• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Father charged after daughter shoots self with his pistol

Status
Not open for further replies.
Goddammit Florida :(

A Florida man faces criminal charges after his daughter fatally shot herself with a pistol that he left lying around his Lake Worth home, according to police.

o-ZURI-CHAMBERS-570.jpg


Thomas Chambers (left) and daughter Zuri Chambers

Three-year-old Zuri Chambers died Feb. 13 after she picked up a loaded gun up off a table and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck her in the head, and she died later at an area hospital.

Although his daughter's death was ruled an accident, on Saturday, police charged Zuri's father, Thomas Chambers with aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Chambers, who has a concealed carry permit and no prior criminal record, was arrested Saturday and released by a judge on his own recognizance.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the charges are warranted, since Chambers had received firearms training and knew to keep his weapon safe. The fatal incident was also the third time Zuri had toyed with a gun she found at home, according to police.

The Sun Sentinel reports:

Once, according to Chambers' arrest report, Zuri's mother woke up to the child pointing [a gun] at her. Another time, Zuri grabbed a firearm that was sitting in a laundry basket. Chambers told investigators he never imagined the toddler was strong enough to pull the trigger, which requires 10 pounds of pressure.

Her father, who said he takes the gun to work because he makes bank deposits, told police he'd left the gun out on a table near the front door so that he wouldn't forget it, according to CBS 12 News.

Chambers, who works at Go Yo! Frozen Yogurt, was getting ready for work in his room when he told police he heard a "very loud pop," then discovered his daughter.

By Florida law, guns in the home are to be secured in a locked box or otherwise kept readily at hand.

David Chambers, Zuri's uncle, said the shooting was a tragic accident.

"No parent intentionally leaves things exposed for children," he told the Sun Sentinel in February. He said his brother was a responsible gun owner.

Under Florida law, a person who causes the death of any person under the age of 18 by culpable negligence commits aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/04/zuri-chambers-shoots-self-father-charged_n_4897045.html

3 is too young. RIP
 
This is tragic all around. An innocent kid is dead and a father, who seems like a decent person albeit irresponsible/stupid, is now going to be a convicted criminal on top of what I assume is a ton of grief over his mistake.
 

Lamel

Banned
Good. How many times did the mistake need to be made before he learned the lesson?

Sad though.
 

linsivvi

Member
This is tragic all around. An innocent kid is dead and a father, who seems like a decent person albeit irresponsible/stupid, is now going to be a convicted criminal on top of what I assume is a ton of grief over his mistake.

A person who left a loaded gun around a 3 year old kid cannot be considered a decent person, especially since it happened more than once.
 

JDSN

Banned
Every gun owners labels himself as a "Law-abiding citizen" or "responsible gun owner" until the day they arent, throw the book at him.
 
A person who left a loaded gun around a 3 year old kid cannot be considered a decent person, especially since it happened more than once.

Yep. I'm not feeling sorry for him. He deserves whatever sentence he'll get. Having good manners and being appreciated by your neighbours and co-workers isn't worth a damn if you get children killed.

I'm an advocate of responsible gun ownership. I hope they throw the book at him. Fucking idiot.

Thanks for teaching me that expression, I didn't know it.
 

thefit

Member
When he's done with his time I guarantee he's goign to ask for his gun back hopefully it misfires on his face the next time.
 

Omega

Banned
Responsible gun owner? I only saw my dad's guns because of Hurricane Sandy, and I was 23 at the time.

In 23 years I saw them once. In 3 years, she had 3 reported incidents involving the weapon.

When he's done with his time I guarantee he's goign to ask for his gun back hopefully it misfires on his face the next time.

Really? Something unfortunate happened and you're hoping a man dies for it.

The people on GAF man..i just can't
 
A person who left a loaded gun around a 3 year old kid cannot be considered a decent person, especially since it happened more than once.

He made a series of mistakes that caused his daughter to die. He is (was?) a bad father, irresponsible, and certainly not the smartest person around. There's no evidence to suggest that outside of his mishandling of a gun that he was anything less than decent. I'm not downplaying the severity of what happened, just saying this repeated, fatal mistake will have killed a child and ruined an adult (that we otherwise have no reason to think wasn't an OK guy) life.

Before GAF gets the wrong idea, I'm not DefenseForcing for leaving guns laying around. I'm pretty strongly against firearms in general, but I still feel bad for this guy. Not as much as I feel bad for his daughter, but still.

"Tragic accident"? That's some bullshit right there.

How is that bullshit? It's absolutely tragic and it certainly seems to be an accident. A preventable accident, but an accident nonetheless.
 

thefit

Member
Responsible gun owner? I only saw my dad's guns because of Hurricane Sandy, and I was 23 at the time.

In 23 years I saw them once. In 3 years, she had 3 reported incidents involving the weapon.

Yeah pretty much I only knew my dad had guns because one day a friend of his came over to pick him up to go do some some shooting at the range. "Dad has guns D: " was my reaction.
 

Jive Turkey

Unconfirmed Member
How is that bullshit? It's absolutely tragic and it certainly seems to be an accident. A preventable accident, but an accident nonetheless.

Leaving a loaded firearm in a laundry basket within reach of a toddler is not an accident, it's neglect.
 
