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"Would this tragedy have happened if the boys had not smoked marijuana? No."
In May of 2000, Sgt. Mike Crutcher responded to one of those dreaded calls that no officer ever wants to receive - a juvenile down due to a gunshot wound. After arriving at the crime scene and conducting the initial investigation, Crutcher discovered that two juvenile boys had been smoking marijuana and firing the victim's grandfather's .22 caliber rifle at squirrels.
The victim and the suspect returned to the ranch house after squirrel hunting and while walking back towards the entrance to the house, the suspect pointed the rifle at the victim and shot him in the back.
The bullet severed the victim's aorta and the boy died a few minutes later.
After questioning the suspect and searching the residence, Crutcher found a baggie of marijuana that the suspect had attempted to hide in the victim's bedroom.
"This boy admitted to me that he and the victim had been smoking marijuana approximately 20 minutes prior to the shooting," said Crutcher. Further investigations revealed that the young victim had a baggie of marijuana and a pipe in his pants pocket as well.
"Would this tragedy have happened if the boys had not smoked marijuana? No," continued Crutcher. "I believe the suspect's THC intoxication contributed to his lack of care and social inhibition concerning pointing a dangerous weapon, a .22 caliber rifle, at his best friend, and then pulling the trigger."
Marijuana is not a harmless, recreational drug. Many people, especially teens, think that marijuana will make them mellow. Not always. Sometimes, as in the unfortunate incident detailed in this story, it makes people violent. Kids who use marijuana weekly are four times more likely to engage in violent behavior than those who don't.
Crutcher has seen firsthand the harmful effects marijuana has on users and the unfortunate consequences many victims, who are often innocent bystanders, and their families suffer. "There is absolutely no reason why we should condone, legalize, and promote the use of a substance that has been proven time and again to be detrimental."
Marijuana trafficking is a big, often violent business, and it does hit close to home. Parents can help kids by countering the myths about marijuana with real examples of how harmful this drug really is and how much it can jeopardize their futures.
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