Originally Posted by jillio

I agree. It is obvious to me that someone taught this child to load the gun, either directly or indirectly. As far as him seeing shooting someone as an answer to being angry....the child learned that somewhere, too. Children learn to react to anger by watching others react to anger. I know from working with children of domestic violence in a counseling situation that they believe beating another person up is a solution when they are angry because they have seen the adults in their lives behaving that way. They have to be taught that hitting is not a solution when you are angry. They also believe that it is acceptable for someone to hit them when the other person is angry because that is what they have seen. They also have to be taught that no one has the right to hit them. They have a right to be angry, but they don't have a right to be violent towards others.

What frightens me, and breaks my heart, is the fact that young children are living in environments that teaches them that violence is an answer. When you see a 4 year old child behaving in such a violent and extreme manner, one does not need to look far to find the reason.