Charles Vacca (39) was accidentally shot dead by a 9-year-old girl at a shooting range

[puzzld]

http://mydeathspace.com/article/2014...shooting_range

A 9-year-old girl learning to fire a submachine gun accidentally killed her instructor at a shooting range when the weapon recoiled over her shoulder, according to Arizona authorities.

The instructor, 39-year-old Charles Vacca, died at a hospital late Monday night after he was shot in the head.

The Mohave County Sheriff's Office said the girl was with her parents. The website of Bullets and Burgers, the shooting range where the accident happened, says children between the ages of 8 and 17 can shoot a weapon if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Police identified the weapon as an Uzi, an Israeli-made submachine gun.

Cell phone video released by authorities Tuesday shows the moments before the fatal shots were fired, CNN affiliate KLAS reported.

In the video, Vacca and the girl are at an outdoor range. The wind blows a target in the distance. Vacca shows the child how to hold the gun then helps her establish her grip and her stance. She fires one round and dirt flies above the target. Vacca adjusts the Uzi, places his right hand on her back and his left under her right arm.

She fires several rounds in rapid succession and the gun kicks to the left as she loses control. The video ends before the fatal head shot. In releasing the video, authorities did not identify who made it.

KLAS reported the girl was a tourist from the Northeast.

The station spoke with Sam Scarmardo, who operates Bullets and Burgers, about the incident.

"We really don't know what happened," he said. "Our guys are trained to basically hover over people when they're shooting. If they're shooting right-handed, we have our right-hand behind them ready to push the weapon out of the way. And if they're left-handed, the same thing."

Vacca was married, well-liked and a veteran, KLAS said.

The range, which is about an hour's drive from Las Vegas, says on its Facebook page: "We separate ourselves from all other Las Vegas ranges with our unique 'Desert Storm' atmosphere and military style bunkers."

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/26/us/ari...html?hpt=hp_t2

[Boston Babe 73]

Darwin Award. Who the fuck thinks it's a good idea to put an Uzi in to the hands of a 9 year old? Sorry. But not sorry.

[Ron_NYC]

[Angiebla]

I fired a 9 mm one time and it threw me back a foot. It was scary and not at all therapeutic. That being said, I am a 120 lb adult and that happened to me. What idiots would let a child fire a machine gun? That poor girl is going to be traumatized for life.

[Boston Babe 73]

Here's the thing. A semi auto or auto doesn't have as much recoil as even a. 22 so I think it was a natural reaction to having that much firepower rather than recoil. Regardless, it's a fucking 9 year old. DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB

[Angiebla]

Here's the thing. A semi auto or auto doesn't have as much recoil as even a. 22 so I think it was a natural reaction to having that much firepower rather than recoil. Regardless, it's a fucking 9 year old. DUMB DUMB DUMB DUMB

I'm gun stupid my fianc? tries to explain it to me, but I don't care, so it's in one ear and out the other

[Boston Babe 73]

I'm gun stupid my fianc? tries to explain it to me, but I don't care, so it's in one ear and out the other

It's probably the same as a .22

The whole purpose of the semi autos and autos is to make it more firepower with as little recoil as possible. Easy to carry and handle and to kill more people with less effort. Less reload etc. I'm not saying it doesn't have recoil. It does. But everyone assumes that the more the firepower, the harder core the kickback which isn't always true. Sure, an Elephant gun will throw you on your ass. But the AK etc, easy to handle.

This dude was just an idiot. To put that kind of capability in to the hands of a kid that young is just stupid. I even question a pellet gun with a kid that young, personally. I'm sorry he's dead. But I think he only invited it by giving a kid an Uzi.

[blighted star]

Clip released by LE.

Poor kid. You can see it pull her arm straight to the left right before the clip ends.

[bermstalker]

The guy just worked there. It's a burger and bullets place. You go to a place like that to shoot guns you normally wouldn't ever shoot. Then you can order yourself up a burger afterwards. If you are feeling really adventurous, you can Ride an ATV and shoot a gun.

The girl looked skittish in the video.
I wonder why a place like that lets unexperienced kids fire guns? I also have to question why in the hell the parents thought it was a great idea? I don't know if I really blame the man all the way. It just seems as if he was an employee. I don't know if he was doing things right or wrong, but it really seems like a terrible accident. I'll ask my husband later on, but I do believe the man was standing on the wrong side of the girl. I think they are supposed to be standing behind the shooter. IDK (I may be wrong)
http://bulletsandburgers.com/

[blighted star]

Behind her holding both her skinny litte arms to steady them seems the only safe option if you're going to insist on letting/making a kid do something like that. She only had one hand on it when she lost control. It's exactly what happened to that kid at the gun show - they can't handle the pull that the momentum of continuous fire creates - & it doesn't look like anyone even warned them to expect it





I just hope she doesn't have complete idiots in her life - the kind that say shit like, "why didn't you hold it straight?" or "what did you do!!" etcetc

[bermstalker]

I agree Blighted. I even looked at Bullet and Burger's own web site and the pictures they have posted- most all show an instructor standing behind the shooter.

