Teen Carrying Gun Falls Off Hoverboard and Fatally Shoots 13-Year-Old Friend
A Florida teen was killed this week after his friend fell from a hoverboard and accidentally discharged a gun.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office says 13-year-old Lavardo Fisher succumbed to his injuries on Monday after he was accidentally shot on Sunday afternoon.
Fisher was visiting a relative’s home in Orlando with two 18-year-olds when the older teens found a gun, reports WKMG .
One of the 18-year-olds began to ride a hoverboard while playing with the gun, police say. He then lost his balance, causing the gun to go off.
Fisher was wounded and rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital, where the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office said it was notified that Fisher died at 4:30 a.m.
Police arrested the man they believed to be the gun owner, Walter Morame, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
A neighbor, Tony Snellings, told WKMG that Fisher's father soon showed up and appeared absolutely devasted.
"He called me and I just told him he needed to get home, and told him what was going on and about five minutes later I saw him running down the street, and he was pretty messed up about it," said Snellings.
Snellings said he believes Fisher was shot in the neck.
Fisher's football coach, Lo Wood, described the victim as the model teen.
"He strived to be the best," Wood said. "We have this motto called the Four H's. Stay humble, stay hungry, keep your head up when things get tough and have fun. That was Lavardo."
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Florida.
Guns are not the preferred weapon in FLA . Instead its :
Assault With A Deadly Alligator: Man Arrested For Chucking Gator Through Drive-Thru Window
Florida.
We shouldn't blame the State where this tragedy occurred, it could have happened anywhere. It happens everyday in Illinois, and often in Texas, California and Pennsylvania, however the real picture we should be looking at is how often it happens in our country.
Approximately thirty thousand (30,000) Americans are killed every year by gunfire, a third of them, or around ten thousand (10,000) are children! Those horrific statistics, referred to by a member right here on NewsTalkers as "the cost of freedom", are what makes the United States of America the most violent death by gunfire nation of any other modern developed in the world.
I'm not blaming Florida - I'm just observant of gun deaths that make the news, and Florida has been neck and neck with Texas for a long time. Think about it - 10,000 kids die in the US per year from guns (per your stat). With only 365 days in a year, that's some serious competition for tragic news stories involving guns. The ones that take top billing are the ones with severely unusual circumstances or above average stupidity, and somehow FL and TX seem to dominate. If you haven't noticed this yourself, then you just aren't paying attention.
I used to collect links regarding MSM gun death articles from FL and TX, and it got to be too laborious so I stopped.
Why don't you publish news from the disaster called Baltimore ? Are you ashamed of it ?
Baltimore isn't dominating the MSM crazy train division.
If you haven't noticed this yourself, then you just aren't paying attention.
It's likely that I pay more attention to gun violence and where it happens than anyone on NewsTalkers. If you aren't aware of the epic number of children killed in Chicago in recent years (that's in Illinois btw), then you're the one not paying attention.
In 2010, nearly 700 Chicago school children were shot and 66 of them died. Last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel attended a memorial for 260 school children who had been killed in just the previous three years. On several occasions in the past year, tens of people have been shot in a single weekend on the streets of the city. The worst three-day stretch saw 10 killed and 37 wounded in gun fire. But Google the term “Chicago weekend shootings” and the results are far too many deadly weekends to count.
I used to collect links regarding MSM gun death articles from FL and TX, and it got to be too laborious so I stopped.
I have several bookmarks containing links to gun violence stats, when I refer to them I usually get the latest to date numbers. But my interest is where the entire country stands regard gun violence, and yes I'm aware Fla. and Texas are among the states with high per capita gun violence, however D.C., Louisiana and Mississippi have even higher rates.
11000 gun homicides. Not 30000. Common gungrabbing technique.
Orange county.
Orange county.
Yeah, that's where it happened.
Your point?
It's a reply to Hal's comment Florida. I was adding more detail in depth reporting.
It's a reply to Hal's comment Florida. I was adding more detail in depth reporting.
Wonderful, two comments totaling two words. You guys really know how to add to a discussion.
You do know that Orange country CA. is ultra conservative Dean...
Yes thats why it didn't happen there.
What did happen there was the killing of 14 people.
What did happen there was the killing of 14 people.
Dean doesn't pay that close attention to details.
14 people killed by illegally obtained guns . What's your point ?
Hoverboards actually exist?
They do, and they apparently catch fire quite often.
One of the 18-year-olds began to ride a hoverboard while playing with the gun, police say. He then lost his balance, causing the gun to go off.
