11 the new 18?

Whatever happened to human interest stories concerning the good tasks people have accomplished? Stories that make you smile when you read them? Stories that make you proud to live in a world so complex? Skimming through many different headlines of newspapers such as the Time, Washington Post, and even our own Kearney Hub, I came across stories that talked specifically about kidnapping, sexual assault, rise in crime rates, 9-year old bride-to-be, and last of all murder by an 11-year old. A recent article that didn't make me smile or be proud was that by Fox News. The article talked about the recent tragedy of a 26-year old pregnant woman who was the girlfriend of the 11-year olds father. Jordan Brown shot the woman with a 20 gauge shotgun perhaps because of jealous. The issue here is whether or not to charge the boy as a juvenile or an adult. In the article, his attorney claims, "he's confused. He looks and acts like a typical 11-year-old." This is no typical 11-year old boy! The gun the boy used was a Christmas present from his father who was training him to be a hunter. After he shot the woman, he jumped on the school bus and headed off to school. I think there is more than one issue here, whether to charge him as a child or adult and why the gun was so easy for this child to occupy. The child should be charged as an adult with 1st degree murder because he knew what he wanted to do, planned on doing it, and finally did it, period. Secondly, why was it so easy? He is 11, not 16. Has the boy had proper training to use this gun? Did anyone ever tell him the possible dangers of occupying a gun? Did his father even realize that he was only 11 years old? It seems that anymore the ages below 13 are the 18, legal. No the father should not be to blame, but there is no reason for an 11 year old to possess a 20 gauge shotgun.