I think people should lock up their guns when not in use. I won’t pretend otherwise and most responsible gun owners already do this and tell other people to do it as well. If you’re going to have guns, securing them is the least you can do, especially if you have kids running around the house.

Despite this, I despise mandatory storage laws. They routinely tell people what to do with their property and don’t account for any variations in circumstances.

Recently, a man was sentenced under Michigan’s new mandatory storage law because of the death of his grandson.

A Michigan man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison in the accidental death of his 5-year-old grandson, who was shot by his young cousin with a gun that had been loaded and left unlocked by the 62-year-old.

The incident occurred on April 1, when Braxton Dykstra was fatally shot by his 6-year-old cousin, who had gained access to the firearm at the home of Karl Robart in Newaygo County.

The shooting was witnessed by Braxton’s 8-year-old sister.

The case marks a significant enforcement of Michigan’s new gun storage law, which mandates that firearms must be secured when children are present.

In August, Robart, entered a no contest plea to charges stemming from the violation of the newly enacted law, one of the first notable convictions since it took effect in February.

Judge Robert Springstead emphasized the preventable nature of the tragedy during the sentencing, saying: “This tragedy was 100 percent avoidable. All you had to do was listen to the people in your life who had been telling you to put these loaded guns away.”

I’m not about to defend Robart.

He shattered the lives of people he most likely claims to love, all because of carelessness. I cannot and will not defend that.

But I also have to wonder how many lives are going to ultimately be shattered because of the law.

See, not all kids are the same, especially considering how broadly we apply the term “kids.” A 17-year-old with a high level of maturity isn’t remotely the same thing as a six-year-old kid finding a gun lying around.

We’ve seen a number of examples over the years of young people getting access to guns and saving either themselves or someone else from a violent attack.

This law effectively criminalizes that. It makes it so parents are actually prohibited from looking at their children, understanding the situation, and making the correct determination for their family.

As for Robart, I have to believe that there’s nothing a court can do to punish him that’s worse than the punishment how he’s punishing himself. If that’s not happening inside of him, then three years in prison won’t really do much, either.

But his case is going to make headlines. That case sells the narrative that the media wants to sell, that these laws will punish irresponsible adults.

Somehow, I’m sure that those kids who could be trusted with guns but aren’t because of the law that end up dead won’t make quite the same headlines, especially regarding the mandatory storage law.

Let’s just call it a hunch.