Missouri adults who leave their guns in reach of children who end up shooting someone would face stiffer prosecution under a bill introduced by a St. Louis-area state lawmaker.
Rep. Stacey Newman wants the law changed so that if a loaded gun is unsecured and readily available in the presence of a minor, the adult can be charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
Last year, Missouri led the nation for child gun tragedies, with five toddlers who shot themselves or others. Nationwide, there have been 13 children “accidentally” shot so far this year.
Conventional wisdom was always that the parents of children who kill themselves with guns have been punished enough and that making laws which punish them further are punitive.
However as we have seen the numerous deaths of young children by unsecured guns in the home has done nothing to reduce the number of gun deaths in this country.
So I am 100% behind laws like this which punish the adults who place the lives of their children in danger through carelessness and negligence.
Hopefully if this law, and others like it, are passed it will finally get through to people that the guns they buy to keep their families safe, more often than not do the exact opposite.
WTF? Seriously? This wasn't a law already?
ReplyDeleteConventional wisdom is now more like 'conservative wisdom'. If we actually prosecute people for this, then they would lose their right to own firearms, and as a nation, we would no longer be safe from armed invaders/muggers/rapists/gubmint. Think of the arms sellers (not the children, they can't buy guns)!
ReplyDeleteArchie Butt
Wouldn't a parent be held responsible if cocaine were left out where a toddler could get it? Why not a gun?
ReplyDeleteBecause 2nd amendment republican jesus says let the little children come to me. Literally.
DeleteRemember, republican jesus gave the second amendment to the founding fathers on a stone tablet just like it says in the biebull.
Yes! It is about time. Long overdue actually.
ReplyDeleteIn the news stories I see, if the family where a toddler gets hold of a gun is white, "It's just a tragic accident" is used. However, if the people involved are black, someone is always put in jail.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/officer-fatally-shot-on-her-first-day-on-the-street-in-prince-william-county/2016/02/28/d5a92000-de22-11e5-8d98-4b3d9215ade1_story.html
ReplyDeleteHE is "active-duty Army staff sergeant based at the Pentagon"
"Domestics" can be the most dangerous and unpredictable situations for police officers.
DeleteFINALLY! This should be the law of the land. If it saves one life, it's worth fighting for.
ReplyDeleteto protect children lives, strict gun laws need to be made
ReplyDeleteI wonder that till there wasn't such a law! Introduced the strict gun laws as soon as possible. Save the children lives.
ReplyDelete