Boy Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound at Boy Scout Camp

[cysoto]

The BSA (along with the Young Marines and a few others) was one of the last youth organizations that promoted safe firearms handling amongst children. This tragedy will most probably put an end to the BSA Marksmanship Merit Badge.

Boy Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound at Boy Scout Camp: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Boy-Scout-Camp-Fiesta-Island-San-Diego-Shooting-265229971.html

[rbeau30]

The BSA (along with the Young Marines and a few others) was one of the last youth organizations that promoted safe firearms handling amongst children. This tragedy will most probably put an end to the BSA Marksmanship Merit Badge.

Boy Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound at Boy Scout Camp: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Boy-Scout-Camp-Fiesta-Island-San-Diego-Shooting-265229971.html


I hope you are wrong about the end to the merit badge. There wasn't a firearms program there so I would be curious to hear more about the story when it comes to light.


On another note, isn't it illegal to kill yourself technically? You would think that legislating something would make it impossible to happen.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Oh hell ... like we didn't need more crap ...

On the bright side, the article says the youth camp (not specifically Boy Scout camp) does not have a firearms program. That means the boy shot himself with someone's personal firearm which they brought to camp, possibly in violation of Scouting rules.

We had a boy taking Rifle merit badge this past week -- I kept thinking of Connecticut when I saw how he was interacting with others and was far from upset when his Scoutmaster came by to pull him off the range on Thursday.

[cysoto]

On the bright side, the article says the youth camp (not specifically Boy Scout camp) does not have a firearms program. That means the boy shot himself with someone's personal firearm which they brought to camp, possibly in violation of Scouting rules.

You are most probably 100% correct but I am willing to wager that this won't keep the Moms Against Guns (et al) from putting pressure on the BSA to remove this badge from their program.

[thvigil11]

BSA generally does not allow for participants to bring personal firearms to camps. Some camps do allow temp staff to bring personal firearms, but require that they are stored in a secure location designated by the shooting sports director for said camp. Certain permanent staff are allowed to carry firearms if it pertains to their positions. Basically, the scouts look to control all firearms within the bounds of the camp and restrict use to the shooting sports programs. Info comes from my brother who used to run the program here at Philmont. Not to say people didn't bring guns, but it was not allowed and if found they would be quickly kicked from the camp. As it stands, Philmont has Black Powder, Archery, High Power Rifle and are now developing a Cowboy/ 3-gun type course.

If this camp does not have a shooting program, then I can see no reason that the BSA would have given permission for a participant or staff to bring a personal firearm.

[Aloha_Shooter]

thvigil11, the National Shooting Sports Manual and Guide to Safe Scouting also allow LE personnel to retain their personal firearms if it is required in the conduct of their duties, e.g., cop volunteers as Assistant Scoutmaster and has to have access to his pistol at all times.

cysoto, Bloomberg's Buttheads can keep applying pressure but I don't see the Rifle or Shotgun Merit Badges going away. This may put a crimp on last year's pilot program to offer Pistols at summer camp but that was on a hiatus this year anyway for safety revisions. Insurance and legal liability are the two factors that seem to torpedo good programs but those are also why our SOPs tightly control firearms inside camp.

[thvigil11]

thvigil11, the National Shooting Sports Manual and Guide to Safe Scouting also allow LE personnel to retain their personal firearms if it is required in the conduct of their duties, e.g., cop volunteers as Assistant Scoutmaster and has to have access to his pistol at all times.

Yeah I forgot to add that. My brother mentioned that, but included that it was a little difficult for an LE to justify carry on a 14 day pack trip in NM while on vacation time. He said he knew of some small camps that let that fly during overnighters and weekend trips. But he said it was rarely brought up by LE's looking to attend Philmont and none of them ever pushed the issue when he politely said no.

[hatidua]

Sounds to me like the kid was a resolute success: he set about to do something, and it worked exactly as he had hoped.

[beast556]

Sounds like there is alot more to this story than what is being told. We will see.

[Hound]

Sad for all involved.

[KestrelBike]

All I can think of are the tens of thousands of merit badges earned without horrible tragedies involved. One happens, and we (probably correctly) cringe that it will be the end of the badge. Same people who will cry for weapons to be banned from the scouts are the same that demonize the scouts for not allowing gay scout leaders. Their lives are just not fulfilled unless they cry/bitch/moan about everyone but themselves.