by Sydney Wiser ‘23

As the legal case continues against the parents of the Oxford High School shooter, James and Jennifer Crumbley, even more disturbing evidence has come out about their inattention to his life and mental health needs. However, at the root of the issue is the fact that they bought their adolescent teen a gun and kept it in an unlocked drawer. The prosecutor was initially questioned for taking the rare action of charging the parents of a school shooter. It’s clear though that parents who are irresponsible with their firearms need to face consequences. 

The United States is a country where citizens have the right to own a firearm but with that right comes an immense responsibility, especially for parents. The Oxford High School shooting is an extreme case but any irresponsible mistakes a parent makes with a gun could have fatal consequences. According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 1,500 minors were killed in homicides and accidental shootings in 2021 alone. Many of these cases result from unsecured handguns being obtained by children and teens. Parents and other adults with children in their lives have the responsibility to not only know everything they can about the gun they own but also to keep it locked away in a place that is not easy to access. If something goes wrong with the gun they’ve purchased, they should face the consequences.