He made a series of mistakes that caused his daughter to die. He is (was?) a bad father, irresponsible, and certainly not the smartest person around. There's no evidence to suggest that outside of his mishandling of a gun that he was anything less than decent. I'm not downplaying the severity of what happened, just saying this repeated, fatal mistake will have killed a child and ruined an adult (that we otherwise have no reason to think wasn't an OK guy) life.

Before GAF gets the wrong idea, I'm not DefenseForcing for leaving guns laying around. I'm pretty strongly against firearms in general, but I still feel bad for this guy. Not as much as I feel bad for his daughter, but still.

Do you mean you feel bad for him because he wasn't evil, just a huge fucking idiot?
 

DarkKyo

Member
Fucking Florida again... why? why? why why why why

that state needs martial law to remove all its guns because honestly there are going to be people dying for no good reason every week until there is nobody left in that god forsaken state....
 

thefit

Member
Responsible gun owner? I only saw my dad's guns because of Hurricane Sandy, and I was 23 at the time.

In 23 years I saw them once. In 3 years, she had 3 reported incidents involving the weapon.



Really? Something unfortunate happened and you're hoping a man dies for it.

The people on GAF man..i just can't

Who says I wanted him dead maybe it'll just charred his face like those old looney tune cartoons would that make you feel better about his stupidity and be ok with your feelings?
 

jediyoshi

Member
This is tragic all around. An innocent kid is dead and a father, who seems like a decent person albeit irresponsible/stupid, is now going to be a convicted criminal on top of what I assume is a ton of grief over his mistake.

Yeah, that's brutal. I got nothing else.
 

Dude Abides

Banned
Who says I wanted him dead maybe it'll just chard his face like those old looney tune cartoons would that make you feel better about his stupidity and be ok with your feelings?

You're hoping it turns his face into a leafy green vegetable?
 
How is that bullshit? It's absolutely tragic and it certainly seems to be an accident. A preventable accident, but an accident nonetheless.

I feel like there's a point where a preventable accident sort of becomes criminal negligence. You don't leave a loaded gun out within reach of a small child if you have even an iota of concern for their safety. This is as much of an accident as putting rat poison in a baby's crib and being surprised when it turns up dead. You have to come to the conclusion that this could lead to you child's demise but simply not give a shit.
 

Axiology

Member
Once, according to Chambers' arrest report, Zuri's mother woke up to the child pointing [a gun] at her. Another time, Zuri grabbed a firearm that was sitting in a laundry basket. Chambers told investigators he never imagined the toddler was strong enough to pull the trigger, which requires 10 pounds of pressure.

The fuck?
"Responsible gun owner" my ass. These parents were fuckin morons.

In light of all the bullshit that comes out of Florida, at least they throw you in jail for shit like this. I do balk a little at the idea that "he had training, so he knew to keep it locked up," though. Not because I disagree with the sentiment, but because in some twisted way it's almost giving a pass to those who never had training to not know such common sense gun rules. Really highlights the fact that by all rights you shouldn't be able to get one without extensive training :(

Edit:
Shaanyboi said:
Responsible gun-owner my ass

Lol, I actually wrote my response before reading this comment. Great minds think alike XD
 

Foaloal

Member
That's just beyond tragic, and could have been prevented so easily which only makes it more tragic.

I've felt like I made a stupid decision before, but the way this guy feels must top the feelings of stupidity any of us have ever felt.
 
This is why we need rigid gun safety and responsibility courses with tests that need to be passed before a person is even allowed to own a gun.

But it's not happening because freedom or some bullshit.
 
Such bullshit. Saftey should have been on but teach your kid not to touch stuff. He feels guilty enough. Don't imprison him.
 

Carcetti

Member
Under Florida law, a person who causes the death of any person under the age of 18 by culpable negligence commits aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Three times? Three?

Negligence doesn't get much more culpable than this. If I did that to my child, I'd probably wish they'd put me to prison so I could have some time to think about my life choices.

Such bullshit. Saftey should have been on but teach your kid not to touch stuff.

Hahahaha. Bullshit indeed. That is so far away from the reality of actually raising a kid that I can't even describe it.
 

Axiology

Member
It kind of seems like having to live with killing his daughter would be punishment enough.

I do hope you're not serious. Sure, he's probably dealing with a great deal of grief over what happened, but his daughter is dead because of something that is 100% his fault, and something that he had clear warning of, due to the fact that it almost happened twice in the past.

He needs to see the inside of a jail cell. The negligence on display here is almost to the point where he might as well have pulled the trigger himself.
 

xenist

Member
Wow, such leniency in this thread!

Fuck that asshole. Let him mull over the fact he killed his daughter in jail for 3 to 5 years. Third fucking time? Fuck him. His grief is inconsequential.
 
I do hope you're not serious. Sure, he's probably dealing with a great deal of grief over what happened, but his daughter is dead because of something that is 100% his fault, and something that he had clear warning of, due to the fact that it almost happened twice in the past.

He needs to see the inside of a jail cell. The negligence on display here is almost to the point where he might as well have pulled the trigger himself.
to me it's no different than a drunk driver killing a family and stumbling away unharmed.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
This is why we need rigid gun safety and responsibility courses with tests that need to be passed before a person is even allowed to own a gun.

But it's not happening because freedom or some bullshit.

And he should have lost his firearm privileges after the first incident
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom