On Monday, April 1, a five-year-old boy from Newaygo County’s Garfield Township, Michigan died after a six-year-old accidentally shot him with a gun they found while at their grandparents’ home.
The incident occurred when the two children stumbled upon a loaded firearm in a bedroom. The six-year-old was handling the gun when it accidentally discharged, striking the younger child.
The fatal mishap happened in the wake of new Michigan legislation aimed at enforcing the secure storage of firearms in households with minors to prevent such incidents.
At a press conference on Wednesday, April 3, Lieutenant Michelle Robinson of the Michigan State Police said that the ongoing investigation aims to uncover the specifics of the incident, including how the children gained access to the firearm. Once the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Newaygo County prosecutor for review.
The potential for legal consequences for the grandparents or guardians remains uncertain, pending the investigation’s findings.
The recent enactment of Michigan’s gun storage law directly addresses incidents of this nature, mandating that firearms be kept inaccessible to minors. The law specifies significant penalties for violations, which could range from negligence charges to more severe repercussions if a minor accesses an unsecured firearm, leading to injury or death. This legislation is part of a nationwide initiative to enhance firearm safety and mitigate accidental shootings involving children.
Details about whether the firearm was stored in accordance with the new law remain undisclosed.
In response to this incident, local law enforcement and gun safety advocates are underscoring the necessity of rigorous firearm storage practices. Efforts include the distribution of free gun locks to the community, aiming to heighten awareness and encourage safe storage solutions.
“The one thing that we do want to stress to parents is to get gun locks for your firearms, if you have them in your home, you never know when tragedy will strike.”
“And so we can’t reiterate that enough that there are police agencies throughout Michigan, that do have those gun locks available, just come in, they’re free of charge, grab one and put them on the firearms that you have in your home,” said Lt. Robinson.
In February, a man from Flint, Michigan faced charges following an incident where his toddler daughter gained access to a firearm and accidentally injured herself. The legal proceedings for this case are still ongoing.
The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence notes that there are 21 states with statutes allowing for the prosecution of individuals who do not secure firearms out of the reach of children.