What do they say ? You can't make this stuff up .
The shooter will probably file a lawsuit against the hoverboard manufacturer for failing to warn users to not play with guns while riding the hoverboard.
The shooter was stupid . So was the victim for traveling with him . And you for blaming the entire state ...
and you ... for everything about you.
The wrong person was shot in this incident. It should have been the idiot riding the hoverboard while waving a gun around. Moron.
A good kid... with a gun...
Rest in peace Lavardo. What a sad frickin story.
:^(
I agree Larry.
Sad story an NRA hunters safety course could have possibly prevented this tragedy.
He was riding a hoverboard with a loaded gun that a felon just left lying around. Dean - don't you always keep your guns at the ready? You could be one hoverboard away from having this happen with your gun.
Once again we see gun laws don't work with felons.
Once again we see gun laws don't work with felons.
Yeah, "once again". That 'defense' is getting old and never did have any value.
Maybe you can come up with a something else to justify why the USA has he highest per capita death by gunfire of any modern developed country in the world.
The people in most every other democracy in the world are as free and happy as we are and they don't seem to need a huge arsenal of weapons or a "second amendment" to keep them that way.
are as free and happy as we are and they don't seem to need a huge arsenal of weapons
Tell that to the people of Paris who went through 2 recent terrorist attacks while unarmed . What happened to them ? They died in large numbers ...
Tell that to the people of Paris who went through 2 recent terrorist attacks while unarmed . What happened to them ? They died in large numbers
We recently had a terrorist attack by domestic terrorist in San Bernardino Calif that left 14 dead.
The shooting in Newton Conn. left 27 dead, 20 of them children.
9 were killed and 9 wounded at Umpqua College in Roseburg Or., 4 Marines and a Sailor were killed in Chattanooga Tn, another 9 were killed in a church in Charleston S.C. We had 12 people killed in a Navy yard right in our nations Capitol!
Then there's Ft. Hood, Tx., Isla Vista, Santa Monica, and Seal Beach, all in Calif. Tuscon AZ.,
Manchester Conn., Binghamton NY, Columbine, Virginia Tech .......
This list goes on and on.
Now what were you saying about France?
Oh, here's some stats comparing the death by gunfire rates between France and the United States.
From Wikipedia : Firearm-related death rate per 100,000 population per year
Country Total Homicides Suicides Unintentional Undetermined
France 2.83 0.21 2.16 0.04 0.41
United States 10.14 3.55 6.70 0.16 0.06
Don't forget about that other recent Islamist terrorism attack in the US in Chattanooga .
But do ignore the fact that private ownership of guns could likely have prevented some of the deaths in France . Who cares about the French ; Is that your approach ? It certainly could have helped in San Bernadino but who cares ? They are just unarmed US citizens ... DUH !
How do you figure Switzerland has one of the highest gun ownership rates in the world and very low crime. They just don't have the thug life culture. Look at the demographics and see where the problem is.
Dean, Switzerland has a mandatory 1 year government service, for everybody, and the guns are distributed to the people during their service. It is a part of a "readiness" campaign for the country. Within 24 hours, everyone, man and woman, can be mobilized to repel an invader. Every human being in Switzerland also has a space in a nuclear bomb shelter. They also teach gun safety and require that everyone keep up their shooting skills.
The Swiss are tough.
Yes more guns makes them safer.
I don't know that, Dean. I was just answering your comment that the Swiss had a lot of guns... That's why.
As Dean mentioned : They don't have the thug life culture.
The Swiss are tough.
And they make GREAT cheese and Army knives!!!
Don't forget the yodeling :
And chocolate!
Maybe they aren't violent because they all have lots of chocolate!
Look at the demographics and see where the problem is.
I suppose that 38 word comment you posted left you totally exhausted, but it would be nice if you had posted some links to those demographics you refer to.
You ask much.
Due to the proliferation of guns among felons and others for whom gun lawa make no difference, and the rabid determination of gun advocates, there is only one solution at this point for the USA, and that is for every resident to arm themselves to the teeth for "protection". Instead of mace or pepper spray, use a gun - it's more effective. It might be wise to invest in the kevlar vest business,
I used to think that gun controls, effective background checks, etc. were a good thing, but I have come to realize that it is no longer any use to try to impose such safeguards in the USA.
" there is only one solution at this point for the USA, and that is for every resident to arm themselves to the teeth for "protection"."
