Gunman Responsible

Recently, a senseless act of violence in Thousand Oaks by a 17-year-old young man led to the death of an innocent girl whose only mistake was to be an acquaintance. Any person of responsible age should have the right to keep and bear arms as they see fit, and not answer to anyone on that account alone.

Any person who pulls out a weapon and murders an innocent party in the name of fun and games or stupidity is fully responsible for his or her actions.

According to a newspaper account, the admitted act of this young adult occurred after the weapon had been in his possession for a week, and he had pointed the loaded gun at several other people before it discharged--taking the life of an innocent girl. The article went on to say his lawyer would use the defense that gun laws need to be strengthened to prevent this kind of accident.

Any judge who would allow an act like this to be viewed as one of reckless youth and attorneys who would use a defense of not enough laws as an excuse for a stupid, irresponsible act of violence are themselves largely responsible for the degradation of morality, rampant crime and lack of common decency our nation is experiencing.

Capital crimes deserve capital punishment. Incidents of homicide by any person of responsible age by knowingly playing with a loaded gun must never be viewed as just a youthful mistake.

JIM NICHOLS, Thousand Oaks