WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Grieving Parents Push Tougher Gun Laws

Grieving Parents Push Tougher Gun Laws

Essex, Vermont - September 17, 2009

Parents desperate for answers about their son's death held a community forum in Essex, Thursday night. They want to know more about what happened in the hours before his suicide and they want tougher gun laws for the state.

15-year-old Aaron Xue shot himself at Essex High School on April 17, 2009. An investigation determined Aaron got the gun from a friend who took it from his parent's house.

"We were stunned and heartbroken when we learned we lost Aaron because guns were made available to him when he was at a vulnerable moment," said Ge Wu, Aaron's mother.

On the day of his death Aaron met up with two friends after school and spent several hours with them. In the evening he was caught trying to steal a bag of candy from a Hannaford's supermarket and an Essex Police Officer brought him back to his house. Shortly after officer left, so did Aaron. It was the last time his mother saw him.

After an overnight search Aaron's body was found near the library at his school.

Aaron's parents are still trying to piece together the final hours of their son's life. They want to know exactly when he got his hands on the gun and when he shot himself.

In addition to searching for answers his parents are taking action. They are calling on the state to pass tougher gun laws. They want Vermont to adopt a Child Access Prevention - or CAP - law, which would hold adults criminally responsible if a child gains access to a gun because it is not secure.

"Aaron would have been here today if he had no access to guns that day," Wu said at the forum. "If the guns were not in the hands of that boy that day and if the guns were secured at home by his parent."

Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia currently have CAP laws. Child experts say suicide education is a key component of preventing tragedies like Aaron's but that keeping them from accessing guns in a moment of crisis is also important.

"Even if someone attempts suicide by another means, such as cutting themselves or taking pills, they're much more likely to survive the attempt," pediatrician Eliot Nelson, told the parents gathered at EHS.

Family friends are rallying behind Aaron's parents. They are urging friends to contact state lawmakers.

"We can't bring Aaron back, but we can save the next child who gets his hands on a gun in a moment of crisis," said Anne Ireland.

In addition to the change in gun law Aaron's parents want better suicide prevention education for teens. They believe Aaron's friends knew he was in trouble but did not know how to tell anyone about it in time to save him.

Bianca Slota - WCAX News