5-year-old Michigan boy killed when he and 6-year-old find gun at grandparents' home, police say
A 5-year-old boy was killed when he and a 6-year-old boy found a gun at their grandparents' home in western Michigan, Michigan State Police said Wednesday.
The shooting occurred Monday in Newaygo County's Garfield Township, six weeks after a new Michigan law came into effect that requires owners to keep guns locked up when minors are present.
An initial investigation shows that the two children found the gun in their grandparents' bedroom. The 6-year-old had possession of the gun when it discharged and killed the 5-year-old.
Results of the ongoing investigation will be shared with the county prosecutor, police said.
Violation of Michigan's new gun storage law carries different consequences for an owner, depending on the details of each incident and whether someone is wounded or killed.
In February, a Flint man was the first person to be charged, after his 2-year-old daughter got access to a gun and wounded herself. The case is pending.
READ: A look at gun laws set to take effect in Michigan in 2024
Twenty-one states have laws permitting criminal charges against people who fail to keep a gun inaccessible to a minor, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.