RF aroused the ire of some Glock-lovers yesterday when he posted some hearsay about a blocky gun in a knapsack “going off” near some kids in a car. Given that the story was relayed by someone’s best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend who heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw the whole thing happen near thirty-one flavors, it’s probably reasonable to doubt that the story’s entirely accurate. This story, however, seems to have a little more substance behind it…

According to warrants for their arrests, Leah Louise Porter, 28, had a loaded Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun in a van she was driving with Shanla Jamie Sutherland, 28, and Sutherland’s two small children, ages 3 and 5. The 3-year-old reportedly grabbed the weapon and fired off a round into the van’s roof.

What, no Mossy mavens claiming this could never happen? Didn’t think so.

Complicating the situation – legally speaking – was Sutherland who was banging away on her keyboard when the scattergun created the moon roof.

After police arrived, Sutherland lied to officers about her name and birth date…. (She’s) accused of using her cell phone to send and receive text messages related to the sale of illegal narcotics. It is unknown why police investigated her phone.

This can be so hard sometimes. Ms. Porter appears to have been the owner of the shotgun and was schlepping it around a loaded, unsecured in her back seat. You have to wonder what (if anything) she was thinking, knowing the gun was there, when her friend Sutherland stowed her kiddies in the back seat.

But how can you overlook Sutherland’s exemplary meth-headed conduct? OK, so it wasn’t her gun. But she clearly saw nothing wrong with tossing her two offspring back there with a gun she couldn’t have failed to see. That Mossy had to be about as big as her 3-year-old.

So in the interest of technical correctness, Leah Louise Porter will take her place in the TTAG IGOTD shrine. But let’s give Sutherland a hearty round of honorable mention applause too, shall we? 

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17 COMMENTS

    • The position of the thumb safety is neither here nor there. This shotgun should never be transported with a shell in the chamber. Like most scatterguns, it has no internal firing pin lock.

      Also, I wouldn’t give you five cents that the child is the person who pulled the trigger, either. Not that it matters.

      I don’t see how this woman qualifies as IGOTD. She’s a meth dealer, FFS. She qualifies as a criminal. Gun safety is not this woman’s gun problem. This is like your Britney Spears item from one day earlier. Britney’s music video character commits an armed robbery of a convenience store, and what’s TTAG’s objection? That she’s not using a holster! Really? Here’s my gun safety protip: Don’t rob people at gunpoint.

  2. I tried to resist but… I’m weak.

    Most shotguns, and the Mossberg is no exception have a manual safety. According to Robert that’s all that’s needed to render a firearm safe to leave around kids.

    • Well, you implied it:


      If you’re talking about safety from unauthorized users, then yes, the 1911 is safer than the Glock. A bozo bad guy—which describes the majority of the species—who grabs your 1911 to use it against you in the heat of battle will most likely forget to turn off the safety. Very young or stupid children face a similar obstacle when messing about. With a Glock it’s less sturm und drang and more pull-and-bang. And?

      Meaning what? If your going to be irresponsible and let your kids have access to a loaded gun, make sure it has a manual safety?

      And iyour post titled “A 1911 on Safety and Unholstered Would Not Have Done This” http://thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/09/robert-farago/a-1911-on-safety-and-unholstered-would-not-have-done-this/

      Leaves one with the implication that if your going to leave a loaded gun around a kid… make sure it’s not a Glock.

      WC is very happy with you about now I’m sure.

      • I don’t think I made myself clear. So let me do that now: a gun should be in your hand, on your hip or in a safe of some sort. Period. I certainly didn’t mean to suggest that it’s OK to leave a gun unattended. Ever. I will go back and remove that line. As for the title of the post, I’ve already said that those weren’t my words. I put quote marks around them AND changed the intro text to highlight the fact.

        • I thought you were crystal clear – either in your hand, on your hip or locked up – always in your control. That is what I took from your post(s)/responses yesterday. Each safety “type” has its pros and cons Not sure why this is something to get hung up on.

          • Enough Adam. I’ve been writing about a gun in my possession, without fear or favor. There will be other guns and other articles. My editorial integrity is not for sale. Never has been. Never will be.

  4. bet everone’s hearing is a little messed up after that one (internal firing) expecialy the poor kids hope atleast the windows were down to cut down on the pressure blast

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