Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecoming

[Circe]

"Steven Justin Ayers, 33, was celebrating his son's arrival with his family when a bullet fired into his Panama City home hit him in the head, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. The new dad, whose son was born on Father's Day, died at the scene. Ayers’ neighbor, who called the shooting an accident, is charged with manslaughter."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-dad-shot-death-newborn-homecoming-article-1.1834858

Aside from the myriad intentional mass-shootings & run of the mill murders, this would be an example of one of the reasons why I'm for gun control: because they're too dangerous to be permitted to be common enough for idiots like this guy to get hold of them. Yes, peanut gallery, I'm aware it was illegal for the shooter to have it, as an ex-con. However, given that we have almost as many guns as we do residents in America these days, and given that it appears to be easier to get a gun than it was for me to adopt my kitten (hey, I had a couple of home visits - did you?), Imma go out on a limb and say the problem isn't (exclusively) with the moron who picked the gun up by the trigger: the problem is with the system that made it easy for a guy this stupid to acquire a gun in the first place. That poor family.

 

[Circe]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

... cue commentary on how if the guy had only been able to shoot back things would be different in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....

 

[OreoRosies86]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

That is one of the most horrifying, tragic stories I have ever read. My heart breaks for that family. I don't know why we can't have an honest discussion about the deep flaws of gun ownership in this country. It isn't the 1700's anymore.

 

[stepcutnut]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Ha-poke the sleeping bear, que the drama for Circe! A tragedy yes!!!

 

[Circe]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Ha-poke the sleeping bear, que the drama for Circe! A tragedy yes!!!

Heh - I think I must be hormonal. Between this and all of the horrifying Times stories about post-partum depression and the worst case scenarios and the stories about toddlers left in cars and ... well, basically, the news, I've been feeling all the bad feels, running the gamut from rage to horror to sorrow. This SPECIES sometimes. This PLANET.

 

[monarch64]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

So sad.

I can see both sides of the issue (gun control or not), but man. I am so uncomfortable around certain neighbors of ours. I know SEVERAL who own guns and have small children. Guess where they keep their loaded guns? In nightstands, on top shelves of closets, in kitchen cabinets, etc. It's not a few bad apples. It's a common mentality around where I live (and I would imagine lots of other places)--that you can't respond quickly if your gun is unloaded and locked away.

Know what kind of invasions my neighborhood has seen since I've lived here for 3 years? A little rash of kids going through unlocked vehicles at night and taking cash/electronics. Not a single b & e/robbery/burglary (actual home invasion), whatever.

Ok, gotta go!

 

[momhappy]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

... cue commentary on how if the guy had only been able to shoot back things would be different in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....

No one could possibly predict how any one scenario could have played out any differently and if they did, it would all just be speculation and doesn't affect the actual outcome in any way.
There's really no need for any commentary at all because it's already been posted (again, and again, and again, and again…………) in any one of the other gun threads

 

[kenny]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Please vote for candidates who support gun control.

 

[redwood66]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

... cue commentary on how if the guy had only been able to shoot back things would be different in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....

There is no point in responding to this comment. We don't agree. Your horse is too high on this topic for a conversation and my position is known here. blah blah blah.

I still love your jewelry though.

 

[redwood66]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Please vote for candidates who support gun control.

We don't have those in my state - on either side.

 

[Indylady]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Oh my goodness. This is just too sad, right after Father's Day too. I can't even imagine what the family must be going through.

 

[ckrickett]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

This broke my heart when I read it!

 

[aljdewey]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

xx

 

[movie zombie]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Please vote for candidates who support gun control.

We don't have those in my state - on either side.

both sides in this state have taken anti 2-A stands.

and we do have gun control.

 

[aljdewey]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

"Steven Justin Ayers, 33, was celebrating his son's arrival with his family when a bullet fired into his Panama City home hit him in the head, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. The new dad, whose son was born on Father's Day, died at the scene. Ayers’ neighbor, who called the shooting an accident, is charged with manslaughter."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-dad-shot-death-newborn-homecoming-article-1.1834858

Aside from the myriad intentional mass-shootings & run of the mill murders, this would be an example of one of the reasons why I'm for gun control: because they're too dangerous to be permitted to be common enough for idiots like this guy to get hold of them. Yes, peanut gallery, I'm aware it was illegal for the shooter to have it, as an ex-con. However, given that we have almost as many guns as we do residents in America these days, and given that it appears to be easier to get a gun than it was for me to adopt my kitten (hey, I had a couple of home visits - did you?), Imma go out on a limb and say the problem isn't (exclusively) with the moron who picked the gun up by the trigger: the problem is with the system that made it easy for a guy this stupid to acquire a gun in the first place. That poor family.

I don't know how you can make this contention - the article doesn't say at all where or when he obtained the handgun. You're assuming "the system" allowed him to purchase it, which is even more wildly speculative considering that "the system" would have denied permission to purchase any gun after 2006 (felony conviction).

