Fair 43.0°F Fair [Forecast] :: Saturday, November 21st, 2009
Vacation Info Wedding Info Kids/Parents NEW! Pets

EXTRA...

Searching the web for you every morning
Please visit these local CapeCodToday sponsors:
Cape Cod Framery
Custom picture framing outlet and art gallery. Wholesale prices for retail customers! Specializing in acid free materials. Over 200 mouldings in stock! Call for more info: 508-477-6100. Located off Route 130 at 10 Echo Road (Mashpee)
Centerville Yoga & Wellness Center
A nurturing healing place that offers yoga for kids, adults & seniors of all levels. Acupuncture, massage, body work, reflexology, infrared sauna, counseling services, angel readings, jewelry, gifts, organic skin care, workshops & lectures. (Barnstable)

Police chief, two others, club indicted for death of Christopher Bizilj

Grand jury doesn't indict father, who brought boy, 8, to gun show
Child, who loved Cape Cod, was buried Nov. 1 in Eastham cemetery

The longtime police chief of a small Western Massachusetts town was one of three people indicted today on involuntary manslaughter charges for the death of an 8-year-old boy who fatally shot himself with a machine gun at a weapons exposition in Westfield.

Christopher
Christopher, who loved his family visits to Cape Cod, was laid to rest Nov. 1 in a private ceremony at a cemetery in Eastham, where his family had a summer home. Read Cape Cod Today's coverage of the burial here.

Pelham Police Chief Edward B. Fleury owns COP Firearms & Training, which cosponsored the Machine Gun Shoot on Oct. 26 at the Westfield Sportsman's Club. Christopher Bizilj died while firing a 9mm Micro Uzi that recoiled and fatally shot him in the head.

The grand jury also indicted the club and two men who supplied the Uzi that killed the boy. The men were identified as Carl Guiffre of Hartford and Domenico Spano of New Milford, Conn.

Prosecutors did not seek an indictment against the boy's father,Dr. Charles Bizilj, who brought his son to the gun show and was standing with a camera 10 feet behind his son as he fired the weapon that afternoon. Bizilj, an emergency room physician from Ashford, Conn., "will be punished every day of the rest of his life," Hampden District Attorney William M. Bennett said this afternoon at a press conference, according to a story on the website of the Springfield Republican... Boston Globe,
_____

Police Chief, Gun Club Indicted After Boy's Death From Uzi

A veteran police chief of the Massachusetts town where an 8-year-old boy fatally shot himself while holding a machine gun at a weapons expo was indicted today along with three others on charges of involuntary manslaughter.

Pelham Police Chief Edward B. Fleury owns COP Firearms & Training, which was a cosponsor of the Oct. 26 Machine Gun Shoot on Oct. 26 at the Westfield Sportsman's Club, where Christopher Bizilj died while firing a 9mm Micro Uzi that recoiled, the Boston Globe reports.

Grand jurors also indicted the club and two Connecticut men who were reportedly responsible for handing the gun to the boy.

No charges were sought against the boy's father, Dr. Charles Bizilj, who was standing 10 feet away with a camera at the time of the incident.

Hampden District Attorney William M. Bennett is quoted saying that Dr. Bizilj "will be punished every day of the rest of his life."

In addition to manslaughter, Fleury and the club also face charges for allegedly furnishing a machine gun to a minor. Authorities say at least three other children fired automatic weapons at the event.

The Globe reports that Fleury is well known in Pelham for being a gun safety advocate, regularly visiting schools to teach the National Rifle Association's "Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program" to children... ABA Journal.

25 comments
Blog posts and comments are entirely the thoughts and ideas of the people who write them and in no way represent the views of CapeCodToday.com, eCape, Inc., or its employees or owners.

