What age is too young to learn how to operate a gun? In recent news, two incidents involving young children under the age of 10 have been brought up due to their inability to operate the weapon correctly.

In many ways, it is beneficial for one to learn how to use a gun so that in the future the room for error is lessened. Similar to a sponge, kids at a young age are able to absorb things quickly, so when we learn things at a young age it will remain in our brains throughout our life. Although many adults practice gun safety with children at a very young age, it is not always considered a safe thing to do.
“The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards,” said French novelist, Anatole France.
During one of the incidents, a 9 year old girl was learning how to use an Uzi submachine gun. Due to the force that comes with shooting a gun of that size the child lost control and ended up shooting her instructor, Charles Vacca, resulting in his death.
Prior to this incident there was a 7 year old at a gun range learning how to fire a single-shot .22-caliber bolt action “youth” rifle. It has been said that the boy was with his father shooting at a homemade shooting range when the young boy cried out in pain while holding his chest. The deputies of El Dorado County confirmed that traces of metal fragments were found near an apparent hole and blood was covering the boy’s chest.
In these types of cases children under the age of 12, should not be able to operate a gun even with an instructor. It is good for a young child to learn how to use a gun to lessen gun mishaps, but in most cases gun use is something to not take lightly, especially when it comes to children of young age.

FSA Connection Questions

1. In the article what two incidents take place?

2. In the piece, the word beneficial mean what?

3. The author seems to offer what main idea?

4. What two statements of the article best summarize it?

5. Select one sentence that best summarizes the author’s opinion.