In October, 2008 the Westfield Sportsman's Club held a machine gun shoot that was billed as "Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock." Children under 16 were admitted for free and there was no age limit required to shoot a machine gun.
A tragedy occurred when 8-year-old Christopher Bizilj unintentionally shot himself in the head. The boy was allowed to shoot a fully automatic Uzi machine gun and according to the police statement "the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury." Christopher died at the local hospital.
The average 8-year-old stands just a little over four feet tall and weighs a scant 55 pounds. Even with two hands such a child would not have enough strength to control the recoil of an Uzi.
Watch this YouTube video taken at the same event by another father who also brought his son to shoot machine guns.
The former police chief from Pelham, Massachusetts owned the company that co-sponsored the Westfield event. He has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and four counts of furnishing a machine gun to a minor. He pleaded not guilty. Jury selection begins this week.
Ohh shoot.
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