[__ Prayer __] My daughter's friend was shot.

[handy]

My daughter has a friend who was shot with a rifle at fairly close range. It was an accident. He is 15 years old. The bullet went into his chest. He was taken to the hospital and was put through emergency surgery last night. There is no current word on his condition now. Please pray for him, his name is Dylon.

 

[Mike]

prayed, and I'll be praying...

Dora, that's awful, just awful. My son will be 15 in a few months. I can't imagine it. Please update us with his progress.

God's loving Peace be with him and his family

 

[VegasGeorge]

I have prayed, and will continue to pray.

An accident like that is totally preventable. There is no reason why anyone should ever bring the muzzle of a rifle to bear on another person unless they are intending to shoot them. Training people! Our kids need training to respect and handle firearms safely. There are only 4 simple rules to follow. Only 4!. Please everyone if you own a firearm be sure you know these rules. And please be sure your kids know them too. Even if your child isn't supposed to touch your gun, these rules should be drilled into rote memory. Believe me, this is just as important as learning to swim.

1. Every gun is always loaded. There is no such thing as an "unloaded" gun. Even if you just unloaded the gun yourself, treat it as if it were still loaded.
2. Never allow the gun to be pointed at anyone you don't intend to shoot. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot. Every time you pick up a gun, your trigger finger should be extended straight, parallel the barrel. Make that an absolute habit, no exceptions.
4. When you shoot, make sure you know what's between you and your target, and what's behind your target. This means you need to be conscious of people who might be crossing into your line of fire from either side, and who may be behind it.

That's all there is to it. If everyone knew and followed these 4 simple rules, there wouldn't be any gun accidents at all. None.

Memorize these rules. Make sure your spouse and children memorize these rules. Then go over them together at least once a month to make sure everyone remembers them. I do that with my wife and my grandchildren.

It's too late for these rules to help Dylon in this situation. But you can save someone else.

PS: Even if you don't have a gun at home, your child will someday be with friends or relatives who do have a gun. Knowledge of these rules will go a long way toward protecting your child in a situation where someone else is mishandling a gun. Not owning a pool is no excuse for not teaching your child to swim. Not owning a gun is no excuse for not teaching your child gun safety.

 

[handy]

Please, please, please continue to pray. We've just received word that Dylon isn't doing too good right now. This is so difficult.

 

[GojuBrian]

I'm so sorry for this. It is very sad. I pray that God pulls him through.

 

[handy]

Update: Dylan, (I've spelled his name incorrectly before I see) is now in stable condition, although he is still in critical care. It seems clear that he will live. However, what is still unknown is whether or not he will be able to fully recover. The bullet did do some damage to his lung, and that was able to be repaired, but there was also damage to his spinal cord. We truly don't know at this time if he will ever be able to walk again, but hey, we can all pray for his full recovery. He is young and very healthy, so that will be a help.

I've learned more about the shooting itself. The young man who shot Dylan was cleaning his .22 rifle when it went off. The bullet traveled through the front screen door of the house and hit Dylan as Dylan was walking towards the door. The range was about 12 feet. I think already God must have plans for this kid as taking a .22 in the chest at that range and still being alive is pretty much a miracle right there.

Now for an addition to this mess. This is not the first time the 20 year old has been the cause of tragedy. A couple of years back, I put in a prayer request for the family of a man and his 3 little girls who had to swerve off the road because of an improperly secured load of pipes that fell off the back of a truck, and they were all killed when the car wound up in the river. Well, this 20 year old was the 18 year old back then who did not properly secure the pipes. So, this young man is responsible for the deaths of a man, 3 little girls and the shooting of a 15 year old boy who may never walk again. So, he needs prayer as well. Lot's of prayer.

And, he needs love and compassion as well. I can pray for him, but I have to admit, I'll need some help with the love and compassion part, as do a lot of people in this very small community. I think the thing is, everyone can understand and forgive a freak accident like the improperly loaded pipes, even though the young man had a responsibility to secure those pipes. But, 18 is young and mistakes happen. Everyone in our community pulled together, including the surviving members of the family, because of his youth and how horrible he must have felt.

Now he's 20. He's been the cause of 4 deaths. The expectation would have been that he would have grown up fast and been wiser. But, through further carelessness, he managed to bring a loaded rifle into a house and set it off where a bunch of kids were running around. Compassion and love aren't at the forefront of everyone's mind right now.

BUT IT NEEDS TO BE. It truly does. I don't want to feel compassion for him, because anger is too much in the way, but I need to get that under control, as do many others around here. We have 4 people dead, and one boy who may never recover, we also need to pray that this young man can somehow, someway, be made whole again as well. If he suicides because of overwhelming guilt, then that will just be more tragedy and frankly this community has had enough tragedy.

 

[Caroline H]

What a mess indeed! I'll pray for him and you and all involved

 

[VegasGeorge]

I've been praying, and will continue to do so.

Rule number one: Every gun is always loaded. These gun cleaning accidents are way too frequent. And, the responsible party always says, "I didn't think the gun was loaded." After all, no one intentionally sets out to clean a loaded gun. And because they think the gun is unloaded, they stop paying attention to where they're pointing the gun. The next thing they know, "BLAM," the "unloaded" gun discharges. Everyone, please take a hint from me. I regard and treat my guns as "loaded" even when they are broken down into pieces. I keep my finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction even when they aren't attached to each other. Gun accidents are so unnecessary. :verysad

 

[Vic C.]

HI George,

Your post reminded me of a saying that was passed on to me by a friend:

"Safety is no accident."

I will never forget that saying.

