Wisconsin Democrats Seek To Change Gun Law For Minors After Kyle Rittenhouse Trial
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Democratic state lawmakers in Wisconsin want to change the state's gun laws for minors following the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
In Wisconsin, minors are allowed to carry a long gun or rifle if the barrel length is 16 inches or more.
That led to an illegal gun possession charge against Kyle Rittenhouse being dropped during his trial over shooting three people last summer, killing two of them. Rittenhouse later was acquitted of all other charges, including intentional homicide and reckless endangerment.
Wisconsin State Sen. Melissa Agard, a Democrat from Madison, said she believes the state's gun laws have an unintended loophole allowing minors to carry long guns or rifles of a certain length, but generally prohibiting minors from possessing other dangerous weapons
"I think it was, frankly, an oversight; something folks didn't realize would or could happen. So I see this more as a technical fix," Agard said.
The bill would add clarifying language to ensure the law allowing minors to carry a long gun or rifle only when they are hunting.