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22 July 2020 – Columbia, South Carolina: another child has lost their life in another wholly avoidable gun death.
Three year-old Liam Myers was at the home of a family friend when he was shot; he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
Police are now saying that he shot himself, and they have impounded the car that took him to the hospital for examination.
For some bizarre reason a woman at the scene then took the lethal weapon and put it under a mattress after the shooting.
No one has been charged: It seems absolutely obvious that whoever owned this gun failed to keep out safely stored and away from children.
How exactly a little boy gets shot with a 45 Glock is the question we need answered, but whoever owned that gun was responsible for how it was used.
ACTION
We have two recommended actions:
- Write to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and demand charges are made against whomever allowed the child to gain access to the gun;
- We will share an article on social media about having that all-important conversation parents need to have with friends and relatives before their child visits: ‘Do you keep a gun in the house?’ If I had a child and had asked that question, and got the answer, ‘Oh sure, there’s a loaded Glock we keep where children can reach it easily’ – I’d never visit such a place with or without my children. Let’s make people less afraid to ask this crucial question.
1 Write to demand the owner is arrested and charged
Please contact Richland County Sheriff’s Department through one of the channels below and give them the following message, personalized to your liking:
I am dismayed that yet another child has lost their life due to negligence of a gun owner. I am shocked you have not made any charges yet over the death Liam Myer, and ask that whoever is responsible for him finding the gun and shooting himself be charged accordingly.
I am angry that South Carolina laws do not seem to require that guns in a home be locked away from children, but surely there is negligence here. This issue should be taken seriously. Charging those responsible will reinforce that message and maybe save another young person’s life.
Phone: 803-576-3000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichlandCountySheriffsDepartment/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RCSD
2. Share this article:
Here is a good article on how parents should bring up the subject of whether there is a gun in a house their child is going to visit. Please share it on your social media, explaining why it is important; mention Liam Myers if you wish. https://www.parents.com/kids/teens/violence/is-there-a-gun-in-the-house/
Once you have made contact and/or shared the article, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!