Cop kills 5 year old kid

[saget]

NOBLE, Okla. - A stray bullet fired by a police officer trying to shoot a snake hit and killed a 5-year-old boy fishing at a nearby pond, officials said.

 

Austin Haley was fishing with his grandfather, Jack Tracy, Friday evening when Tracy said he heard a shot and saw a bullet hit the water just a few feet in front of the boat dock where he was standing.

 

Moments later, a second shot was fired that hit Austin in the head.

The cop was trying to kill a snake. By shooting at it. With a gun. I'm no rocket surgeon, but couldn't you get a friggin' ladder and climb the tree?

 

Unreal.

 

LINK

 

 

(consolidated tags --1992)

[giffted1]

Be sure of your target and what is beyond. I learned that in hunter's safety. Maybe they don't teach that at the police academy in Oklahoma.

[razzzorsharp]

That sucks for everyone involved, except the snake.

[thunderbat30]

I hope there is more to the story (something extremely freak) than what the article states because this does not sound good for the police officer(s) and his/her decision.

[TracyThom]

No, it certainly sounds like the cop tried to shoot a snake out of a tree and did not pay attention to what was behind the area he was shooting at. It's a horrible accident, but the officer should be held accountable. Manslaughter charges at the minimum.

[JoeHova]

A cop acting like a total douche? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

[pitchleague]

Come on, how did he miss the snake. I mean, cops train for hours at the shooting range. I've seen it on TV.

[TracyThom]

Come on, how did he miss the snake. I mean, cops train for hours at the shooting range. I've seen it on TV.

 

From what I read, he hit the snake the second time around. The problem was that a snake's head will not stop a bullet.

[pitchleague]

when are the animal rights people going to come out regarding the inhumane treatment of the snake? couldn't they have called a snake handler or something instead of a police officer shooting it?

[Thurston Fluff]

I feel bad for everyone involved. While I understand the grandfather's anger at the police it is differant than not strapping a kid in a seatbelt and him dying because of it. The officer did not knowingly put the child at risk. He could be guilty of not checking the area out well enough before he fired his weapon. Sad all the way around. I'd ahte to be the one who did it even if it was an accident. Not something I could live with very easily.

[HebrewHammer]

The cop should go to jail for man slaughter.

[Invader3K]

I don't know...if the kid was clearly visible, that's one thing, but this kind of sounds like it might be a freak accident. I'm not saying the police officer shouldn't face some penalty, but I don't know he should necessarily be locked up for a long time.

[fondybrewfan]

Nice, a terrible situation that will likely lead to a firing and a very large lawsuit. What a terrible way to die, fishing with your grandfather and you get shot. If you want to kill the snake call animal control, that is what they are there for