This summer, Dallas-area kids who dream of shooting deadly firearms on their birthday can beg their parents for an ammo-themed celebration, complete with actual guns. The Eagle Gun Range, currently under construction in Lewisville, will include two rooms built to host children’s birthday parties.
Owner David Prince said he aims to educate kids on the responsibilities of gun ownership by allowing children as young as eight years old the opportunity to practice their marksmanship skills alongside cake and confetti, WFAA reported.
“We truly believe it’s a right and a privilege to shoot and to bear arms,” said Prince. “But you have a responsibility to know how to do it well. It’s your responsibility to know how to take care of your gun and know how to use it.”
Although locals have reportedly welcomed Prince’s plans, not every parent is comfortable with their children handling guns.
“It makes me very nervous,” said Dawn McMullan, a mother of two.”To put it in a party or game atmosphere just seems to not respect a gun as much as we should respect guns.”
Prince promises that the parties will be well-supervised by parents and safety officers, and that an age threshold will be enforced.
“The age limit is eight years old. You have to be tall enough to get above the shooting table,” Prince said.
A few commenters on Yahoo! News expressed bafflement at the idea of a kid’s party at a gun range. “Tell me the people of Texas aren’t simply a bunch of nut cases,” one user, Scrumble, wrote.
However, many others lauded Prince and his solution for educating children about handling guns.
“That’s why I love Texas,” wrote another user, Coca-Cola. “Our two year daughter can tell the difference between her pink toy gun and mom’s pink real 9MM… It is a lifestyle and a matter of education.”
