Investigating the Madison School Shooting: How Did a Teen Get Access to a Gun?

The Latest on the Madison, Wisconsin School Shooting and Gun Laws Involving Minors

Investigators are currently examining how a 15-year-old shooter in Madison, Wisconsin, obtained the gun used in a recent school shooting, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.

Both federal and Wisconsin state laws prohibit individuals under the age of 18 from possessing firearms. Wisconsin law also makes it illegal for anyone to intentionally sell, lend, or give a dangerous weapon to a minor. However, there are certain exceptions that allow minors to possess firearms under specific circumstances. These include supervised target practice, use in the armed forces, or for hunting.

Additionally, Wisconsin enforces a child access prevention law, which criminalizes the reckless storage of a loaded firearm if it is within easy reach or accessible to children under 14 years old.

Recent Cases of Parental Accountability in Gun Access

The investigation into the Madison shooting comes on the heels of cases like the Oxford, Michigan, and Winder, Georgia shootings, where parents faced charges for recklessly giving their children access to firearms, despite concerns over their mental health.

In the Madison case, Chief Barnes stated that investigators are considering whether the parents might have been negligent in securing the firearm. However, he emphasized that at this time, no criminal wrongdoing has been established.

“The parents are fully cooperating with the investigation,” Chief Barnes said. “We have no reason to believe that they have committed a crime at this point.”

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