WASHINGTON (WLNS) — Following the school shooting that left four dead in Oxford, U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, is introducing a new bill that would change the way Americans store their guns.
“I’m introducing this bill because of the destructive role the parents of the killer had on the lives of four teenagers at Oxford High School, and thousands more in the community. At church services, vigils and funerals, and visits with parents, teachers, and law enforcement, everyone’s priority is to keep our kids safe –and it’s clear there’s a gap in law that makes it hard to hold parents accountable for aiding their child in committing a crime with a gun,” Slotkin said.
The Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act would, according to Slotkin:
- Require gun owners to safely secure their firearm when a child could access the firearm.
- Mandate up to five years of prison time if a child obtains the gun and injures themselves, others or uses the gun to commit a crime.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald revealed that Ethan Crumbley was present when James Crumbley had purchased the gun that was allegedly used in the Oxford shooting.
Jennifer Crumbley, Ethan’s mother, reportedly posted online about Ethan testing out his “new Christmas present” which was the gun that his father had bought.
Following initial reports of the shooting, James Crumbley called police and said that his gun was missing and that he believed that his son may be the shooter.
“I come from a gun-owning family, and I carried two firearms on my three tours in Iraq with the CIA. There are millions of responsible gun owners in Michigan, including my own dad. This bill will require gun owners to store or lock their firearms when children are present, and will hold them accountable when they fail to do so,” Slotkin said.
She added that this legislation would ensure that firearms are stored properly and not left to fall into the hands of those who could use them for violence.
Attorney General Dana Nessel recently voiced her support for the proposed legislation.
“This bill is an example of commonsense reform that reinforces responsible gun ownership and firearm safety. I fully support holding accountable anyone who fails to properly store a firearm that is then used by a child to hurt themselves or others. Recognizing that our kids should not have easy access to guns does not infringe on anyone’s right to bear arms – it properly acknowledges the responsibility that comes with that right,” Nessel said.
