Newaygo, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A five-year-old boy has been killed when another six-year-old boy accidentally shot him with an unsecured firearm earlier this week.
Michigan State Police said that the children were in their grandparents’ home in Newaygo County’s Garfield Township when the boys found the firearm on Monday, according to a report.
The owner of the unsecured firearm could face charges under Michigan’s new safe storage law which went into effect in February.
If charged under the new law, the owner could face up to 15 years in prison as a result of not securing the firearm.
While MSP is investigating, MSP Lt. Michelle Robinson said there was no threat to the public.
“Keep this family in your thoughts this evening,” Robinson said. “Any time you have any type of situation like this where a child’s life has been lost, it’s an incredible tragedy for the community … hold your children tight tonight, give them an extra hug because there is one family that is grieving right now and we need to respect their privacy right at the moment.”
This tragic death comes after another child under the age of five accidentally shot herself when accessing an unsecured firearm; the shooting led to the first time an individual was charged after the passage of the safe storage law.
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