This tragedy could have been prevented. However, as a good law-abiding citizen, the father had locked the gun away in compliance with California law. Jessica knows how to use the gun and is a good shot. If she had been properly armed, she could have stopped him in his tracks. The new proposed Colorado law compounds these problems by making parents criminally liable for their children improperly using guns.
Laws frequently have unintended consequences.
Sometimes even the best intentioned ones can cost lives. This article, from the Independence Institute staff, fellows and research network, is offered for your use at no charge. Independence Feature Syndicate articles are published for educational purposes only, and the authors speak for themselves. Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily representing the views of the Independence Institute or as an attempt to influence any election or legislative action. Op-ed archive .