Father's a Cornell and UPenn Grad and first fired the Uzi

[Orrex]

38. It was my understanding that the dead guy had been trained and certified

But you're right--this needs to be determined for certain. I suspect that the site probably maintains clear safety rules, and if the employee violated these rules than I doubt the employer bears responsibility.

Whether explicit or implicit showing the family a good time is part of the duties of the range employee. Can he deny a request from the family to fire the weapon? Is it standard operating procedure for children to fire such a weapon.

It's unlikely that the site's safety rules cover every possible contingency. Do you suppose they have a specific rule about not shooting apples off of each others' heads? We're not talking about a guy slipping on a wet floor because wasn't trained in the use of a mop. At some point the responsibility must rest with the person on the range floor who puts the gun in the child's hand.