LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Ingham County officers are working to struggle again towards gun violence and forestall unintentional shootings. The prosecutor introduced a brand new protected storage of firearms marketing campaign Monday morning.
“It’s very important because it’s personal,” mentioned Michael McKissic.
McKissic is well-known in the neighborhood for his gun violence prevention work with the Mikey 23 Basis, in honor of his son Mikey who was shot and killed in 2015.
“The gun that was used against my son could’ve been an illegal gun,” mentioned McKissic. “If that gun was put up safely, my son would be here today.”
That’s why he joined Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane, in addition to the Lansing mayor and police chief, to kick off a brand new marketing campaign specializing in Michigan’s protected storage regulation.
“Children are curious and failing to store your firearm safely could result in criminal charges,” mentioned Dewane.
In a brand new TV and radio public service announcement, Dewane reminds the neighborhood that every one unattended weapons have to be unloaded and locked with a locking gadget or saved in a locked field if a minor is more likely to be round.
The Public Service Bulletins
Secure Storage (Ingham County) Public Service Announcement
Ingham County Prosecutor – Secure Storage Radio Public Service Announcement
“Failure to comply may result in misdemeanor or felony charges including jail or possible prison time,” mentioned Dewane.
For McKissic, the significance of protected storage is 2 fold.
“I got shot as a kid with a legal gun,” mentioned McKissic. “It shook up my family…my mom and dad looking at their 15-year-old kid with a bullet in his hand, went through my hand and hit my leg…it kind of [made] our family really think about ‘we need to start putting these guns up and keeping them away from our kids’.”
Watch the total announcement
Officers say the best option to keep away from a state of affairs like that is by getting a gun lock. It’ll run you just some {dollars} and so they are available many alternative types. You possibly can choose them up at your native sporting items retailer and even locations like Walmart and Amazon.
“Sad situations where somebody leaves it and their child is injured by their firearm but they still have to be charged,” mentioned Michael Lynn with the Lansing Empowerment Community. “That’s a lesson to the world that it doesn’t matter who you are or what the circumstances are if you do not safely store your firearm.”
The prosecutor says with solely seven investigations for failure to soundly retailer weapons for the reason that regulation was enacted final 12 months, he’s contemplating it a win.
