the family of a two year old boy shot and killed in his home have been left outraged after a local newspaper used his death for a political cartoon about gun culture kaden lum was gunned down in bremerton, washington, on march 28, in front of his mother by an unidentified suspect who is still on the run heather kelso, who was sharing a room with the youngster's mother, jalisa, was also killed while a neighbor visiting at the time was shot in the abdomen just two weeks on from the horrific incident, the kitsap sun printed the controversial illustration on their opinion page it depicts kaden as an angel next to a caricature of a devil dressed as uncle sam kaden lum was gunned down by an unidentified suspect at his home in bremerton, washington, on march 28  the controversial cartoon depicts kaden as an angel next to a caricature of a devil dressed as uncle sam  the wording above the cartoon of the boy reads: 'since kaden is an angel, then…' while 'america's gun culture' is written over the top of the devil the boy's grandfather believes the decision to print the cartoon, designed by veteran cartoonist milt priggee, was in 'bad taste' jason trammell, 51, told king 5 tv that he has probably cried more times in the last fortnight than he has in 40 years he said: 'it was in very bad taste it was disrespectful and it was not in line with honoring my grandson's memory the editor of the paper, dave nelson, defended the decision in an op ed 'the intent behind our commentary might be to provoke thought, but it shouldn't be to harm,' he wrote 'i don't believe milt [priggee] was intending to hurt a family, though i acknowledge the pain that's followed it's a tough one in the cartoon, kaden was portrayed as an angel the boy's heartbroken father james trammell (right) questioned what person had the 'audacity' to shoot a child and then run away  the boy's mother jalisa lum was also inside the home at the time of the shooting and desperatley tried to shield her son she was not hurt  'that portrayal isn't hurtful you see a precious angel that a family lost and who our community shouldn't forget, just like we shouldn't forget the vexing problems that lead to tragedy' he added that there had been a range of reactions to the illustration the most emotional however was from kaden's family who met nelson to express their disgust 'the strongest [reaction] was from a few family members of kaden, who monday and again tuesday spoke with me in person passionately, angrily and with despair over the loss of the little boy and their feelings toward the cartoon and the kitsap sun,' nelson wrote 'i understand their anger, and i'm sorry that something we published led to more sorrow in a difficult time 'would things have been different if the cartoon published a week later, after more time to heal? if the baby wasn't illustrated so accurately? 'was there another way to make the same point? that's what i've wrestled with, as i have with other editorial cartoons that i've declined to run over the years when one crossed a line police (pictured at the scene in the aftermath of the shooting) have not made any arrests in the case and do not have any suspects  'it happens more often than you'd think 'milt priggee speaks for himself through his cartoons, it's my job to decide whether to publish them it's my job to hear the complaints, occasionally the praise, and publish the opposing viewpoints as well 'it's everyone's job to keep having conversations that might be difficult and to pray and offer thoughts for a family and a community that's still hurting' kaden's mother, jalisa lum, was desperately trying to shield her son from the gunman when he was shot, it is reported she was not hurt in the gunfire and later told police that she did not know the attacker she told fox 13: 'there are no words to describe what has been taken away 'i grabbed the baby because i didn’t know where the gunshots were coming from, and i dove to the ground and held him' the boy's heartbroken father, james trammell, told fox 13: 'you spend all this time bringing your son up, watching him progress then all of sudden, somebody comes and just takes it all away' 'he [the suspect] took a baby from us, and took the mother of another child,' he added 'what person has the audacity to pull something like that and then run?' a friend of the family carisa gibson has set up a gofundme page to help the boy's parents cover the funeral costs it has raised nearly $7,000
the kitsap sun sunday uncle sam kaden lum bremerton washington kaden the two weeks kanden jason trammel dave nelson march 28
kaden lum was shot at his home in bremerton, washington on march 28  police have not made any arrests in the two weeks since the boy's death  controversial illustration was published in the kitsap sun on sunday  depicts kaden as an angel next to a devil dressed as uncle sam  kanden's grandfather jason trammel said the decision was 'disrespectful' editor of the paper dave nelson has defended the move in an op ed 