LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – A 3-year-old boy died Wednesday evening when he was shot by the gun that his mother had recently purchased and was showing to friends. Jasmin Vargas, 24, of Las Vegas has been arrested and jailed on two felony child abuse charges, according to police Lt. Dave Valenta.
While the 9mm handgun was legally purchased by Vargas approximately a month earlier, she apparently had no training in the proper handling of the gun.
In a statement to local media, Valenta said, “She just did not understand the paramount responsibility of gun ownership and the dangers,” adding that she was handling the weapon in the parking lot of an apartment complex “in an inappropriate manner, inappropriate place, surrounded by adults but also other children, including her own.”
Vargas took her son to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. She has made an initial court appearance, with the judge setting her bail at $80,000 and setting another court date for Tuesday, December 22nd.
There are many adjectives that can be used to describe Vargas and her actions. Irresponsible and stupid are the first two that come to mind. Equally as bad is the fact that there were other adults present who apparently did nothing to try to prevent her reckless behavior from resulting in this tragedy.
If you’re going to own a gun, it is your responsibility to ensure that you understand responsible gun ownership, how your particular gun operates, and that you’ve engrained in your mind the 4 Rules of Firearm safety.
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