook her for a skunk and fired a shotgun, hitting her in the shoulder, arm, back and neck Saturday night.

 

Leindecker told the newspaper that the girl was alert and talking when she was flown to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, about 30 miles away. Her condition was unavailable.

 

Leindecker says the man hadn't been drinking and he doesn't know whether charges will be filed. New Sewickley police said Sunday that decision will be made in a few days."

 

My question is, how big are the skunks in PA.? :eek:

 

Trust me, you haven't lived in rural Pennsylvania until you have had some rounds fired your way.

 

Terrible for the girl though, I'm not too sure why this guy decided to shoot without yelling or at least firing into the air first.

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Trust me, you haven't lived in rural Pennsylvania until you have had some rounds fired your way.

 

Terrible for the girl though, I'm not too sure why this guy decided to shoot without yelling or at least firing into the air first.

 

Because he clearly knew what he was doing. There is no friggin way you can mistake a 9yr old kid for a small skunk.

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Trust me, you haven't lived in rural Pennsylvania until you have had some rounds fired your way.

 

Terrible for the girl though, I'm not too sure why this guy decided to shoot without yelling or at least firing into the air first.

 

Well I'm glad I don't live in PA. There are so many close calls where I live. People are just stupid when it comes to hunting. (Not saying all hunters are stupid, so don't twist my words.)

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Guns laws can't prevent stupid people from doing stupid things like this though.

 

Exactly. Take things away from people, and it makes them want it even more, and they'll do pretty much whatever to get them.

 

OT - Usually when I see a skunk or possum around here, I'll make some noise or throw something at 'em to scare 'em off. I don't just go straight for the gun. Dude deserves to get some good prison time.

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There should be a "stupid test" as one of the requirements to get a license for a gun. Seriously.

 

You don't need a license at all though. Just have to pass a background check. Tests wouldn't be enough to make much of a dent in stupid gun owners. And if they were...you'd have more people owning guns illegally. Harsher penalties would help keep at least some people from doing things like this I'd think.

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You don't need a license at all though. Just have to pass a background check. Tests wouldn't be enough to make much of a dent in stupid gun owners. And if they were...you'd have more people owning guns illegally. Harsher penalties would help keep at least some people from doing things like this I'd think.

 

With today's animal rights laws, he'd probably get more time if it had actually been a skunk. I'm not too familiar with gun laws, but I've known people to do more time for hurting an animal than another person. I do agree that they need harsher punishments for stupid things like this.

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They really should start requiring people to take gun safety classes before they purchase firearms. I don't know why they already don't. Obviously, I know this wouldn't stop all problems, but it would certainly weed out a few people who shouldn't be in possession of a firearm. I've taken a few people out shooting (I hunt and target shoot) and it amazes me how gun-retarded some people are.

 

But anyways... Sad about the girl. I hope appropriate action is taken on the shooter.

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Better yet, who shoots a skunk with a shotgun

 

Clearly for people like him, "Oh shit, a skunk" is followed by "I better shoot it".

 

But maybe he thought:

"Oh shit, a GIANT SKUNK!"

"Let me save my family!"

"Oh boy, I'm gonna be a god-dang hero! Hey, honey, look what I dun shot!"

"Oh shit, my niece!"

 

I read this earlier today and I'm still not sure how a 9yr old can be anywhere near the size of the skunk, so I'm gonna go with the second option.

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