Tragic - extraordinary - preventable?

[Katrine]

In today's news is the tragic story of an elderly CH resident shooting dead another resident (apparently a relative) with a revolver. No, not in America, ...... in Essex. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35189664

It never occurred to me that newly arrived CH residents should have their belongings checked for weapons or hazardous substances. Even after admission, residents could go to the shops and come back with a bottle of bleach, or a kitchen knife.

I can foresee a whole new set of H&S forms to fill in, inspections to be undertaken, training to be given.
If it can happen once, however bizarre and unlikely, then it could happen again.

 

[Beate]

It gets even more topical when you read that this was in fact a husband visiting his dementia-stricken wife for Christmas. As to all the people in the article astounded about a gun smuggled into the care home, not sure why they are so surprised. As long as there are no airport style scanners at the entrance, this would be easy enough, provided you had a gun in the first place.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sted-woman-80s-shot-dead-care-home-Essex.html

 

[marionq]

So is this a "mercy killing"? Seems a very dramatic action for elderly people. How tragic.

 

[Grannie G]

Apparently he thought she`d suffered enough.

 

[starryuk]

It gets even more topical when you read that this was in fact a husband visiting his dementia-stricken wife for Christmas.

I think I read somewhere that he was actually staying in the home with her over Christmas. So tragic for everyone involved.

 

[Quilty]

It sounds like a man who could not face the thought of being parted from his wife again. So tragic that he was not able to live with his wife. What an ordeal fir everyone, especially the care home manager who got the gun off him.

 

[Spiro]

I think I read somewhere that he was actually staying in the home with her over Christmas. So tragic for everyone involved.

On ITV news last night, they said he'd been staying there for one week, and they also mentioned that his wife had dementia.

I wonder if he had a licence for the gun.