Reporters covering a horrific gun death in the small town of Burkesville, Ky., were rejected by the town's residents, some of whom threatened reporters with violence and ended up carrying out those threats.
The New York Times' Trip Gabriel details his travels to the town, which has been rocked by the accidental death of a 2-year-old girl who was shot by her 5-year-old brother. The gun with which the 5-year-old, Kristian, shot his sister was a gift from his grandmother.
The circumstances of the death have sparked questions about a culture in which 5-year-olds are given guns as gifts — questions that the town rejected this past weekend.
In the wake of the elementary-school massacre in Newtown, Conn., last December, Gabriel writes that the town wanted no part of being a symbol in the national debate over guns.
Gabriel details one particular harrowing scene after the girl's funeral:
After the funeral service, two men advanced across North Main Street toward a single television crew present, from the German network RTL, and punched the cameraman, bloodying his face and knocking him down.
Two other men told a newspaper reporter, “If you had any sense, you’d get out of here. You’re next, buddy.”
Gabriel later confirmed on Twitter that the "newspaper reporter" referred to in the story was him:
Yup “@jestei: Toddler shot to death in a town that rejects being a symbol. I infer @tripgabriel told to beat it.nyti.ms/15jfXXB”
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) May 6, 2013
Read Gabriel's full story here >
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