A little girl was fighting for her life early Monday after she was shot outside a Halloween party by a relative who mistook her costume for a skunk.
Police in western Pennsylvania's New Sewickley Township said the 9-year-old girl was dressed in black with a black hat for the Saturday evening party.
As the two to three dozen guests milled about, the girl went to hide on the edge of a hill.
It was past 8 p.m. and the sun had long set. A relative spotted the dark figure in the distance, mistook it for a skunk and fired his shotgun, said Officer Greg Carney with the township police.
The girl was hit in the neck, back and arm - and flown to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, about 30 miles away. There, she remained in the intensive care unit, Carney said.
Police will determine later Monday whether they will charge the shooter, whom they did not name. Nor did they say how he was related to the girl.
They did add, however, that the man had not been drinking.
"Pennsylvania, the other Florida"!
"HONEY!!??!!...we're having a party with kids in costumes so go outside and see if there is anything to shoot at"...."thanks baby, you're a sweetie"
Even if it's a skunk. Why in the world would he shoot an animal? Was the skunk threatening in some way?
go cuddle one and find out. lol
That's pretty pathetic. Unless the girl was crawling on all fours, this "hunter" is an idiot. If she was too far to see, it was too far for the skunk to spray him.
"I thought it was a skunk in a little mermaid costume".
well, I hate to say it/... but everytime I hear of a Yahoo Gun Owner... that just ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY HAs to Fire His Gun in some stray direction to kill whatever it is they percieve to be the new target of their god-Given Gun, and it turns out they shoot yet another innocent member of their family... a small but distinct smile erupts on my face ... and now this guy can tumble sleepless nights for the next decade ... for ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY needing to fire his gun off in some Stray direction ... and so my smile creeps into existence ...
What kind of "white trash" pulls a shotgun out to kill a skunk?
A shotgun is not a bad choice. .22lr probably a better one though.
What kind of guy pulls out a shotgun at a kids Halloween party?
The kind that can't hit the broad side of a barn with a rifle. No point in using shotgun to hit a target that's not moving – zero challenge. Now while I'm all for gun rights, I do agree with another poster who said "do you have to shoot at everything because you can?" What's wrong with firing a warning shot to scare it or just making some noise? If you're far enough away it won't spray you, and if it gets close you can still always shoot it, BUT if it says "Hi Uncle Jack" you then know you just avoided doing something REALLY dumb ...
Tom,Tom the idiots son.
Complete idiots!
something stinks
The NRA-national redneck association–can say all they want but guns have no place in a civilized society.
That's your opinion. I am not an NRA member, but I believe guns do have a place in a civilized society.
A civilized society won't be civilized for very long if there are food/water supply problems for more than a week or 2. Don't believe me. Look to none other the NOLA within a day after Katrina. Lawlessness was rampant.
The shooter needs to be charged. Where are the pro gun safety peeps. They will usually say you need to determine your target before shooting. So he is in the wrong.
A child has been severely injured due to this man's lack of judgement (or stupidity!). This was not an accident!
Two three dozen guests (several possibly children) milling around and someone shoots at something unidentified in the dark.
I am sure this person probably feels just terrible about this!!!! Regardless, this person should be charged and held accountable for this herendous act of negligence. Hopefully this person will never find another moment of peace.
Skunks are vicious and are known to attack wolves and even bears. There have been many recorded incidences of rabid skunks even taking down a mountain lion. Skunks are not to be trifled with.
Seriously? From a distance so far he was unable to positively identify his target? Get real.
I've trifled with skunks many times, not one problem. Rabid skunks are a different issue. However, one should use a moment or two to ascertain whether one is actually looking at a skunk, and then another moment to learn if the skunk is rabid.
A shotgun will take down a rabid charging skunk – it is not needed to fend off scared little girls. The idiot acted without information, they make no mention of the girl having a white stripe – sounds like she had a witches costume – how do you mistake that for a skunk? This is very sad, and I hope the girl will be okay.
Question – how small is this girl and how big are the skunks in PA?
How big? Well, if the Sandusky trial is any indication, they're huge!
Better question. Can you read? Can you reason?
It was dark, the kid was wearing black and there were bushes. I stands to reason that a 65lb girl well camouflaged with clothing, bushes and lack of light could have been mistaken for a 9 lb animal. The shooter should have never fired his gun either.
So, In that part of Pennsylvania are they rednecks or hillbillies ??