Parents held liable in teen mass shootings: A Growing Trend

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The father of the teen who killed four people at a Georgia high school was arrested Thursday for letting his son possess a weapon.

22News spoke to a local attorney about why there’s been a growing trend of holding parents accountable for their children’s actions in recent shootings.

The father in the Georgia shooting is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder, and cruelty to children. According to law enforcement, the father gave his son an AR-15-style rifle as a gift *after* they were interviewed by authorities last year following an online threat.

It wasn’t until 2021 that parents started to face direct charges of involuntary manslaughter. Two parents were arrested after their son shot and killed four classmates in Michigan.

“We want parents to take responsibility we don’t these types of weapons to minors, if they have a weapon in the house we want to make sure the gun is secured and that a child can’t get it and it’s putting a responsibility a liability on the parent if they don’t,” said Attorney at Winston Law Offices in Northampton, James Winston.

The Georgia high school shooting was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year. At least 127 people have died in those shootings.

Local News Headlines

Train for Life partners with Shriners Children’s New England for first ever benefit block party

Last chance to check out the Glendi Greek Festival in Springfield

Crews called to tractor-trailer rollover on Lyman Street in Holyoke

Elderly Massachusetts couple dead after crash in Foxborough

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.