The Facts
The father of a 2-year-old girl who accidentally shot herself in the head with his gun last week has been charged under a recent state law requiring the safe storage of firearms.
Michael Tolbert, 44, was arraigned on Monday on nine felony charges, including first-degree child abuse and lying to a peace officer, becoming the first person to be charged with violating Michigan's Gun Secure Storage Law.
The Spin
Narrative A
It's incomprehensible that Michigan's new safe storage gun law was violated within a week of its implementation. An innocent girl was grievously injured as the result of her father's criminal negligence, which is why Tolbert should be held responsible to the full extent of the law. This legislation is an important step towards protecting children from the dangers of firearms and gun violence.
Narrative B
While it's common sense that firearms should be kept out of the unsupervised hands of vulnerable young children, it's a far stretch to suggest that a toddler gaining access to an improperly stored firearm is the same as a teenager using a loaded gun to commit a mass shooting. The liability for these two crimes should differ, as teenagers have a higher degree of maturity and agency. Placing the blame for the actions of disturbed children on their parents sets a troubling precedent, and this law should not be conflated with legislation laying blame for the decisions of young adults at their parents' doors.
