On Sunday evening in Howell, Michigan, a 2-year-old was able to get their hands on an unsecured firearm, pulled the trigger and later was pronounced dead at a hospital.
“Horrible tragedy. I’ve never seen anything like this,” said neighbor John McGlinchey. “From my front door, I could see after a while what I take to be a paramedic carrying a child from the garage to the ambulance.”
The father of the child is a corporal in the Dearborn Police Department.
Investigators have not said who the unsecured gun belongs to, and the Dearborn Police Department’s statement said, “This incident is a very serious personal family matter, and we respect the privacy of the Officer and his family during this difficult time.”
- In 2012, the corporal made headlines when he berated a passenger during a traffic stop, angry that he was not told of her HIV status so he could wear gloves.
- People with HIV are not required to inform police of their status, and the Dearborn Police officer paid the woman $40,000 in a legal dispute.
Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, which also responded to the incident, declined to provide information as well.
In April, Livingston County’s board of commissioners unanimously declared themselves a “Constitutional County” and rebuked Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new gun safety policies which were signed into law.
Whitmer signed legislation requiring the safe storage of firearms and corresponding ammunition around minors on Thursday, April 13, and will go into effect in early 2024.