No Accidents With Gun Deaths, Only Negligence

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price will now charge James Vega with involuntary manslaughter instead of murder in the shooting death of Justin Purvis (DA seeks reduced charges in CV murder). Given the facts of the case she is correct the shooting was not murder. But she is wrong to say the shooting was an accident. When it comes to gun deaths there are no accidents. There is only negligence. The shooting may have been unintentional, but it was not an accident. If we are ever to address the tragedy of gun violence, we need to stop excusing “I didn’t know the gun was loaded” shooting deaths as accidents.

–Martin Wilmington, Hayward