Crossbow death: Is it the crossbows fault?

[striper]

Wait until BHA gets hold of this. I think I have been around Woody too much lately!



Son Kills Elderly Mother With Crossbow

POSTED: 6:21 am EDT October 12, 2004
UPDATED: 10:30 am EDT October 12, 2004



PALM CITY, Fla. -- A man was charged with murder after fatally shooting his elderly mother with a crossbow, officials said.


GET WFTV NEWS HEADLINES BY EMAIL
9 a.m. Headlines
Noon Headlines
4 p.m. Headlines
News of the Strange
Breaking News Alerts



Bruce Charles Neal, 42, had been fighting with his mother, 79-year-old Jean Neal, over her will, officials said.

After taking a bike ride to cool down, he took a crossbow from the trunk of his car and shot a phonebook "so he could impress his mother with the power of the cross bow," according to a report by Martin County sheriff's officials. He said when she wasn't impressed, he shot her in the chest, the report said.
Bruce Neal told authorities his mother walked into the spam before falling. He pulled out the arrow before calling 911, telling a dispatcher "it wasn't an accident," and that he was bipolar, according to the Stuart News.

Officials found Jean Neal on the floor of the spam and a bloody arrow on the spam counter, according to a police report.

Bruce Neal was handcuffed at the house, but he "began to cry again and asked me if his mother was dead," wrote Detective Rebecca S. Bagley in a report.

Jean Neal was pronounced dead at Martin Memorial Medical Center.

Ruth and Gerry Mefferd, neighbors in an upscale cul-de-sac, said Jean Neal was a retired nurse who had moved to Florida eight years ago with her husband, who died in April. Bruce Neal, an unemployed handyman, worked for neighbors, the couple said.

"We all said we don't know what we'd do without him," said Ruth Mefferd, 89. "Nobody in the neighborhood understands."

At a court hearing Monday, Bruce Neal was ordered held without bail.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Guest]

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.

That killer needs a 2219 w/100 gr slick trick in the chest. Heck, I'd squeeze the trigger.

[DesertRat]

Good thing it didn't happen in Canada or they would have banned crossbows immediately. Wonder why they never banned knives, bathtubs or cars? They all cause way more deaths than guns etc... As long as these Liberal POS are in power, hunters will be targeted.

I do seem to recall Paul Martin saying (before the election) that the fiberals were going to revamp the gun legislation so honest hunters do not suffer. Anyone heard anything since the loser was elected or was this like most Liberal blah blah, an empty promise?

[Book]

She really should have been impressed with the power of the crossbow, unless it was some off brand... She might have seen a good crossbow shoot before? Book

[Woody Williams]

Striper -"Wait until BHA gets hold of this. I think I have been around Woody too much lately! '

Ah.. birds of fetaher and all that..

Someone posted this over on archerytalk and I got to post second. I said right up front "Let's don't make this a crossbow bashing thread". The fact of the matter he could have used ANY weapon to do the old lady in. A crossbow, a compound, a recurve, a gun, a Louisville Slugger. It wasn' the crossbow that killed her, but her ignorant son..

No one should beleiev that unless they are a bleeding heart liberal that believe guns make people criminals..

I see Dutch and the boys are still moaning and groaning down there. I dont know why they just don't shut up and go hunting.

The one guy even tried to blame the crossbow for a friend who got his finger caught in the wheel of a crossbow while he worked on it COCKED. Duh!!

[Gary in Ohio]

Is it the crossbows fault?

Of course it is! How can you ask such a question? You don't really blame the criminal for acts such as this do you?

Gun/Crossbow = Bad
Criminal = Good but misunderstood

But seriously folks, of course not.

As for the crossbow vs compound bow angle, there was a guy around here (SW Ohio) who murdered his girlfriend with a compound bow about 20 years ago. His story was a she agreed to do a William Tell and he missed. The cops and the jury didn't agree.

[cdngunner...]

Its amazing how many people have been killed by a Louiseville Slugger and yet they still are readily available to all, including minors!!!!!

[GaryL]

I hate too read stories such as this thread but it's a fact of life Anyone can be killed by a number of wepons in a fit of rage by some one...Base Ball bat, knife of any size, gun of any type, bow of any type, a rock, sling shot, bb/pellet gun, spear, the list go's on and on...However as stated it's a fact of LIFE