4-year-old fires handgun in Alaska pawn shop

[proud2BlibKansan]

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA -- Police in Alaska say a 4-year-old boy was playing with a handgun at a pawn shop when he fired a round into the store's ceiling.

Fairbanks Sgt. Bruce Barnett tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that the child was in a pawn shop with his father on Sunday afternoon. Barnett says while the child's father was talking to a store employee, the boy was playing with another employee's 1-year-old son.

That's when the 4-year-old's father heard a loud bang and saw his son with a silver revolver in his hands.

Barnett says the .38-caliber Smith & Wesson Special belonged to the store employee.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/01/3586796/4-year-old-fires-handgun-in-alaska.html#storylink=cpy

[SunsetDreams]

1. Why the hell was it loaded?

[AmazingSchnitzel]

2. Sounds like it was...

... the personal weapon of the employee and not for sale.

[SunsetDreams]

11. Again why was it loaded?

If it had to be loaded for protection, then why the hell was it within reach of a 4 year old?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Why the hell was it where a 4 year old could get ahold of it?

Stupid people.

[SunsetDreams]

8. no kidding

Some people just don't use their heads.

[baldguy]

3. "Responsible gun owners" will kill us all.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Either them or 4 year olds.

[JI7]

13. the fault of a 4 year old shooting off a gun belongs to adults

[Fumesucker]

6. I think dad might keep a bit closer eye on junior in the future..

Glad no one was hurt...

[onehandle]

7. He was just defending us from terrorist polar bears.

If not him, then who?

Edits due to beer©. Procured @ Drinking Liberally Philly.

[man4allcats]

9. I once accidentally fired my .38 into the ceiling.

Of course I was pretty drunk at the time. It turned out well though since it did drive home the obvious - don't drink and play with guns. The strange thing was I always thought the roof would leak after that, but it never did. I guess the round probably lodged in some two-by-four in the attic. Since the roof never leaked I never bothered to investigate.

[Lint Head]

10. So this is not common in gun stores?

[JI7]

12. see, kid was armed so nobody died

[Meiko]

14. I am glad nobody was hurt

but it seems odd that a 4 year old would have enough hand strength to operate a 38 cal revolver. Could there be more involvement with the store employee we are not hearing about I wonder?