Illinois handgun law:
“It is unlawful for any person to store or leave a firearm if the person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of 14 years who does not have a FOID is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor causes death or great bodily harm with the firearm, unless the firearm is:
1. Secured by a device or mechanism, other than the firearm safety, designed to render a firearm temporarily inoperable, or
2. Placed in a securely locked box or container, or
3. Placed in some other location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor.”
Billy’s father appears at fault.
I think I tend to agree with you, wolfcreek. ;-( He has got to be devastated.
| Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/24-9) states "(a) Except as provided in subsection (c), it is unlawful for any person to store or leave, within premises under his or her control, a firearm if the person knows or has reason to believe that a minor under the age of 14 years who does not have a Firearm Owners Identification Card is likely to gain access to the firearm without the lawful permission of the minor's parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, and the minor causes death or great bodily harm with the firearm, unless the firearm is: (1) secured by a device or mechanism, other than the firearm safety, designed to render a firearm temporarily inoperable; or (2) placed in a securely locked box or container; or (3) placed in some other location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure from a minor under the age of 14 years. (b) Sentence. A person who violates this Section is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $1,000. A second or subsequent violation of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. (c) Subsection (a) does not apply: (1) if the minor under 14 years of age gains access to a firearm and uses it in a lawful act of self-defense or defense of another; or (2) to any firearm obtained by a minor under the age of 14 because of an unlawful entry of the premises by the minor or another person." |
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-------------------------------------------------------- Beyond this, I just went through an owner's manual for the Beretta PT92FS and there are no less than a DOZEN places where it states that the operator should keep his/her finger off the trigger and to NEVER point the weapon at anything not intended to harm or destroy. While it is true that the manual doesn't specifically state that it will fire with the manual inserted, it does a good job of overstating safely operating the weapon in general...something which makes the issue of a magzine being inserted a moot point. This whole sad story is the result of two moronic teen aged boys who have been watching too many Hollywood movies about semi-auto handguns. As heartbroken as the family is, according to Illinois state law, the father should be arrested and charged under provisions of 720 ILCS 5/24-9 and then manslaughter, or negligible homicide. |