Thomas Grant Shoots Cousin Dressed As Skunk, Gets Probation

[cali]

A Pennsylvania man who shot his young cousin in the shoulder after confusing her for a skunk will get probation.

Thomas Grant, 24, pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of assault and reckless endangerment on Monday. He also admitted shooting his 9-year-old cousin at a Halloween party on Oct. 20, 2012.

Grant said he thought the girl, who was wearing a black costume with a white tail, was a skunk, WPXI-TV reported.

A judge ruled in February that prosecutors could not proceed with the most serious charge of aggravated assault, according to WTAE-TV.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/08/thomas-grant-gets-probation_n_3238313.html?ir=Weird+News&ref=topbar

[SidDithers]

1. That's fucked up...

Sid

[LonePirate]

2. Did he really think skunks are over three feet tall and weigh over 50 pounds?

I suppose the gun nutters are racing to his defense even though he clearly should never possess a fire arm ever again.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Maybe his mother told him

She's an accessory:

The woman hosting the party, Janet Grant, told police officers someone told her at around 8:30 p.m. there was a skunk nearby and she asked her son to shoot it, New Sewickley Township police Chief Ronald Leindecker said Monday, according to the Beaver County Times.

The son, 24-year-old Thomas Grant, grabbed a shotgun while his mother pointed the beam of a flashlight at a nearby hillside, Leindecker said. Grant spotted what he thought was a skunk under a tree and fired, the chief said, but then he heard a scream from his cousin.
...
The Grant house sits of the side of a small hill, and at least two other houses appear to be within 100 yards. That could be important because it is a violation of state hunting regulations to shoot a firearm within a 150-yard safety zone around another occupied residence.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/thomas-grant-skunk-shooting_n_2004860.html

Seems like the whole family shouldn't be allowed to have guns.

[Hoyt]

3. Guess gun purchasers need to get an eye exam too.

[Orrex]

5. Stories like this fill me with Pittsburgh Pride.

Pittsburgh hosts the annual Anthrocon, by the way. They'd better keep their eyes open in case Mr. Grant tries to bag another skunk.

[msanthrope]

6. That's my state! nt

[malthaussen]

7. After they've had a couple of kids and gotten married...

... they'll laugh at the incident.

-- Mal

[John1956PA]

8. We were at a New Sewickley Township community Halloween event when the tragedy occurred.

My fiancée and I were handing out candy at the annual New Sewickley Township Trick-or-Treat community event that evening. Shortly after 8:00 PM, just after the event concluded, the police officers on the grounds received a radio call that there had been a shooting in the township, and they rushed to respond. When my fiancée and I watched the news at home that evening, we were stunned to learn that the shooting victim was an eight-year-old girl - later said to be a nine-year-old girl - at a private Halloween party. Also, we were saddened to think that the child may have been one of the Trick-or-Treaters whom we saw at the community event.

I do not know the latest information on the victim’s progress in recovering from her injuries.

[bullwinkle428]

9. This fucker should be thanking his lucky stars he didn't kill her.