MaKayla Didn't Need to Die - Keep Guns Away from Kids

My 8 year old granddaughter MaKayla Dyer was killed by her neighbor, an 11 year old boy on October 3, 2015. Because she joked about not showing him her puppy. Our family is devastated by this avoidable tragedy. If the weapon had simply been locked away unloaded, MaKayla would still be here today.

The boy has been charged with 1st degree murder, the youngest individual ever to be charged with that crime in Tennessee. This won't bring MaKayla back, nor will it keep a tragedy like this from happening again. The Washington Post estimates that toddlers are shooting an average of one person a week in 2015 - and in Tennessee alone, 19 children have been accidentally shot this year. This needs to stop.

Tennessee (and every state) should have stronger Child Access Prevention laws to force gun owners to store their weapons responsibly. This isn't about taking away someone's firearm, it's about saving lives, and keeping other innocent children from dying due to irresponsibly stored and inapproriately accessible guns.

Please help me make sure MaKayla's horrible fate isn't shared by one more child. Sign the petition to demand Tennessee's lawmakers act to strengthen Child Access Prevention laws to make gun owners store their firearms safely. If guns are accessible and used to injure or kill someone, the irresponsible owners should also be charged with criminal acts.