Washington, D.C., December 3, 2021 - Today, Brady applauds Oakland County prosecutor Karen D. McDonald for charging the parents of the Oxford High School shooter with four counts of involuntary manslaughter due to their negligent behavior that allowed their 15-year-old son to obtain and subsequently use a firearm to kill four students. This charge is appropriate given the facts stated in the case and is a clear sign to parents and prosecutors nationwide that the safe storage of firearms is life-saving and vitally important.Brady President Kris Brown shared:
“Given the facts shared by Prosecutor McDonald that the firearm used in this shooting was purchased by the father for his 15-year-old son and then kept, unlocked, in a bedside table, it is clear that these parents bear responsibility for creating conditions that allowed the tragic shooting at Oxford High School to occur. Everything about this case is heartbreaking, but the rule of law is clear. Safe storage is shown to prevent family fire, such as unintentional shootings in the home and suicide. Furthermore, improperly secured firearms in the home are shown to be the leading source of guns used in school shootings. A 2019 Secret Service review of school shootings found that 76 percent of firearms used in those events came from the home. Safe storage saves lives and it fulfills an adult’s legal requirement to keep firearms out of the hands of minors. Doing less puts such adults in legal jeopardy, as we have seen here. These charges are an indication of the prosecutor’s seriousness and should be a clear beacon to all parents across the country that they must make every effort to protect their children - and their communities - from family fire by safely storing their firearms.”
About the Shooting at Oxford High School in Oakland, Michigan:While details in this case are still emerging, Oakland Police have confirmed that on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, a 15-year-old student armed with a 9mm Sig Sauer SP 2022 pistol and three large capacity magazines fired as many as 30 shots in Oxford High School, killing four of his classmates and injuring six other students and one teacher. The shooter has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and one count of terrorism. Today, the Oakland County prosecutor also charged the parents of the shooter with four counts of involuntary manslaughter for their role in permitting their son access to the firearm used in the shooting.
Brady has one powerful mission — to unite all Americans against gun violence. We work across Congress, the courts, and our communities with over 90 grassroots chapters, bringing together young and old, red and blue, and every shade of color to find common ground in common sense. In the spirit of our namesakes Jim and Sarah Brady, we have fought for over 45 years to take action, not sides, and we will not stop until this epidemic ends. It’s in our hands.
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