Zanious Terell Murphy
TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Troy man is charged under Michigan's safe storage gun law after a 9-year-old boy shot himself last week.
Zanious Terell Murphy, 23, was charged Friday with violating the firearm safe storage law, causing serious injury to a minor, and his bond was set at $30,000, no 10%.
What we know:
Police responded to a home on Crooks near Muer on the afternoon of May 30 after an ambulance was called for an injured child. Sources told FOX 2 that the caller said the boy had fallen, but he had actually suffered a gunshot wound to the face. A firearm was located inside the home, police said.
The child was bleeding from the head, and was taken to a hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. He remains in critical condition.
Murphy, who lives in the home but is not related to the child, was arrested Thursday.
Big picture view:
Michigan's safe storage law requires guns to be locked up when children are inside a home.
Under the law, a gun owner could be subject to a misdemeanor charge, which could entail penalties of up to $500 and a maximum of 93 days in jail.
However, if the child inflicts harm upon themselves or others using the firearm, the owner can face a felony charge, fines of up to $10,000, and a prison sentence up to 15 years – particularly if the incident results in a fatality.
The Source: Information from Troy police and previous FOX 2 reporting, which included anonymous sources, was used to write this story.
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