02/09/2024
The Ishpeming Township Police Department received information regarding a recent press release from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services regarding a new law that will take effect on Feb. 13, 2024 requiring secure storage of fi****ms. The following is pertinent information from the article, which we felt was important to share with our community.
LANSING, Mich. – To help protect Michigan families – particularly children – from the tragedies of gun violence and unintentional fi****ms injuries, a law requiring secure storage of fi****ms goes into effect starting Tuesday, Feb. 13.
The new secure storage law, Public Act 17 of 2023, requires individuals to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.
“We want to make sure Michigan families are aware of the new law designed to prevent unintentional deaths involving guns and how to comply with the new requirements,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “Data shows fi****ms involved in unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents were often stored both loaded and unlocked, and children were most often fatally injured when the shooter was playing with or showing the firearm to others.”
If an individual fails to store a firearm as required and a minor obtains the firearm and any of the following occur, they are guilty of a crime under Public Act 16 of 2023, as follows:
• If the minor possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or possesses or exhibits the firearm in the presence of another person in a careless, reckless or threatening manner: a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 93 days or a fine of up to $500, or both.
• If the minor discharges the firearm and injures themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
• If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts serious impairment of a body function on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to $7,500, or both.
• If the minor discharges the firearm and inflicts death on themselves or another individual: a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
These penalties could be imposed in addition to charges for other criminal offenses arising from an incident.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two-thirds (67%) of unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents occurred when the shooter was playing with the firearm or showing the firearm to others. Overall, fi****ms used in unintentional injury deaths were often stored unlocked (76%) and most of these unlocked fi****ms were also loaded (91%). Unlocked fi****ms were most commonly accessed from a nightstand or other sleeping areas (30%).
In addition, fi****ms are involved in more than half of su***de deaths in Michigan. Secure storage can also serve as a su***de prevention strategy.
In 2020, fi****ms became the number one cause of death for children in the United States and Michigan, surpassing motor vehicle deaths and those caused by other injuries.
“Firearm violence is preventable, and a leading cause of death in our young people,” said Dr. Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “In Michigan, and across the United States, childhood deaths from fi****ms now exceed deaths from pediatric cancers and drownings. We have had major success over the past decades in reducing pediatric deaths from motor vehicle accidents, and we need to harness the same public health approach - including education and community outreach - to help keep Michigan children and families safe from firearm violence.”
For more information, visit the MDHHS Firearm Safety website.
Respectfully submitted,
Chief Christopher Croley
Ishpeming Township Police Department
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