After 2-Year-Old Girl Shoots Herself, Michigan Man Becomes First Person Charged Under State’s Gun Storage Law
FLINT, MI — A heartbreaking incident involving a toddler and an unsecured firearm has led to an unprecedented legal case in Michigan. A 2-year-old girl is recovering in stable condition after accidentally shooting herself with a loaded gun left within her reach — and a Flint man is now facing serious legal consequences as the first individual to be charged under Michigan’s new safe-storage firearm law.
The incident, which took place earlier this week, occurred inside a Flint home where the toddler, according to police, gained access to a semi-automatic pistol left on a couch. The child accidentally fired a shot into her own leg. Family members immediately called 911, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors successfully treated her injuries. Thankfully, officials say the toddler is expected to make a full recovery.
But what happened next is where this case became truly historic. Police arrested the girl’s 32-year-old relative — who they say owns the gun — and charged him under Michigan’s recently enacted firearm safe-storage statute. Passed just last year after public pressure surrounding firearm safety, the law requires that all guns in Michigan homes must be securely stored — locked and unloaded — when children could access them. Violating this law is a felony offense if a minor gains access to the firearm and is harmed as a result.
The Flint Police Department’s report indicates that officers who responded to the scene found the loaded pistol left in plain view, easily accessible to the toddler. Investigators determined that no gun lock or safe was being used. According to the prosecutor’s office, this clear disregard for safety protocols triggered the state’s new legal guidelines. Prosecutors moved quickly to hold the gun owner responsible — making him the first Michigander to face these new penalties.
A Historic Application of the Safe-Storage Law
Michigan’s safe-storage law officially went into effect this past February as part of a broad package of gun-reform bills. The law was drafted in the wake of several high-profile tragedies, most notably the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, where a teenager used his parents’ inadequately secured firearm. Legislators who championed the safe-storage law have argued that these measures will reduce accidental shootings and save children’s lives.
Prior to this law, Michigan had very few legal tools to hold gun owners accountable when minors obtained unsecured firearms. Prosecutors had