Sure thing, Buzz. How about if you just concern yourself with the country you reside in, instead of fueling the fire in ours with outrageous recommendations.
I forgot to put the "/s" after my comment, but it's hard to believe that anyone would take it seriously. I'm concerned about the safety of my son, his wife and my 3 grandchildren who live in the USA, where happiness is a warm gun. Where I live, the civilians don't have guns - I have absolutley no fear of being shot here.
We reject communism here. Freedom has a cost we are happy to pay.
Chacun as son gout. I'm entirely apolitical here - I have to apply my mind to dodging all the new Mercedes, Jaguars, Porches and Cadillacs when I cross the road to get to the department store where the Gucci, Coach, Rolex, Swarovsky, Bally, Clinique and Yves St Laurent stores are.
Sad story an NRA hunters safety course could have possibly prevented this tragedy.
They weren't hunting, and I doubt that they would ever be hunting, or ever have an opportunity to be exposed to anything to do with the NRA.
However if the gun had a gun lock, fingerprint, or some other security device making it impossible for anyone but the rightful owner to discharge the gun, this story would never have happened.
And what were the 18 y.o. boys doing going through the man's private property? Looking for something to steal??
Great find Hal. As Dean points out, all the gun control laws in the nation still didn't stop a FELON from breaking the law and possessing a gun.
We've all seen plenty of sad articles about kids dying from gunshots, when the gun owner was not a felon. Doesn't matter if you're a cop, fireman, hair dresser, etc, at some point even the most honest and well-meaning people make mistakes - like leaving your loaded gun unattended.
Why would anyone play with a gun ?
the culture maybe ?
Elsewhere in gun paradise -
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A 19-year-old killed his mother and two neighbors before turning his gun on himself in a shooting that brought SWAT and various emergency vehicles to a rural area in Texas, authorities said Sunday.
Uvalde County Sheriff Charlie Mendeke said Dylan Westerburg gunned down his mother Friday afternoon in their home near Uvalde, about 85 miles west of San Antonio. He then went next door and killed two brothers, Arthur and Phinny Norton, Mendeke said.
Mendeke said investigators haven't determined a clear motive for the shootings. Westerburg lived with his mother in a small cabin about 20 yards from the Nortons' mobile home on the brothers' property.
He could have stabbed everyone to death. It's not out of the question.
Texas.
As Dean points out, all the gun control laws in the nation still didn't stop a FELON from breaking the law and possessing a gun.
Gun control laws don't work when they're not written properly or enforced. However, if better, more enforceable gun regulations, like comprehensive, thorough background checks and effective gun safety regulations were to be put in place, it would very likely help reduce the 30,000 gun deaths per year we're currently suffering in this country.
I know your position regarding new regulations and I respect them, I don't agree with them, but if you and other gun advocates want to oppose new gun control regulations, that's fine, you have a right to do that. New laws should not be passed without debate and discussion anyway, and this is an important issue so everyone's opinion is important.
However, there's a big difference between gun 'control' regulations and gun 'safety' regulations. If guys like you and Dean don't get on board and start advocating for better gun safety regulations you're going to find yourselves losing the battle with the extremist who want to abolish the 2nd amendment.
Help me out here guys, I don't want the 2nd Amendment touched any more than you do, I just want Americans to be safer by keeping guns getting out of the of hands people that should not have access to them.
Jerry. The issue is enforcement. Or rather a lack of enforcement. Let's review what the Vice President had to say:
Jim Baker, the NRA representative present at the meeting, recalled the vice president’s words during an interview with The Daily Caller: “And to your point, Mr. Baker, regarding the lack of prosecutions on lying on Form 4473s, we simply don’t have the time or manpower to prosecute everybody who lies on a form, that checks a wrong box, that answers a question inaccurately.” …
In 2010, prosecutors considered just 22 cases of information falsification, according to a 2012 report to the Department of Justice by the Regional Justice Information Service. Forty additional background-check cases ended up before prosecutors for reasons related to unlawful gun possession.
In all, prosecutors pursued just 44 of those 62 cases. More than 72,600 applications were denied on the basis of a background check. …
Gun prosecutions in 2011 were down 35 percent from the previous administration’s peak in 2004, according to Justice Department data compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.
Here's a meme that perfectly sums it up:
You will never ever get me to agree to additional gun control laws until you show me that full enforcement of ALL the existing laws are doing nothing to stem the gun violence. When a man walks on 55 counts of federal gun trafficking crimes, your arguments for additional laws a moot.