'Gun locks would have saved our child'

LARGO — For Sean and Jeanne Caroline, life is all about preventing the next shooting.

They lecture about the dangers of guns at schools. They believe all guns should be locked up.

Their son Sean was accidentally killed by a friend who was playing with his father's gun in September 2003. He was 12, a seventh-grader at Largo Middle School.

The couple started a foundation and a Web site — www.seanneswish.com — to promote gun safety.

But unlike many in the polarized debate over gun violence, the Carolines don't consider themselves pro- or antigun.

Instead, they focus on what they consider a middle ground: teaching gun safety and locking guns up.

The Carolines stopped short of saying whether they support a handgun ban like the District of Columbia's, although Jeanne did say she thought it was good that "they're bringing up the Second Amendment and looking at it."

Jeanne spends most of her time working with the foundation; Sean, 46, is self-employed in the transport business, which allows him to schedule talks during the day.

Winning political changes, like a law mandating gun locks, is hard, Sean said, because lawmakers seem scared to take stands that could damage their careers.

"If I could have a politician feel the way I feel for one day, I don't think it would matter to them if their careers were ruined to make a change," he said.

For the first time, the Supreme Court appeared ready Tuesday to interpret the Second Amendment as protecting an individual's right to own a gun. But what restrictions for safety could the government place on that right? Justices and families around the bay area will likely wrestle with the question. Q&A on Times 2, 4A

Comments on this article

by Bob	Mar 25, 2008 5:59 PM
Hey Pops, Expect kids to do exactly the opposite of what they are taught. Isn't that what we did as youths? That being said, even if they do what there suppose to, just how many are you personally going to teach? That works for a handful, not

by Pops	Mar 20, 2008 1:53 PM
Truthfully, and I'm not a gun person, gun locks are not good. If you need your gun to protect yourself the criminal is not going to wait while you get the keys. Educate your children if you have guns. That should be the priority.

by JohnZ	Mar 20, 2008 12:49 PM
Gun advocate or opponent, law or no law, logic dictates that a competent adult is responsible for keeping guns out of a kid's reach. BTW, Gun locks/safes work very well. Gun education works very well, too.

by Mike	Mar 20, 2008 9:16 AM
While we are changing the consitution any other parts those who disagree with the 2nd amendment would like changed? Guns are needed to protect ourselves & property because it is not the job of the police! Personal responsibility peoplenot big bro

by Jack	Mar 20, 2008 8:33 AM
I just read through all the posts attached to this story. I really wish I had that 3 minutes back. Enough said.

by Pete	Mar 20, 2008 8:33 AM
All me shall be created equal did not refer to your and I, but to the rich white men who drafted the document in the first place.

by Roy	Mar 20, 2008 8:33 AM
The 'mystery' of guns to teens, who had no real experience with them is one of the problems. I have had exposure and experience with guns since I was 10 years old. I was taught that they are NOT toys. This type of experience help avoids a

by R	Mar 20, 2008 8:33 AM
Guns should be secured at all times. It is moronic to leave them out. What is more moronic is to assume that the 2nd amendment should be changed because of this. Citizens guns may not overthrow Fed govt but it will stop a tyrannical local govt.

by Teddy	Mar 19, 2008 8:14 PM
It is really amazing how everybody seems to know what happened to this little kid without researching just a bit. I went into their website and they do educate kids. Sure like to see how many here does that on their own dime and time..Hum??

by mike	Mar 19, 2008 5:28 PM
Everyday people get killed by Knives,Fire,& Cars, why don't we ban knives, Fire & cars? The answer is PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, not guns,knives & matches. Some people are so stupid.

by gunowner	Mar 19, 2008 5:28 PM
"Winning political changes, like a law mandating gun locks, is hard, Sean said, because lawmakers seem scared to take stands that could damage their careers." So, that's what it's come down to? The politicians aren't repres

by Johnny	Mar 19, 2008 5:27 PM
I enjoy guns and carry responsibly as required by law. When my son was very young, we laid a realistic looking toy gun amongst his toys and observed. He knew at a very young age to alert us, and leave the gun alone. Lock 'em up and teach safety.

by Scott	Mar 19, 2008 5:25 PM
Let us all use the logic of the gun control advocate, shall we? We shall immediately ban swimming pools, because they kill more children in Florida every year than guns do....Oh yea, let's ban Ted Kennedy's car, too.

by Deb	Mar 19, 2008 5:25 PM
We shouldnt have our RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS taken away because of some stupid, irresponsible parent. PERIOD.

by Carlos	Mar 19, 2008 5:24 PM
And just exactly how does one go about overthrowing the government with an arsenal of handguns???

