WiiAuto Pistol Instrumental In Death Of 3 Year Old

The WiiAuto Pistol is a peripheral for the Wii similar to the WiiZapper that many of you may be familiar with. The difference is that while just about every Wii peripheral is easily distinguishable as such, the Pistol is shaped almost exactly like a real gun, has very similar textures to a real gun and is even the same colour as a real gun. Now this is fine for those players who want realism but it is not fine when it looks very much like the loaded weapon that you might just leave lying around your house.

On top is a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol and underneath it is the WiiAuto Pistol. As you can see, the two look very much alike and certainly would look identical to any 3 year old.

On Sunday 7 March, 3 year old, Cheyenne Alexis McKeehan was ambling about her house in Wilson County (Tennessee) when she came across what looked like the fun little Wii peripheral, the WiiAuotPistol. Unfortunately it turned out to be a loaded Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol. You see, as a result of the WiiAuto’s realistic look, Cheyenne was led to believe that all objects of that shape are toys. So, it was that little Cheyenne had her last playtime on Sunday when she mistook the semi-automatic pistol which her step-father had left on a low table somewhere. Strangely, her mother was just a few metres away when the incident happened but must have thought that the toddler was just playing with the WiiAuto until it was too late.

This case is full of strange things though because the official police report states that the 3 year old Cheyenne had learned how to use the gun by playing with the WiiAuto Pistol just a few days earlier. Now I’m in no position to judge but is it not just a little unethical to teach a toddler to shoot let alone allowing them to play a game where they have to shoot things. Then again, the gun was being used by the step-father to check for trespassers and this was in Tennessee. Rednecks. Also is it not just a little irresponsible to leave a loaded firearm within reach of a small child, especially when they know how to use one.

This seems to be a tragedy brought about by poor-parenting, stupidity and plain negligence. It pains me to see such a young child die due to such idiocy.