Commonwealth Policy Center

Should a parent be charged for a crime their child commits with a gun? At least one district attorney in Wisconsin thinks so. 42-year-old Jeffrey Rupnow is facing felony charges in connection with a school shooting committed by his daughter which left 2 dead and 6 injured at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said. “There was no other person who knew the child better than the defendant. His actions and lack of judgment here contributed to the fatal and tragic mass violence incident at Abundant Life Christian.” This isn’t the first time a parent has been charged for a crime committed by their child. Support seems to be growing for such prosecutions, which puts gun owning parents in a position to be extra cautious regarding accessibility of their guns.