12/04/08 @ 6:42 pm
Jonathan [Member] writes:
I am glad to hear this.
12/04/08 @ 9:32 pm
somebunny [Visitor] writes:
Am I the only one that thinks the father should be liable for his own son as well?
12/04/08 @ 10:39 pm
Jonathan [Member] writes:
I agree, somebunny. He should be charged with involuntary manslaghter or at least reckless endangerment.
12/04/08 @ 11:03 pm
estherandson [Member] writes:
By now everyone must of read about an 8 year old in St. Johns, Arizona. The shooting of the boy's father and a companion of his father. It still isn't positive. More likely assuming that the boy did it Arizona is much disturbed by this horrible incident.
Here in the not too wild, wild, west, guns are a big thing. I like the mentioning that says minors should not have had use of a weapon.
I don't think a ruling here in Arizona exists.
I mentored 11 and 12 year old kids in our middle school. They all knew where their fathers, and Mother's live in boy friends,kept their guns. They thought it was cool ! For a minor to even given or have access to a loaded gun should be a crime against a father. In ST. John AZ. the boy kept an account of how many times he was beaten by the father. An abusive child will retaliate in some way or another.Expecting a minor to be capable of handling a killing tool, is outrages !
A father took his young son hunting. they got separated. The father found his son frozen to death. The father put a bullet in his head. This is a true story. It is so sad.
12/05/08 @ 12:02 am
Peter Kenney [Member] writes:
The dead boy's father is going to be allowed to retain his license to practice medicine after this incident? Why not?....we know he has great judgment about risk to human life!
12/05/08 @ 12:57 am
nonesuch [Member] writes:
Yes, I was wondering if/when something like this was gonna go down. I agree that the dad is culpable.
12/05/08 @ 8:12 am
capemom [Member] writes:
The kid's dad, the good doctor, had a good lawyer, that's obvious. If he had been a truck driver, he'd be facing charges. Don't you think the other guys facing charges have regrets about this case even though it wasn't their own kid? Of course they do, aside from the charges they are facing. The kid died partly due to them. Don't you think they feel guilt? If so, then why doesn't the Dad face charges, too? Either charge all of them or none of them.
12/05/08 @ 3:56 pm
wbtaxpayer [Member] writes:
If people like to go to the range and shoot guns there are risk that you take and some times guns back fire they should have know that risk.
12/05/08 @ 4:03 pm
capedoggie [Member] writes:
The good doctor may be punished every day for the rest of his life, but his eight year old son is in a very cold and forlorn spot here on the Cape. I drive by there everyday and like a dope, I stopped a few days ago to reflect on the recent events that caused me to be in that cemetery looking at a makeshift memorial to this young lad. It made me so angry to think that this little kid was here on the Cape in a cemetery,rather than at home in Connecticut getting ready for Christmas.
Whoever said "the policeman is your friend" didn't spend any time looking at that grave site.
Rest in peace my little man.
Dog
12/05/08 @ 7:57 pm
somebunny [Visitor] writes:
wow capedoggie. I'm afraid to ask but I'll hate myself if I don't...did you know this little boy and his family?
12/05/08 @ 9:02 pm
smahkcep [Visitor] writes:
This whole story makes me ill; and disgusted with the adults that should have known better... Sad.
12/05/08 @ 9:10 pm
somebunny [Visitor] writes:
I agree smahkcep. All the adults should have known better, including the dad. Doesn't matter who should have, could have, or didn't anymore; a little boy is gone. :(
12/05/08 @ 10:07 pm
bipr [Member] writes:
Dad may still have his medical license but I wouldn't be surprised if he completely unravels. I don't know how one could get up every morning and face the impact of this horrific event.
12/06/08 @ 12:46 am
smahkcep [Visitor] writes:
I can only hope the father has the strength to survive this horrible tragedy...

We can all throw darts after the fact but can only imagine if the shoe were on the other foot...

I could not imagine the pain in the heart.
12/07/08 @ 8:53 pm
spring peeper [Member] writes:
Shame on Cape Cod Today, the photo of Chief Fleury is actually a picture of John Goodman in the movie The Big Lebowski. Here is a link to prove it... So much for printing the truth - how can we ever believe your webnews ever again. Fair and balanced - nice dream you had......http://flickr.com/photos/43935390809@N01/43174520
12/07/08 @ 10:36 pm
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
LOL, spring peeper....shame on you for ever thinking this site was or is fair and balanced.

Its a left wing rag website.

Take it for what it's worth, a place for lonely people to post worthless drivel. Nothing more.
12/08/08 @ 10:32 am
Ned [Member] writes:
That would be, "It's a left wing rag website." Possessive apostrophe. 'Rag' refers to an ingredient of paper, which digital media have no need of. Thank you for your Worthless Drivel, O Lonely One. Perhaps your self-esteem is in need of a boost. That's why CapeCodToday is here!
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
LOL, spring peeper....shame on you for ever thinking this site was or is fair and balanced. Its a left wing rag website.Take it for what it's worth, a place for lonely people to post worthless drivel. Nothing more.
12/08/08 @ 11:54 am
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
Oh NED, why are you so offended....this wasn't directed at you, but for some reason you felt the need to attack me.
Personal attacks aren't condoned on this here website.