by Hank	Mar 19, 2008 5:23 PM
I wonder if the Jews in Hitlers Germany would have agreed with a Second Amendment?

by Terry	Mar 19, 2008 5:20 PM
This side of the Atlantic we just don't understand your yardstick. The second amendment was surely to provide protection against the then colonial powers i.e. us lot. When will you ever learn. PS I know the TB area well< there at least once a

by art hur	Mar 19, 2008 5:09 PM
My sincere condolences on the tragic loss. You folks are in my prayers. But note, the "gun" did nothing. The parents should have trained their child in the proper use and safety of firearms. No excuse for a 12 yr old not to know gun saft

by Silence Dogood	Mar 19, 2008 5:04 PM
By blaming the firearm and lack of a lock they can sleep better at night. They abdicated their responsibility and put their child in danger. Why can't the blame themselves for their irresponsible behavior?

by kyle	Mar 19, 2008 5:03 PM
Those "Many Murders" by Guns are almost always caused by stolen guns. And Pro Gun people do have a problem with that. Those abortions arent. CHECK YOUR FACTS!

by Richard	Mar 19, 2008 4:58 PM
It is already illegal to leave a gun where it can be accessed by children. All children should be educated in gun safety, just like they should be taught to swim.

by Mike	Mar 19, 2008 4:50 PM
Everyday people get killed by Knives,Fire,& Cars, why don't we ban knives, Fire & cars? The answer is PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, not guns,knives & matches. Some people are so stupid.

by Gabrielle (Gabby)	Mar 19, 2008 4:48 PM
This story is so sad. I just went to the website posted in this article and the intro almost made me cry. I support what the Carolines are doing to prevent this from happening to another child in the U.S or anywhere for that matter. We'll miss u

by Danny	Mar 19, 2008 4:45 PM
"Our founding fathers put in the second ammendment so people could protect themselves from and remove an unjust government"If this is true, then why havent we shot bush to remove him from an unjust government?

by Thomas	Mar 19, 2008 4:43 PM
GUN LOCKS SHOULD BE MANDATORY PERIOD! Those who do not and cause the death of a child or anyone should be prosecuted to the fullest, let's start there. Bless this family and all the others.

by John Adams	Mar 19, 2008 4:39 PM
It is NOT a valid argument for gun control to say that the 2d amendment is outdated.If the right to bear arms is an outdated idea,then amend the constitution.Simply ignoring the amendment because it doesn't agree with your world view is NOT an o

by Jamie	Mar 19, 2008 3:38 PM
Why hasn't the 2nd amendment been changed? 3 words, money, money, money! Too many people stand to lose too much if guns were outlawed. The chance of protecting your home with a gun is unlikely. the chance of an gun accident is a lot more probabl

by mark	Mar 19, 2008 9:45 AM
anybody without a gun in this area is crazy. the crime in the bay area is outrageous. if someone invades my home they are getting shot, period. the 2nd amendment was put in place so people could overthrow a gov't if need be. we need guns to

by Katie	Mar 19, 2008 9:42 AM
I love you Jeanne!! I'm so glad to see this article in the paper today, you are really fighting a good fight. God bless you, hope to see you again soon.

by Mike	Mar 19, 2008 9:42 AM
This is what is so ironic....The pro-gun activists don't have any problem with the many murders that are CAUSED BY GUNS. Yet, they protest that a woman does not have a right to choose and completly freak out on the abortion issue. Guns kill

by Kathy	Mar 19, 2008 9:42 AM
Parents MUST take precautions to prevent their children from doing stupid things. Gun locks should be MANDATORY if there are children of ANY AGE in the home. We do have the right to bear arms but we also have the responsibility to protect our kids.

by Joe	Mar 19, 2008 9:15 AM
States rights people! ONLY those rights NOT in the constitution are given to states for juristiction. If guns kill people, pencils misspell words.

by Bill	Mar 19, 2008 9:15 AM
Don't blame guns for killing people, blame the PEOPLE that let kids have access to them! When a driver hits and kills a pedestrian, you don't blame the car, do you? I am a gun owner and aI am all for gun safety and prosecuting people who ar

by patrick henry	Mar 19, 2008 9:15 AM
it's sad, but 'give me liberty or give me death' isn't just empty rhetoric. our country is founded on that idea: liberty is more important than life. that's why our troops die and kill for our liberty. it's a harsh truth

by Cheryl	Mar 19, 2008 9:15 AM
I think Parents should be held legally responsible when children "accidently" kill others, because of negligence or carelessness with their parents loaded weapons. Personally, I feel safer with a dog than with a loaded weapon in the house.