Hundreds at vigil mourn Noblesville teen

[Jesus Malverde]

Two years after Aubrey Peters was hailed as a hero for helping save two children who fell through ice on Morse Reservoir, grieving teens gathered near that scene Monday night to remember the teenage girl who died this past weekend in what is believed to be an accidental shooting.

Hundreds gathered on the shoreline of Morse Beach Park in Noblesville at a candlelight vigil to remember Peters, 16, who died Sunday after a man shot her with a handgun he thought would be empty, court documents say.

Jacob Travis McDaniel, 20, Noblesville, was charged Monday afternoon with reckless homicide in the death of Peters.

Students from Noblesville and nearby high schools paid tribute to Peters, who was a junior at Noblesville High School, by releasing balloons beneath a tree so their tethers would tangle in branches and become suspended in the freezing air.

Joe Hodson, Peters' boyfriend, was surrounded by friends as he walked away from a row of candles along the water. He used his finger to write a message in the snow: "JH + AP forever."

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/12/09/noblesville-man-arrested-in-shooting-of-girl-16/3915037/

According to the affidavit, McDaniel was showing Peters and the two other men a shotgun and a handgun. Dajuan Williams, one of the men, told police that "McDaniel tried to get Aubrey to hold the gun, but she didn't want to."

At that point, Williams told police, McDaniel ejected the magazine from the gun, pointed the weapon at Peters, took the safety off and pulled the trigger.

McDaniel apparently thought the gun was empty, the affidavit said, but when he pulled the trigger, a round fired.

"Aubrey clutched her chest and said, 'What just happened?'"

[hollysmom]

1. wonderful A gun in the hands of another idiot who does not know about a bullet that stays in the gun

[NYC_SKP]

2. What a beautiful child, such a short life.

Now I wonder why her state was unable to enact stricter gun safety and gun ownership measures.

Mandatory training. Why do people oppose it?

[ManiacJoe]

3. Was there something about the article you wanted to discuss?

The OP left no comments.

The shooting was not accidental; it was negligent.

[Straw Man]

4. Discussion.

The shooting was not accidental; it was negligent.

Criminally negligent.

[jeepnstein]

6. Negligent? Really?

I have seen a few of those cases where the shooter insisted the gun was "empty" only to have the same person pop up again in a homicide or assault. The highly sanitized version of the shooting in the press probably doesn't give us all the facts of the case. But suspecting and proving it are two different things.

[Lizzie Poppet]

8. Sure looks like it, at least from what we DO know.

It sure sounds like that idiot dropped the magazine but failed to clear the chamber (and visually check to ensure the chamber was empty). But you're right: we've only seen a brief description of the incident, with little detail.

[ileus]

5. Never clear the chamber by pulling the trigger....

I highly recommend racking the slide and using your eyes, and poke your finger in the chamber to verify a safe condition.

Never rely on a chamber loaded indicator either.

Always remember never point a firearm at something you don't intend to destroy.


Safety first and carry on my friends.

[Dash87]

7. What an idiot. Who points a gun at someone and pulls the trigger?

Was he trying to be funny? Stupid people like this should never own guns.