Mother Of Four Fatally Shot By Five-Year-Old Son Because Of An Irresponsible Gun Owner

CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA — A 5-year-old fatally shot his mother Friday morning after getting his hands on a loaded handgun, which police recovered from the scene. Four children ranging in age from 5-12 and the mother’s 40-year-old boyfriend were in the apartment at the time of the shooting.

The tragic and totally preventable incident occurred at The Colony Apartments near Peart Road and Florence Boulevard around 6:30 a.m.  The woman was found by police with a single gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to a local hospital where she later died from her injuries. She has been identified as 38-year-old Michele Cox.

A police spokesperson commented, “This is a stark reminder that owning and safeguarding a firearm is a serious responsibility and should be a priority in anyone’s home or business, especially if children are present.”

There is absolutely no reason or excuse why a child should have access to a loaded firearm of any kind. There are two kinds of gun owners – responsible and irresponsible. Responsible firearm ownership means having all firearms under your personal control or properly secured from unauthorized access. Irresponsible firearm ownership means there is a high probability that someone, perhaps even the owner or a family member, will be injured or killed by the mishandling of the firearm.

Don’t be an irresponsible gun owner, and don’t let anyone you know be an irresponsible gun owner. Knowing and practicing responsible firearm ownership rules is one of the most important things in life.