Arizona Shooting Range Instructor Killed by Girl With Uzi

[mystery-ak]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/arizona-shooting-range-instructor-killed-girl-uzi-n189611

Arizona Shooting Range Instructor Killed by Girl With Uzi
BY HASANI GITTENS
A shooting range instructor in Arizona was accidentally shot and killed by a 9-year-old girl who was learning how to shoot an Uzi, authorities said on Tuesday.

Charles Vacca, 39, was teaching the girl how to use the automatic weapon on Monday morning at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills, Arizona, when she pulled the trigger and the kickback caused the gun to lurch over her head, investigators said.

Vacca was hit by a stray bullet and airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where he was pronounced dead late Monday. The girl was at the range with her parents at the time, but their names were not released.

Sam Scarmardo, the manager for the Last Stop's shooting range, told NBC News that "the establish practice at most shooting ranges is 8 years old and up with parental supervision."

He said Vacca was a "great guy, with a great sense of humor" and called him "very conscientious and very professional."

Scarmardo said that the range has never had a similar incident in over a decade of being open — "not even a scratch."

"I just ask everybody to pray for Charlie, and pray for the client, she’s going to have a hard time," said Scarmardo.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety referred inquiries to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, which didn't return calls for comment.

Ronald Scott, a Phoenix-based firearms safety expert, said most instructors usually have their hands on guns when children are firing high-powered weapons. "You can't give a 9-year-old an Uzi and expect her to control it," Scott told the Associated Press.

First published August 26th 2014, 5:40 pm

[alicewonders]

I'm all for kids learning how to safely use guns, but an Uzi is a bit much for a nine year old to handle.

[Carling]

I'm all for kids learning how to safely use guns, but an Uzi is a bit much for a nine year old to handle.

It's absolutely irresponsible for both the parents of the girl, as well as the instructor, teaching a 9 year-old how to use an Uzi.  A bolt-action .22 rifle is acceptable, barely.  An avoidable death, for certain.

[rb224315]

It's absolutely irresponsible for both the parents of the girl, as well as the instructor, teaching a 9 year-old how to use an Uzi.  A bolt-action .22 rifle is acceptable, barely.  An avoidable death, for certain.

I agree 100%.  A similar accident occurred in 2008 in Massachusetts where an 8 year old boy lost control of an Uzi and shot himself fatally.  Some things can wait, and shooting an Uzi is one of them.

[SPQR]

Anything can happen with a firearm. I knew a terrific gunsmith that fixed most of my scopes with my rifles. One day he was cleaning a rifle and he shot himself in the head.

[NavyCanDo]

You have to know the shooters limitations, especially kids. But not just kids. A policeman who should have known better was shot and killed  at the range  I go to when he handed his "first time shooting" girlfriend his 44 mangum. The first shot caused the full arc kick, the second shot was a non intentional pull of the trigger as the barrel was pointing at him.


Katiebug shooting her daddy's XDm .45 is a good example of a child with too much gun. Watch the 2nd shot.  Don't worry nobody gets hurt.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueigciMx-MM

[xfreeper]

Charlie may have been a great guy but because of his stupid, reckless and irresponsible action, he's dead and a little girl has to live with the memory of what happened.

[xfreeper]

Anything can happen with a firearm stupid people

[Oceander]

An Uzi!?!  Are you kidding me?

[GourmetDan]

I'm all for kids learning how to safely use guns, but an Uzi is a bit much for a nine year old to handle.

It's only been a couple of years ago that a young boy killed himself in the same way.  His dad was teaching him to shoot and they went full-auto on a machine pistol.  It rotated up and back and shot him in the head killing him.

They aren't ready for the gun to torque that much and they lose control.

Oh, I see rb already mentioned it...

A similar accident occurred in 2008 in Massachusetts where an 8 year old boy lost control of an Uzi and shot himself fatally.

[mystery-ak]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/08/27/chilling-footage-shows-the-seconds-before-9-year-old-girl-accidentally-killed-shooting-instructor-with-uzi/#

Chilling Footage Shows the Seconds Before 9-Year-Old Girl Accidentally Killed Shooting Instructor With Uzi


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfMzK7QwfrU