Jim Leach began his law enforcement career in 1975, and he shares his insights as a multimedia analyst and consultant for Golden Media Group in matters relating to Criminal Justice.  He served as a Special Agent for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

According to reports, there were seven adults in the living room and two children in the bedroom when the gun went off. After a moment of what must have been total confusion dominated by stark terror, someone finally rushed into the bedroom to find the 4-year-old holding a pistol. The 2-year-old had been shot in the head.

Many years ago, I had to deal with a 12-year-old boy who had been playing with his father’s rifle when the gun accidentally fired. The shot killed the boy’s best friend. We investigated the incident very thoroughly, and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that it was an accidental shooting. The fact that it was an accident didn’t change the loss of a young life, not to mention the heartbreak and mental anguish.

The young man who fired the gun, as well as the victims and the shooter’s families, would never totally recover.

In Texas, a 25-year-old man was charged with the misdemeanor charge of “Making a Firearm Accessible to a Minor.” The grandfather of the child who was shot told local news that the gun was usually placed high enough so the children couldn’t reach it. That statement brings several questions to mind that you might apply to a personal situation you may be familiar with.

As United States citizens, our Constitution grants us the freedom to bear arms.

We must always remember that freedom and authority bring with them added responsibility. If a firearm is under your control, you are responsible for the consequences of a round fired from a fired round does not disappear; it lands somewhere.

In the Harris County tragedy, miraculously, the 2-year-old is alive. Please remember the child and both families involved in your prayers.