Instructor’s children send video to young Uzi shooter
KINGMAN, Ariz. — The children of an instructor who was killed at a northwestern Arizona shooting range last month appear in a video intended to reach out to the 9-year-old girl who accidentally shot their father.
Charles Vacca, 39, Lake Havasu City, was shot in the head Aug. 25 while teaching the girl how to shoot an Uzi.
Vacca suffered a fatal gunshot to the head when the machine gun, set in the fully automatic firing mode, recoiled as the girl aimed at a target at the Bullets and Burgers shooting range along U.S. Highway 93 in the community of White Hills, about 90 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
Marc Lamber, an attorney with the Phoenix law firm of Fennemore Craig, appears at the start of the 2½-minute video posted Friday. Lamber said Vacca’s children felt it important to address the New Jersey girl who has not been identified, and to speak about their father.
“Our dad wasn’t just an instructor,” said Elizabeth, 15. “He was funny, strong, a protector, a hero and our friend. He was a good man.”
Tylor, 14, said he and his siblings wish the best for the girl who accidentally shot their dad.
“You’re only 9 years old. We think about you. We are worried about you. We pray for you and we wish you peace,” Tylor said. “Our dad would want the same thing.”
Vacca’s oldest daughter, Ashley, 19, said she and her siblings are suffering along with the New Jersey girl.
“Like you, we are living through this tragic event that we cannot shut off,” Ashley said. “It’s with us all the time.”
“Some day we hope that we can meet you, hug you and tell you that it’s okay,” said Vacca’s youngest son, Christopher, 9.
Attorney James Goodnow appears at the end of the video.
“Charlie’s family understands that this incident has spawned a broader national discussion about gun safety and automatic weapons in the hands of children,” Goodnow said. “Although we feel this discourse is important and we intend to participate, Charlie’s loved ones don’t want it to overshadow the impact that this tragedy has had on everyone involved. On behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
Lamber said the law firm intends to work with authorities and investigators to determine how the tragedy occurred and how it could have been prevented.
“Ultimately it is our hope that through this process we will bring some semblance of closure to this family,” Lamber said.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s and attorney’s offices have said no citations or charges are expected in the case. The Arizona Department of Occupational Safety and Health is conducting an ongoing investigation.
The owner of the shooting range, Sam Scarmardo, has said that the allowed practices and restrictions at the range are under review.
