Michael Santiago, 25, is under arrest for felony child endangerment after his 6-year-old son accidentally shot and killed his 3-year-old brother. Santiago kept the .32-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver fully loaded on top of the refrigerator.
The boys were reportedly playing “cops and robbers” when the gun went off. Their grandfather was watching them but was upstairs at the time. Santiago is a former gang member who said that he had the gun (purchased illegally off the street) to protect himself after testifying against a fellow gang member. Santiago, a manager at a Papa Ray’s Pizza restaurant, is being held on $75,000 bond.
Santiago appears to have been working hard after leaving the gang — putting in six days a week at the pizza restaurant.
The combination of the illegal purchase and the endangerment allegation could result in serious time for Santiago. The question is whether a court should consider the loss of the child in reducing the sentence. Santiago is described as a loving father who did a terribly stupid and reckless thing. Given the loss of the child, do you think that serious jail time is warranted?
Source: CNN
So Annie, would you be prepared to relinquish your right to vote or free speech to save a child’s life?
Cars are needed to transport people to work, so they can keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths, what use is a gun to an average person? Do people carry guns with them everywhere they go? How do they function without a gun on their person? What an existence. Mindboggling.
Amazing to see first hand how important that gun rights are to some Americans. NOTHING is more important than gun ownership I see. No child’s life is as valuable to these folks as liberty and guns for all. What a disturbing twisted outlook.
The elimination of automobiles would save more child deaths, especially since automobile accidents are a leading cause of death in teenagers. Care to eliminate these?
“One man, one vote”?
Do you truly believe when law-abiding citizens are disarmed by their government that the one man, one vote option will be secure? It’s not even secure now. What are you going to do when you can no longer elect candidates that believe in the Bill of Rights?
Darren.
What 15 were killed? What liberty has been taken away? What 104million have lost what? What ONE thing might be done to lessen the chance of kids being killed by guns that are left around by negligent adults.
Justice
Actually, I live in a beautiful and relatively crime free area. I’ve lived in the cities and can actually make some comparisons, unlike you it seems. I reiterate, when seconds count, the law is at least 45 minutes away….or longer.
My backyard.
http://i.imgur.com/m5gcDDl.jpg
“Given the loss of the child, do you think that serious jail time is warranted?”>
~+~
Unless the prosecution is prepared to go after every parent that forgot to leave the drano can in the storage cabinet, put the tricycle in the garage, or looked away from the child for five minutes when he ran out into the street then I suppose it would be permissible to prosecute this parent. We cannot prevent every bad event from happening and it is not reasonable to imprison people for everything.
Sacrifice the children for Liberty!
“Move to my city.”
Well that excludes, NY City, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Baltimore, St. Louis, Chicago, LA, London, Paris, Malmo, and Sydney.
Darren,
Great post and I believe pro-gun control folks know that to be true. In their zest to “do something” they refuse to consider the consequences.
Which 15 deaths are we talking about?
On average two die a week. That’s not counting the wounded. Do we wipe our memory tapes every 6 weeks?
What liberties have been taken away?
Olly, I answered. One man, one vote.
2 dead children a week from gun accidents. That’s 104 a year. For how many years now? That’s far more than 15.
Then 104 out of 310 million. It doesn’t change the argument.
Dust Bunny Queen
You live in a terrible crime ridden violent ghetto. Let’s start a gofundme page. Or
Move to my city. I shop, walk in the park, swim at the beach, chat with my neighbors, attend street fairs. All without guns or bows, or rocks.
It’s a pleasant way to live.
Richard and justiceforall,
You have an opportunity to make a reasoned response to my 3:48pm or my 4:17pm questions. The fact you won’t even attempt an answer is telling.
Also, what Darren said times eleventy.
As unfortunate and tragic as it is that these 15 persons died, it is not reasonable to deny a civil right to 310 million others due to 15 child deaths. If that the death of 15 persons was sufficient cause to deny people their liberty it would take less than a day for us to lose nearly all our freedom.
Which 15 kids is Darren talking about?
Which liberty has been taken away?
Fear is an emotion. You poor benighted people are full of fear.
Guns are not the answer.
Depends. What is the question?
Shall I throw rocks at a home invader? Help the thief load our business tools and livelihood into their trucks? Yell really loudly at the mountain lion stalking me on my property? Scold the foxes who are attacking my pets and threatening me at night when I go outside? Roll over and play dead for the bear I surprised in my garbage?
I suppose I could use my compound bow. Would that make you happier? It is much quieter than a rifle or shotgun.
The little punks playing outside look threatening.
Fear? No, it’s called Reason. It’s called critical-thinking which is clearly absent in the appeal on emotion.