[parentologist]

There's an article in today's Courant (moderator says I cannot provide link because Courant requires a subscription, but ten articles can be accessed without payment) about Ethan Song, who died in January of a gunshot wound while he and his friend were playing with the friend's father's loaded gun, in the home of the friend's father. Confusingly, it was announced that it had been determined that Ethan had fired the gun, had accidentally shot himself. But the friend, also a juvenile, is being charged with manslaughter. The father, who had stored three guns in a tupperware container in a closet, along with the ammo, gun locks, and the keys to the gun locks, all together in the same container, albeit concealed under clothing in that very same container, is not being charged. Apparently, CT law requires that for an adult to be held responsible for having been criminally negligent in how they stored their gun, the gun has to have been stored loaded, and the child who finds it has to be under 16. So even if you store the guns, ammo, gun locks, and the keys to the gun locks all together in the same unsecured tupperware container, where the kids are going to find it, you cannot be held responsible under CT law!

This is crazy. No matter how it was stored, if the kid, or anyone else, can get at the gun and the ammo and load and use the gun, it was stored irresponsibly, whether the gun was stored loaded or not. If the stuff was stored separately, but the kid had access to it, the adult is responsible. If it was stored behind a locked glass display cabinet, and the kid can break the glass and get at it, it was stored irresponsibly. If it was in a locked safe, but the kid can get the key from dad's coat pocket while dad is asleep, it was stored irresponsibly.

This law has to be changed. The only way under current law that the adult at fault could be held criminally responsible is if a child under 16 who found the gun tells the cops that he found it loaded, or if the child were deemed too young to have been able to figure out how to load the gun - and I bet you that a smart three year old who had seen it done once, could load a gun.

[turkeydance]

"This law has to be changed."
ok.
have at it.

[Tetto]

There are already enough laws on the books for this stuff. Focus on something else, like tolls that the Democrats want to ram down everyone’s throat.

[Siberiaboy]

State gun laws in a state that borders 3 other states and is just 50 miles long and 150 miles wide is quite pointless unfortunately. So you can drive across the state line

What we need is a northeastern states gun law and enforce the gun laws with random searches at Hudson River crossing or lake Champlain

[davwve]

Originally Posted by Siberiaboy

State gun laws in a state that borders 3 other states and is just 50 miles long and 150 miles wide is quite pointless unfortunately. So you can drive across the state line

What we need is a northeastern states gun law and enforce the gun laws with random searches at Hudson River crossing or lake Champlain

That has nothing to do with storage regulation and not sure what those two random locations would do besides isolate NY from the New England states.


Are you aware of CT, MA and NY firearm laws?

[beer belly]

It's just the Wife and I, so I would feel safe with it locked and loaded by the bedside. With kids, I would
have it all locked up in a digital safe, clip and firearm separate, and proper training in how to, and not to, use the firearm.....just my opinion.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Firearm education prevents kids from wanting to play with stuff they are forbidden from. The only fail safe gun storage costs a lot of money and most people have a gun in the house for protection and one in a safe is useless.

My first question would be why are your kid's friends going through your stuff in your closet? There could be knives, drugs, poisons all in a typical bedroom.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

My first question would be why are your kid's friends going through your stuff in your closet? There could be knives, drugs, poisons all in a typical bedroom.

Really? I'm sure it started with "My father has a gun in his closet" followed by "Cool. Let's look at it." That's a pretty common behavior from any 10-year-old. My father had an old WW II bomber survival kit handgun in a drawer. I certainly looked at it as a child. Like most kids, I didn't shoot myself and end up on the evening news.


If you live somewhere you think you need a loaded gun in your bedroom for protection, I question your choice of living arrangements.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Really? I'm sure it started with "My father has a gun in his closet" followed by "Cool. Let's look at it." That's a pretty common behavior from any 10-year-old. My father had an old WW II bomber survival kit handgun in a drawer. I certainly looked at it as a child. Like most kids, I didn't shoot myself and end up on the evening news.


If you live somewhere you think you need a loaded gun in your bedroom for protection, I question your choice of living arrangements.

Exactly. Kids are curious and will go through closets and draws when bored. Anyone possessing guns (or knives, drugs, poisons for that matter) needs to assume that they will be found at some point and must be sure they are stored securely. And if you can't afford to secure them, then you should not own them. That is a part of the cost of owning these. It is clearly the owner's responsibility. Jay

[beer belly]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

If you live somewhere you think you need a loaded gun in your bedroom for protection, I question your choice of living arrangements.

Criminals usually go for the more affluent areas, and you never know what nut job might come thru the door, and if you travel for work, or leave the Wife for extended periods, I want to know she has some options.