Dora,

I can't even begin to imagine dealing with this tragedy without the love and wisdom of the Almighty God!

May His presence be the driving force as you, the victim and the community face the days ahead.

 

[handy]

Thanks Vic. Dylan is still in the hospital. He is stable and recuperating, but it is still unknown if he will ever walk again. The investigation into the shooting is closed and there will be no charges filed as the shooting was deemed accidental.

"Safety is no accident."

So often, when I'm reprimanding my kids for doing something reckless, the excuse is "I didn't mean to do it!" My answer to that is "Not good enough, you have to consciously make a point to not do it."

 

[jasoncran]

I've been praying, and will continue to do so.

Rule number one: Every gun is always loaded. These gun cleaning accidents are way too frequent. And, the responsible party always says, "I didn't think the gun was loaded." After all, no one intentionally sets out to clean a loaded gun. And because they think the gun is unloaded, they stop paying attention to where they're pointing the gun. The next thing they know, "BLAM," the "unloaded" gun discharges. Everyone, please take a hint from me. I regard and treat my guns as "loaded" even when they are broken down into pieces. I keep my finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction even when they aren't attached to each other. Gun accidents are so unnecessary. :verysad

i was taught that in the army, and Lord i ask that you heal this person.

 

[Mike]

Dora, I'm just returning from a vacation, and I'm anxious to know. Are you implying that his progress is more lengthy than a day-to-day update? It sounds like he'll pull thru, praise God, but whether he will completely recover will be month to month or longer.

There's prayer needed on so many levels: Dylan, his family, the doctors, the young man who shot him, his family, the community... one senseless event with so many ripple effects...

 

[handy]

Dylan is paralyzed from the chest down. It is still considered too early to tell if he will ever be able to move or walk again. However, it is also too early to say that he will not.

He will live, but as to what kind of life he will have... .

Yes, please all, continue to pray for this boy, the doctors, etc...

 

[jasoncran]

Dylan is paralyzed from the chest down. It is still considered too early to tell if he will ever be able to move or walk again. However, it is also too early to say that he will not.

He will live, but as to what kind of life he will have... .

Yes, please all, continue to pray for this boy, the doctors, etc...

i have a friend who was parayzed from the chest down, after some surgeries he got his arms back and is able to drive and function quite well, but the lord can and does miracles at times.

 

[Coondawg_07]

I'll be praying for Dylan as well. I believe not only will he need our prayers and God's help with recovery but also with forgiveness. I can only imagine how it would feel living with such a consequence through daily life, knowing the man who did such a thing is still walking around. I pray that if it be in God's will Dylan fully recovers and has the strength to forgive the shooter.

 

[AJoyFullChristian]

Prayers going up for this young chap. It will be hard for him, esp at a young age but with the help of his family, friends and from God he can get through this and still live his life to the full by the best ways possible.

God Bless

Steve

 

[handy]

Just wanted to update this....

The man who shot Dylan was sentenced last Wednesday. From the Emmett Messenger Index:

"Devin Morgan, 20 of Sweet pleaded guilty in October to one misdemeanor count of injuring another by the careless handling and discharge of a firearm...

Gem County Magistrate Judge Tyler Smith sentenced Morgan to one year in the Gem County jail and suspended 180 days of the sentence. Morgan was taken into custody and ordered to serve 90 days of the sentence before he will be evaluated for release and a supervised probation period of two years."

Dylan remains in the wheelchair. It seems unlikely that he will ever walk again. He has returned to school and seems to be adjusting to life as it now is for him.

 

[tooblessed]

Just came across this thread; thanks for the update.

Sorry to hear the bad news. Prayers are being said.

Glad the UK doesn't allow guns ...

 

[handy]

Just came across this thread; thanks for the update.

Sorry to hear the bad news. Prayers are being said.

Glad the UK doesn't allow guns ...

Thank you for praying.

This isn't a debate or discussion forum, but I will just say that not allowing guns doesn't minimize the menace that Devin Morgan is...he put Dylan in a wheelchair for the rest of his life with a gun...but he outright killed David Coburn and his three daughters when he failed to properly secure a load and the load spilled out causing Coburn to wind up in the creek. Guns aren't the problem here any more than pipes or cars or a creek are...the problem is one overwhelmingly irresponsible young man. Hopefully, Morgan will come to grips with his outrageous behaviors and grow up, before someone else gets killed or seriously maimed by him.

According to the full story in the Messenger Index, Morgan thought the gun was not loaded so pointed it at Dylan and pulled the trigger. Morgan grew up here...deep in hunting territory, so he knew, he knew, that "every gun is always loaded". We teach that to our kids from the get go here.

 

[tooblessed]

Thank you for praying.

This isn't a debate or discussion forum, but I will just say that not allowing guns doesn't minimize the menace that Devin Morgan is...he put Dylan in a wheelchair for the rest of his life with a gun...but he outright killed David Coburn and his three daughters when he failed to properly secure a load and the load spilled out causing Coburn to wind up in the creek. Guns aren't the problem here any more than pipes or cars or a creek are...the problem is one overwhelmingly irresponsible young man. Hopefully, Morgan will come to grips with his outrageous behaviors and grow up, before someone else gets killed or seriously maimed by him.

According to the full story in the Messenger Index, Morgan thought the gun was not loaded so pointed it at Dylan and pulled the trigger. Morgan grew up here...deep in hunting territory, so he knew, he knew, that "every gun is always loaded". We teach that to our kids from the get go here.

Still praying

Won't debate further either except to say too, the allowance of guns aids unstable people and guns guarantees unstable people's aims.