I'd like to better understand how you think gun *control* (as opposed to gun abolition) would have prevented something like this. It was already illegal for him to own any gun.

If the basis for your argument is that we should keep lethal instruments out of the hands of stupid people, then I'd argue that should be applied a WHOLE lot more broadly than firearms.

 

[crown1]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

 

[liaerfbv]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

 

[ksinger]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

Yeah, ditto that. The fact that the infamous McDonald's "hot coffee" case is STILL trotted out as some sort of proof of what is supposedly wrong with individuals' stunted sense of personal responsibility rather than an illustration of the moral degeneracy of those that are able to hide their negligence and inhumanity behind the corporate veil, is the true testament to both the power of the media to misreport, twist and uncritically go for a sensational sound byte, and for the public to eat up the simple explanation that dovetails with their already held concept of how rotten people are. Or at least people who they don't feel like are like them.

 

[momhappy]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

Not to mention the fact that the woman who was burned originally only sought $200,000 for current & future medical expenses related to the burns, but McDonald's offered her a mere $800 (which wouldn't have even made a dent in her medical bills). It was the jury who awarded her $200,000 (which was reduced to $160,000) and then another 2.7 million in punitive damages, which was equivalent to 1 or 2 days in McD's coffee revenue. The judge reduced it to $480,000 (which left her with about $680,000), but McDs appealed and she settled for a figure under $600,000.
Normally, I'd apologize for the thread-jack, but it's a welcome change from yet another gun debate…..

 

[redwood66]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

Yeah, ditto that. The fact that the infamous McDonald's "hot coffee" case is STILL trotted out as some sort of proof of what is supposedly wrong with individuals' stunted sense of personal responsibility rather than an illustration of the moral degeneracy of those that are able to hide their negligence and inhumanity behind the corporate veil, is the true testament to both the power of the media to misreport, twist and uncritically go for a sensational sound byte, and for the public to eat up the simple explanation that dovetails with their already held concept of how rotten people are. Or at least people who they don't feel like are like them.

Which is exactly how I feel about most media with an anti 2A agenda. Hell most media - because most of them are anti-2A.

 

[crown1]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

I was not referring to a specific case regarding the coffee. I did however read an article on the McDonald's incident after you mentioned it. The article I read stated she was found 20% at fault. I would not put a cup of hot liquid between my knees and attempt to open it to add condiments to it and not think I had done a foolish thing if it burned me. No one can say what they would do but I have had serious life threatening injuries caused by someone else and no law suit was involved. I could remove the coffee mention and my post would still reflect my feelings. If the time has not elapsed I will do so,

 

[aljdewey]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Tragic thing to happen. The gun control topic has been beat to death here. Shall we outlaw everything that can injure or kill? Cars, knives, poisons, drugs, water and anything else that can do the job. We are bombarded with news as no time in the past. We hear every bad and morbid thing that happens. It is difficult to remain happy due to the things that are in our face everyday. We can not live anymore because we are afraid we are not protected from everything. Coffee may be too hot, sue if we spill it on ourselves. We must insure our health, life, home, vehicles, jewels. We are taxed to death and accused of being the bad Americans repeatedly. Beating the gun control horse will not end violence or death. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. When the perps start getting some swift, hard punishment that will be the best control ever.

For context, you should watch the documentary Hot Coffee, which discusses tort reform. The issue with the hot coffee was that McDonald knew the coffee was being served at a dangerously hot temperature, multiple burns had been previously reported, and they knowingly turned a blind eye to the danger to their patrons. If you truly want an eye opening view of this case, google the (NSFW and slightly graphic) images of the horrific burns to this woman's pelvic area and tell me you wouldn't have sued the shit out of McDonald's.

And for even more context - residential water heaters are normally set between 120-140F. The coffee served to the woman who was severely burned was 180-190F, as per the McDonald's standards. She suffered third-degree burns, which do not heal without skin grafting, debridement, and whirlpool treatment. She spent two years in medical treatment.

 

[aljdewey]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Not to mention the fact that the woman who was burned originally only sought $200,000 for current & future medical expenses related to the burns, but McDonald's offered her a mere $800 (which wouldn't have even made a dent in her medical bills). It was the jury who awarded her $200,000 (which was reduced to $160,000) and then another 2.7 million in punitive damages, which was equivalent to 1 or 2 days in McD's coffee revenue. The judge reduced it to $480,000 (which left her with about $680,000), but McDs appealed and she settled for a figure under $600,000.
Normally, I'd apologize for the thread-jack, but it's a welcome change from yet another gun debate…..

Actually, she offered to settle for just $20,000.

 

[momhappy]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

Not to mention the fact that the woman who was burned originally only sought $200,000 for current & future medical expenses related to the burns, but McDonald's offered her a mere $800 (which wouldn't have even made a dent in her medical bills). It was the jury who awarded her $200,000 (which was reduced to $160,000) and then another 2.7 million in punitive damages, which was equivalent to 1 or 2 days in McD's coffee revenue. The judge reduced it to $480,000 (which left her with about $680,000), but McDs appealed and she settled for a figure under $600,000.
Normally, I'd apologize for the thread-jack, but it's a welcome change from yet another gun debate…..

