AS IT IS 2016-03-14 Boy, 4, Shoots Mom, Gun Activist

AS IT IS 2016-03-14 Boy, 4, Shoots Mom, Gun Activist¹

A Florida gun-rights supporter remained in the hospital Friday three days after she was shot by her 4-year-old son.

Jamie Gilt², 31, was shot in the back while driving her pickup³ truck on Tuesday, police said.

A Facebook page, listed under Gilt’s name, included this message one day before Tuesday’s shooting:

“If someone breaks into my house, or tries to harm me or my family pretty (much) anywhere, they will be shot and most likely killed. It’s my right to protect my life.”

The Facebook page also included this comment about teaching children how to shoot. “All of ours know how to shoot, too. Even my 4 year old gets jacked up to target shoot with the .22.”

A .22-caliber⁴ gun gets its name from the type of ammunition⁵ it uses. Police said Gilt was shot by her son with a .45-caliber gun. Police said the gun was obtained legally.

The pro-gun rights Facebook page has been taken down. VOA could not confirm that the Facebook page, listed under “Jamie Gilt for Gun Sense,” belonged to Tuesday’s shooting victim.

Other news organizations were reporting that it is Gilt’s site and that the comments on the site were hers.

The Putnam County (Florida) Sheriff’s Department released a statement on the shooting. It said the gun used in Tuesday’s shooting was taken by the 4-year-old without his mother’s knowledge.

The sheriff’s department said it is investigating how the mother stored the gun. Florida law makes it a crime to store a loaded weapon in such a way that it can be taken or used by a child, according to the sheriff’s department.

“Detectives have not been able to interview the victim and any decision on the filing of criminal charges will not come until after we speak with the victim,” the sheriff’s department said.

The victim’s 4-year-old son is being cared for by relatives, the sheriff’s department said.

On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that Gilt was in stable condition at a Florida hospital.

Words in This Story

jacked up – v. to be excited

obtain – v. to gain possession of something, usually by making a purchase or a gift

caliber – adj. a kind of bullet

interview – v. talking to someone in order to ask questions and get information

stable – adj. not getting worse or likely to get worse

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 gilt   

adj.镀金的；n.金边证券

参考例句：

• The plates have a gilt edge.这些盘子的边是镀金的。
• The rest of the money is invested in gilt.其余的钱投资于金边证券。

3 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

4 caliber   

n.能力；水准

参考例句：

• They ought to win with players of such high caliber.他们选手的能力这样高,应该获胜。
• We are always trying to improve the caliber of our schools.我们一直在想方设法提高我们学校的水平。

5 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。