So without attacking back, i will retort.

Dear NED, IT'S is a contraction of it and is. It was purely an omission, not a lack of knowledge, as you imply. As you can see, I used the apostrophe correctly on the third line.

I will grant you the "rag" comment, as I was using the term loosely with regards to this website's (possesive apostrophe) journalistic content. I could see how you would think I thought this site was made of paper.

And yes, I am one of the lonely, and proud of it.....keep on posting.



12/08/08 @ 12:04 pm
Ned [Member] writes:
I'm not offended. I love correcting the grammar of sloppy thinkers. It's a merciful act, promoting mental hygiene. Ummm BTW, you spelled 'possessive' wrong.
12/08/08 @ 12:06 pm
alfie [Member] writes:
The NRA will Attorney the Chief up. The press is leaving out one major part of the story the Father is a Physician and Head of Emergency Medicine at a CT Hospital. I wonder how many gun shot wounds he has seen and/or treated. A Baby handling and shooting machine guns CRAZY with his Parents consent. May any one involved enjoy a long Prison term? Inmates will love having a Police Chief as a cell mate.
12/08/08 @ 7:30 pm
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
Merely a sloppy typer, thinking is very clear.

At any rate, keep up the good work monitoring the site for correct grammar.

We have taken up enough of this space for inane banter.
12/08/08 @ 10:35 pm
Ned [Member] writes:
A rather hubristic statement to make living on a peninsula with a dementia rate like ours. "Whom the Gods would destroy, they first make mad" -Euripides
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
Merely a sloppy typer, thinking is very clear.
12/09/08 @ 7:27 am
voiceofreason22 [Member] writes:
I don't know about dementia, but I do know cancer rates are higher.
12/09/08 @ 9:23 am
Ned [Member] writes:
Hmm sloppy typing is a known precursor of carcinoma.
12/09/08 @ 10:16 am
editor [Member] writes:
Commenters, please return to the topic of this posting, the death of Christopher Bizilj and the aftermath. Thank you. - Editor
Please visit these local CapeCodToday sponsors:
Stove Place II
Wide selection of gas and wood-burning stoves, fireplace inserts, mantles, accessories and BBQ grills. The owner, Larry Carbonneau, supervises the entire installation of stoves, chimneys, plumbing and electrical components to ensure your satisfaction. (Harwich)
Sparkle Edge Cleaning
Not your average cleaning company! We listen to each and every client to understand their expectations and provide services with complete satisfaction guaranteed. Cleaning homes and businesses since 2004. Free estimates and fully insured. (Dennis)
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR COMMENTORS & BLOGGERS: CapeCodToday now requires a one-time validation of your account email. When logging in or registering for the first time, you will be emailed a link to click that will validate your email and complete your login. The link in the email must be clicked in the same session when you are logged into the site for security purposes (i.e. retrieve the email right away and do not close your web browser).

This is a one-time-only process (or if you change the email on your account), and will help CCToday keep out the spammers. If you cannot validate your email because it is invalid, and you are a legitimate user, feel free to contact us and we will update your account to your current email.

Please Login or Register to leave a comment. There are 3,365 registered commenters!

CapeCodToday requires readers register an account with us in order to post comments. Become a trusted commenter and receive the benefits of posting instantly throughout the site. It's quick and easy!

Please note: If you are a CapeCodToday registered blogger, you can use your blogger login. Your login for the blogs is separate from your CapeCodToday main site login (if you have one).

Previous/Next posts in this blog

About This Blog

extra135capecodtoday searches the world-wide web every day to bring you stories about Cape Cod and the Islands found in thousands of off-Cape media sources. If you have a news tip, please email the editor here.  Your comments are welcome.
Walter Brooks, Editor & Publisher
Maggie Kulbokas, Editor

- site sponsors -


CCT Blog Tools

Login to comment or manage your blog:

Username: 

Password:     

Become a CapeCodToday Blogger!

Are you passionate about your community? Do you blog or at least harbor thoughts of doing so?

If so, CapeCodToday.com would like to host your blog on our CapeCodToday weblog publishing platform.

Blog Newsfeed

CapeCodToday uses standard web "newsfeeds" (RSS) to automatically update the latest blog entries in your browser or newsreader.

Use any of the links below in your newsreader or web browser to get "EXTRA..." postings delivered to you, or use the RSS icon in your browser's address bar.

RSS 2.0 Atom 0.3