Bogo shooting

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Accident.” I know what the word means. And I’m sure you do, too. But just to make sure that we’re all on the same boat, here are some definitions I found on the internet.

A google search came up with “an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly, typically resulting in damage or injury,” or “an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.”

Wikipedia goes even further, describing “accident” as “unintentional injury… an undesirable, incidental, and unplanned event that could have been prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident had been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its occurrence.”

It seems the authorities were right to call what happened last Saturday night in Don Pedro Rodriguez, Bogo City an “accident.”

To those who don’t know, a 14-year-old boy shot his older brother, 16, using an improvised .22 pistol that belonged to their uncle.

The victim, who suffered a wound in his chest, was initially rushed to the Bogo City District Hospital before he was transferred to a hospital in Cebu City.

I don’t know if the boy survived, but I do hope he does. He still has his whole life ahead of him, and it would be such a waste to have it snuffed out just like that because his younger brother did not know the gun was loaded.

At least, that’s what SPO1 Alexis Camelo Villacrucis of the Bogo Police Station told SunStar Cebu’s Kevin A. Lagunda.

But how did the younger boy come into possession of the gun? Was it left lying around like that in the house? And loaded, to boot?

Police said the younger boy cannot be held liable for what happened because he is still a minor, but their uncle might face a complaint for owning the gun.

The family reported the incident to authorities to erase doubts of foul play, not that they had any choice.

The last time I checked, a hospital is required to report to the police any patient treated for a gunshot wound. Come to think, any wound that is not self-inflicted might merit a call to authorities.

As for the uncle, he should stay put and expect a call from the Women and Children’s Protection Desk, which has been tasked to investigate the matter.

Last Saturday’s accident prompted police to urge owners of unlicensed and improvised guns to surrender their firearms to the police.

As Villacrucis rightly pointed out, these guns pose a danger, especially to children.

I understand if he was referring to small kids who see a gun and automatically think of it as a toy. But a 14-year-old knows better and can distinguish between a toy gun and a real one.

Not that I’m casting aspersions on him.