Actually, she offered to settle for just $20,000.

You're right, I apologize - it was only $20,000 that she originally asked for and McD's came back with $800. I would have sued too for medical expenses. The jury found McDs 80% at fault and the woman who got burned, 20% at fault - sounds about right to me.

 

[ruby59]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

How could a person even drink coffee that hot without burning their lips or tongue?

 

[Circe]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

... cue commentary on how if the guy had only been able to shoot back things would be different in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....

There is no point in responding to this comment. We don't agree. Your horse is too high on this topic for a conversation and my position is known here. blah blah blah.

I still love your jewelry though.

I would say it's less that my horse is high and more that my spirits are low ... but I love your jewelry too!

P.S. - My attitude first and foremost is that we can all disagree on a variety of topics and still get along overall. If it wasn't, my marriage would be ... well, really quiet.

"Steven Justin Ayers, 33, was celebrating his son's arrival with his family when a bullet fired into his Panama City home hit him in the head, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. The new dad, whose son was born on Father's Day, died at the scene. Ayers’ neighbor, who called the shooting an accident, is charged with manslaughter."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/new-dad-shot-death-newborn-homecoming-article-1.1834858

Aside from the myriad intentional mass-shootings & run of the mill murders, this would be an example of one of the reasons why I'm for gun control: because they're too dangerous to be permitted to be common enough for idiots like this guy to get hold of them. Yes, peanut gallery, I'm aware it was illegal for the shooter to have it, as an ex-con. However, given that we have almost as many guns as we do residents in America these days, and given that it appears to be easier to get a gun than it was for me to adopt my kitten (hey, I had a couple of home visits - did you?), Imma go out on a limb and say the problem isn't (exclusively) with the moron who picked the gun up by the trigger: the problem is with the system that made it easy for a guy this stupid to acquire a gun in the first place. That poor family.

I don't know how you can make this contention - the article doesn't say at all where or when he obtained the handgun. You're assuming "the system" allowed him to purchase it, which is even more wildly speculative considering that "the system" would have denied permission to purchase any gun after 2006 (felony conviction).

I'd like to better understand how you think gun *control* (as opposed to gun abolition) would have prevented something like this. It was already illegal for him to own any gun.

If the basis for your argument is that we should keep lethal instruments out of the hands of stupid people, then I'd argue that should be applied a WHOLE lot more broadly than firearms.

Alj, look at it like this: the relative incidence of anti-tank weapon-related crime in America is relatively small. Because they're illegal for the general population. And kept under very tight wraps for the very few who do have them. It looks like in countries where guns of other sorts are treated the same way, gun-related fatalities are similarly uncommon. Guns aren't completely illegal in most of Europe, or Australia: they're just way less accessible. I'd be interested to see something like that in America.

 

[Laila619]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

This is just so awful and depressing. So sad for that family.

 

[justginger]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

There stories can easily go head-to-head with those of firearms self-defense. I just couldn't be bothered posting one of the 10 articles of children shooting each other in the last week (had a link all ready for C&P of an 11 year old who accidentally shot and killed his best friend 2 days ago, after 'finding' a loaded pistol in the house while Mom was mowing the yard, but deleted it and signed off instead). Your mood is more feisty, mine is resigned. No number of accidental deaths will matter to some people, and that makes me sad.

 

[momhappy]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

There stories can easily go head-to-head with those of firearms self-defense. I just couldn't be bothered posting one of the 10 articles of children shooting each other in the last week (had a link all ready for C&P of an 11 year old who accidentally shot and killed his best friend 2 days ago, after 'finding' a loaded pistol in the house while Mom was mowing the yard, but deleted it and signed off instead). Your mood is more feisty, mine is resigned. No number of accidental deaths will matter to some people, and that makes me sad.

The bolded statement is untrue IMO - I don't know of anyone (pro-gun or anti-gun) who isn't bothered by an accidental gun death. Of course we are. I'm also bothered by the number of automobile deaths, the number of drownings each summer, etc. - any number of ways that one can die accidentally (and for what it's worth, I think that the leading cause of accidental death in the home is actually falling, followed by poisoning, airway obstruction, drowning, and fire/burns - accidental gun-related deaths are on the list too, but the numbers are much lower compared to some of the others).

 

[redwood66]

Re: Dad shot dead in Florida home during newborn’s homecomin

People who do not like guns perceive them as evil. This is the reason they are so vehement in their advocacy of gun control.

I see no difference between a parent whose child dies by an gun accident in the home and one whose child dies by drowning in their pool. Many more children die from drowning in the family pool than accidentally shooting themselves or another child. Both require an element of irresponsibility on the part of the parent. But personal responsibility is out the window sad to say.