One of the most important parts of upholding gun rights is being very clear on gun safety and gun storage. One of the worst things about gun violence and gun tragedy occurs because gun owners act in negligent and ignorant ways.
The latest example of this comes out of the suburban Chicago community of Dolton, where 23-year-old Romell Watson just had the worst day of his life that he will never recover from.
What Happened?
A man was out with his wife and three-year-old kid shopping for food in Dolton when the unthinkable happened.
It was early evening on Saturday; they were in the parking lot when the kid managed to grab his dad’s loaded gun and started playing around with it, not understanding it was dangerous.
He then unintentionally fired the weapon, killing his own mom in the front seat, 23-year-old Daejah Bennett. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the deep bullet wound in her neck took Bennett’s life.
Police say the father Romell Watson will be charged for what his child did. They said at the time of the shooting, they don’t believe he was even aware that his kid had the gun or was aiming it.
What an absolute nightmare!
A young mother in Dolton, Illinois, was shot and killed by her toddler, who got ahold of a gun found on the back seat of her car, on a grocery store parking lot.
— Denise W G (@Yur_BEST_friend) March 14, 2022
More Details Emerge…
The dad did have a license for his weapon and was a legal gun owner, but he did not have a concealed carry permit. This is necessary in the state of Illinois to carry a weapon in one’s vehicle.
This alone is a crime. Watson has also been taken into police custody and will be charged with not having the right to have the weapon in the car and possibly with improper storage.
Every time something like this happens, it is just horrific to think about. A young man has now lost his wife; a kid too young to understand the consequences of his actions has lost his mom forever.
This should never be happening; it is also a huge blow to gun rights, as it makes gun owners look negligent and heartless.
The truth is guns should always be properly secured. They should never be loaded in public or in the residence with a kid having access to weapons.
JUST IN: A three-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his mother Saturday in south suburban Dolton https://t.co/rWW5F58Z6t
— WGN TV News (@WGNNews) March 13, 2022
The Bottom Line
This story out of Dolton is a nightmare that none of us want to ever have happen. Part of encouraging a culture of healthy gun ownership is being very clear on the proper safe storage and carrying of weapons.
This includes keeping them out of the hands of minors and those who can’t understand the danger and purpose of firearms. This story is absolutely tragic and should never have happened.
We will keep you posted as more details emerge on how exactly this occurred and the punishment handed out to the father.
