An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair.
The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman’s Club, police Lt. Lawrence Vallierpratte said.
Police said the boy, Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., was with a certified instructor and called the death a “self-inflicted accidental shooting.”
As the boy fired the Uzi, "the front end of the weapon went up with the backfire and he ended up receiving a round in his head," police Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The boy died at a hospital.
The boy's father and older brother were also there at the time, a gun club member and school official said. Francis Mitchell, a longtime member and trustee of the club, said he was told the boy's father was supporting his son from behind when the shooting happened.
Although the death appeared to be an accident, officials were investigating.
It is legal in Massachusetts for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The name of the instructor helping the boy was not released.
The event ran in conjunction with C.O.P Firearms and Training, said in an ad that people are allowed to fire weapons at vehicles, pumpkins and other targets at the event.
"It's all legal & fun — No permits or licenses required!!!!" reads the ad, posted on the club's Web site.
Messages left on answering machines for the club and the C.O.P. group were not returned Monday.

I am a gun owner, I have a permit to carry and I agree that this was an accident that should have never happened. An 8 year old has no business trying to shoot an Uzi. The father who allowed his son to shoot the weapon will pay a dear price for his actions. It brings to mind parents who allow young children on ATVs or people who keep wild animals as pets. Its freedom and when you have freedom people will make choices that others find ridiculous. That said I don't believe everyone should lose their freedoms because of the actions of a few. These stories are not as common as the media or the liberals would have you believe.

I am a gun owner, I have a permit to carry and I agree that this was an accident that should have never happened. An 8 year old has no business trying to shoot an Uzi. The father who allowed his son to shoot the weapon will pay a dear price for his actions. It brings to mind parents who allow young children on ATVs or people who keep wild animals as pets. Its freedom and when you have freedom people will make choices that others find ridiculous. That said I don't believe everyone should lose their freedoms because of the actions of a few. These stories are not as common as the media or the liberals would have you believe.

Pepper, I have to disagree, you know I respect you and your opinions but I do know how often gun accidents happen and it's bad. It's so taken for granted now that it hardly makes more than the local news if it happened in your area. One man was with his newborn child, his first child had just came home from the hospital. A neighbor accidentally shot and killed him. A man not far from me was at his birthday party and showed his new pistol to a friend who he accidentally shot, the last thing I knew was that he was on life support. Safety has to be taught, it has to be a mandatory course before owning a gun. Why were these guns even loaded, why weren't they in their safes? It's really sad.