It almost seemed like he was giving her instructions and she started firing before he was finished. Like for example at the 18 second mark or so- he adjusts how she is standing. Then she fires and he reaches for the gun, but she rapid fires. It almost looked to me- like he was reaching for the gun to put the safety on...maybe??

[songbirdsong]

Goddamn it. I fucking hate stories like this. An adult's shitty judgment call results in a child killing someone, traumatized for life. Because no matter how often people will tell her that this isn't her fault -- and it isn't -- it's still going to cause so much inner conflict and grief and guilt.

[Seraphim]

That situation had so much NOPE written all over it, its not even funny.

[sarabei]

Yea, I kinda did this when I heard it too!

[sarabei]

And yea...the name alone *smh*

Bullets and Burgers

[sarabei]

Darwin Award. Who the fuck thinks it's a good idea to put an Uzi in to the hands of a 9 year old? Sorry. But not sorry.

and this.....

[dream]

I agree with Berm that the guy just worked there. The whole concept of that place just seems like a really bad idea.

[Bellaboo]

I don't think the employee is blameless ...sometimes you just have to say no. What a monumentally stupid idea to put an Uzi in the hands of a kid ...... our culture of gun loving is out of control. Dumb ass parents. Senseless loss of life.

[Boston Babe 73]

By the looks of it, the place is still open and operating. I would think they would be under some kind of investigation of safety policies, wouldn't you think? I can see the zip lining and helicopter stuff still in operation, but I'm surprised the shooting ranges are still up and running

[Ron_NYC]

What's the problem? She learned how to use a firearm in no time. The guy is just really, really good at his job.

I mean he was good at his job.

[Bellaboo]

Yes Ron ... She learned to kill in record time. A life skill tackled at age 9.
What a country that has, as family entertainment for all ages, bullets and burgers.

Count me out.

[Boston Babe 73]

Yes Ron ... She learned to kill in record time. A life skill tackled at age 9.
What a country that has, as family entertainment for all ages, bullets and burgers.

Count me out.

This. And call me "Judgy McJudgerson" if you must, but I never understood the whole concept of kids in Vegas in general. It's simply NOT a place for kids. There are millions of the kid friendly destinations to choose from. Leave Vegas to the adults. When I go there I get super annoyed by it. Kids doing cannonballs in to the hot tub and Parents giving me the evil eye for swearing. This Bullets and Burgers thing is just another example of a Vegas package that should be left for adults. Can we not have ONE place where I don't have to see kids running wild everywhere? Please?

[Nic B]

Both my stepsons wanted to go to the shooting range since they were little, because their Papa (grandfather) goes and they thought it sounded fun. I refused to let them go until they were not only old enough, but mature and responsible to be able to be safe about it. Once when my oldest stepson was asking to go, we were playing in the backyard with nerf guns. We made a rule that once they shot the nerf gun (they shoot at a target) they had to immediately set it down and back away and they had to take turns. As he is asking to go to the shooting range, he's waving the nerf gun around, not paying attention. I'm like, yeah, you are not getting anywhere near a real gun with real bullets

They were finally able to go last year. I don't like guns myself, so I didn't go. But they loved it. Of course, they weren't shooting Uzis or anything. Some weapons are just too powerful for kids to shoot, as anyone can see with this story. I mean, she could've shot herself! I would think they would at least stand behind the kid and wrap their hands around her hands when firing, so that there is some control. Maybe this could've been avoided. poor girl will be scarred for life, not only seeing that happen but knowing it was her that did it.

[ShellJett]

Most of the ranges and gun clubs I go to have really strict policies and several people watching over the shooters. I don't know about having little kids at the club I go to, but I definitely saw a teenager with his father. There should definitely be an age limit for being able to fire a gun, and it shouldn't be 9 or 10.

[biggie]

What's the problem? She learned how to use a firearm in no time. The guy is just really, really good at his job.

I mean he was good at his job.

Instructor: 'Nice shot, let's now try full auto' Blam, arrrggghh.....

I've shot an AR-15 and thought it was ridiculous.