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Gun instructor: 9-year-old girl wasn’t strong enough to control Uzi

Posted at 11:29 PM, Aug 27, 2014
and last updated 2014-08-27 23:29:29-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- Professional pistol shooter Todd Jarratt has spent the past 31 years racking up national and world shooting titles, training police and leading firearms trainings for governments around the globe.

In fact, each year he trains about 1500 students, many of whom are as young as eight years old.

"What kind of body strength do they have? What type of gun are we dealing with? I like to start with ones of sensitive caliber, with light recoil and not heavy recoil," Jarratt said.

He is deeply disturbed by the case of a nine-year-old girl who was training with an Uzi when she lost control and accidentally fatally wounded her instructor.

"It was strictly a recoil issue," Jarratt explained. "The little girl didn't have enough strength to control the gun."

Todd Jarratt

Todd Jarratt

RELATED: 9-year-old girl loses control of Uzi, kills gun instructor

It's a story that grabbed the attention of gun rights advocates and opponents alike.

"If her parents allowed her to train with a gun, that's their decision. I just don't see why anyone would need to shoot an Uzi if they're not in the military," Jason Harris added.

Jessica Bullard explained "Kids are going to want to see how guns work.

I don't have a problem with any kid at any age learning how to shoot as long as they learn the proper way. "

Jarratt, has trained thousands of children, including his own, and has produced a handful of national and world shooting champions.

He says this case is tragic and believes it'll certainly spark a conversation in the gun training industry.

"I think all of us instructors will get back and take a look at the way we're teaching," he said. "We can always have a teaching moment when something goes wrong here."