KATC Investigates is digging deeper into gun laws following three accidental shootings over the weekend involving children.
The shootings happened in Shreveport, Oakdale and Port Barre. In Oakdale, a four-year-old was killed. In Port Barre, a two-year-old was injured and a three-year-old was injured in Shreveport.
In the Shreveport case, the child’s mother was arrested. She’s facing an illegal use of a weapons charge. In the other two cases, including the fatal shooting, no charges have been filed so far.
Former District Attorney Chester Cedars said punishment all comes down to a matter of discretion.
"To my knowledge, there is no law that says you cannot possess a gun in the presence or when you have a child near your presence. However there is no law that says you have to lock the door leading to your pool either," Cedars said.
Cedars said even without a law in place, gun owners should never be careless with their firearms.
"Everyone has to understand that although you have a constitutional right to possess a firearm, you are not relieved of the obligation to do so in a safe and secure manner," Cedars said.
He said it all comes down to a case by case basis when investigating these type of issues. He adds every factor involved should dictate the outcome or punishment.
"The dictates of common sense will drive whether or not the conduct of the parent rises to the level of what we call criminal negligence," Cedars said.
Cedars believes no matter the circumstance, every case should be handed over to the district attorney.
"These are not easy cases, however, they are cases that leads to some serious consternation, serious analysis, and some serious decision making. While they aren’t easy cases to judge, they are none the less the type of cases that warrant close attention," Cedars said.
