Opinion: When a child pulls the trigger, the adult must face the consequences

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Michael Eugene Johnson argues that accidental shootings involving children are preventable acts of adult negligence, and that stronger accountability and legal consequences are needed to ensure firearms are properly secured and children are protected. He contends that if a child injures themselves because an adult failed to secure a gun, it should be prosecuted as criminal negligence, and that illegal guns combined with a child's access is reckless endangerment.

Why it matters

Accidental shootings involving children are a tragic and preventable issue, with the responsibility lying with the adults who fail to properly secure firearms. Stronger legal consequences could help send a clear message that safeguarding children is mandatory, not optional.

The details

Johnson argues that when a child gets hold of a firearm inside a home, the child did not fail - the adult did. He says that adults make the decisions about how weapons are stored, and that a loaded firearm left unsecured is not responsible ownership, but a disaster waiting to happen. He calls for tough penalties, including felony charges, fines, and potential incarceration, for adults who fail to properly secure firearms around children.

• Accidental shootings involving children continue to occur across the country.

What they’re saying