Brothers, 12 and 10, shot with dad's gun

**mominAZ** · July 28th, 2010, 09:51 PM

I am new to the forum, so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post the link or summarize the article; I am going to do both and hope someone educates me on what to do with future posts. :)

In Chino Hills, Ca, the bodies of two brothers, aged 10 and 12, were found shot to death in a ravine behind their mobile home. The gun was identified as the boys' father's gun. It appears to be either a double suicide or a murder suicide. The parents are cooperating with police, and it is unknown if the weapon was locked up or not.

My question is this: what was so horrible in these boys' lives that they felt they (or at least one of the boys) had to end it all? They are 10 and 12! They should be enjoying their summer and playing video games and doing all the things little boys their age do. What made them do this? I would love some more information on this story, if anybody has any. I want to know if their homelife is being investigated. I want to know how boys that age get their hands on a gun, and especially how they come to the point of suicide (or murder-suicide).

Here is a link to the article
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articl...y-gun-dad.html

**Valasca** · July 28th, 2010, 10:57 PM

Pretty darn good for your first post. Now read: http://www.dreamindemon.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=18295 But truly, really good post.

With the boys, things nowadays... it's so hard to tell why he/they decided to end it. Physical or sexual abuse? Bad grades? Broke mom's favorite plate? We can't tell unless a suicide note is found. And at that age, there probably is one.

**Silvahalo** · July 28th, 2010, 11:05 PM

This is so very tragic, I want to know what happened for certain too. I guess authorities will figure out soon enough forensic wise just who shot first but then why's will take longer.

Welcome mominAZ, great thread, done right!

**Jerri Blank** · July 28th, 2010, 11:09 PM

I think you did good mominAZ!

kids that age, who knows what they were thinking or even if they gave it much thought at all. When I was 11 my sister caught me pretending to shoot my self with a gun I found laying around at a relatives and she flipped out! all I really remember from that at the time was (my thought process) like "wow! I was kidding! why is everyone so upset!!"

Of coarse as a adult I see how totally asinine that was and I would have freakin flipped out too. So who knows, they could of been thinking anything like Amazon said.

**mominAZ** · July 28th, 2010, 11:11 PM

Thanks for your help. I went and read the rules, so my next post will be perfecto!!
One quick question--what does the adding reputation thingy do? I'm assuming I want more rep? :)

**Valasca** · July 28th, 2010, 11:21 PM

Yeah, you want more rep just to have it. LOL. it does absolutely nothing but show you who loves you and who doesn't. Teehee.

**runecire** · July 28th, 2010, 11:25 PM

I get the feeling it was more of an accident followed by a distraught suicide. The shooter, feeling lost and destroyed over the accidental death of his beloved brother, ended his own life instead of facing the consequences of his actions. This, of any possibilities, seems the noblest and easiest to swallow. It's the one I will stick with. There is already too much evil and meaness without adding more.

**mominAZ** · July 28th, 2010, 11:31 PM

It's the theory I'm hoping for too. I just find it distressing that a 10 or 12-year-old would willingly end their own lives. I will be following this one closely.

**Silvahalo** · July 29th, 2010, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by runecire

I get the feeling it was more of an accident followed by a distraught suicide. The shooter, feeling lost and destroyed over the accidental death of his beloved brother, ended his own life instead of facing the consequences of his actions. This, of any possibilities, seems the noblest and easiest to swallow. It's the one I will stick with. There is already too much evil and meaness without adding more.

God I hope you are right, I REALLY do. I agree too much meaness and evil going around. Something tragic but noble would be far easier to take.

**Sister Iroz** · July 29th, 2010, 09:59 PM

Bryan Gonzalez (12)

Christian Gonzalez (10)

Two brothers aged 12 and 10 are feared to have killed themselves in a suicide pact using their father's gun.

Investigators believe the boys sneaked away from their home to a ravine before taking it in turns to shoot themselves in the head.

[...]

With police ruling out foul play they are working on the theory that the boys entered some sort of pact to take their own lives. The only other theory is that of murder-suicide.

'Whether it was murder-suicide, or suicide pact, unfortunately we’ll never know for sure,' said San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Frank Bell Bell. 'It’s hard to believe, to wrap your head around.'

[...]

Police said the boys had been told off by their father the day before the shooting for not doing their chores.

But police spokesman Sgt Bell said it was nothing out of the ordinary and both boys had been well cared for.

'The kids were well taken care of, and the house was in order,' Bell said. 'In everything we've learned in speaking to the family we can't find any reason that would cause these boys to be despondent to this level.

[...]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...thers-gun.html

I would like to hope and think the way it happened is how runecire put it. I so feel for the parents. They were very cute boys and it's really hard to swallow they would have made a pact.

**Valasca** · July 29th, 2010, 10:52 PM

That's a terrible pic of the top boy and I'll tell you why. His shirt is a M.A.D.D. shirt, but it's cropped to say A.D.D. Otherwise, it's a great pic.

**malq** · July 30th, 2010, 12:03 AM

Omg this is terrible.
First of all, thank you Mominaz for making this thread. You did great and have more balls than most people on this site. Errr, that because us guys are kinda scarce.

This hits home. my kids are that age and I have guns. I have always taught them to respect them but now I am wondering if I was wrong for showing them how to use them at such a young age. Something had to have precipitated this. I wonder what would have done that.
Please keep in touch and by all means please keep doing what you did. I am going to give you a pass on the introduction thread. Actually I am just a poster like you, so enjoy the site.
Don't eat the beans they are gassy.

**Silvahalo** · July 30th, 2010, 12:58 AM

'Whether it was murder-suicide, or suicide pact, unfortunately we’ll never know for sure,' said San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Frank Bell Bell. 'It’s hard to believe, to wrap your head around.'

I much prefer Runecire's explanation. I find it hard to believe they'd want to die over a scolding by their father. Murder/suicide, possible but so terrible, suicide pact, utterly sad. Unless, there was more going on, this just doesn't sound right. It would be good to know more on the boys relationship with each other and with their father.

Rest in peace Christian and Bryan Gonzalez....gone too soon.

**Darsa** · July 30th, 2010, 05:39 AM

Wow, how very sad. And they don't look very happy in the pictures at all; I wonder if that's just because they're "posed" in the picture, or because they're truly unhappy...

Rest in Peace, boys. :(

**mominAZ** · July 30th, 2010, 11:18 AM

Thanks for posting the photos! They do indeed appear to be well taken care of. However, I have a gut feeling that perhaps there was a little more going on in the home than just a "scolding for not cleaning their room". There still is another question to be answered: was the gun locked up? Or out where the boys could easily have access to it? (Not that I am blaming the parents...I'm just curious how many steps were taken in order for all this to take place).

**carolinablue** · July 31st, 2012, 03:31 PM

Children, even very young ones, can and do suffer from clinical depression; maybe this was the reason. Kids aren't equipped to handle or understand depression; they don't know what it is or that it can be treated. Maybe these boys were depressed over some kid stuff and thought it was the end of the world. Or they could have thought that this was forever; they'd never feel any better or be happy, so they sought a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Depression in kids often goes undiagnosed because they're KIDS; parents just don't look for it, they put it down to growing pains or social problems. I'm not saying this is what happened with them, but it was my first thought. Depression in children is one of the least diagnosed mental illness and the consequences are horrible.

Depression is a brain disorder (mental illness) that affects the whole person-it affects the way one feels, thinks, and acts. Early-onset depression can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug use, and even suicide. However, it is highly treatable.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05...ren/13970.html
http://www.upliftprogram.com/depression_stats.html

Just putting in my two cents