'The First Time We Have Used This Law': Fort Collins Mother Charged After 6-Year-Old Son Accidentally Shot And Killed Himself
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - The mother of a six-year-old boy who accidentally shot and killed himself is now wanted, facing charges connected to her alleged involvement in the accidental shooting. Fort Collins police are now looking for Rosinetta Mackall, the mother of Roy Summers. Police have charged her with felony child abuse resulting in death as well as Unlawful Storage of a Firearm.
Fort Collins Police Services Chief Jeff Swoboda said this was Fort Collins's first unlawful storage charge since the law was enacted in 2021.
"If you own a handgun it is your responsibility to make sure nobody else gets ahold of that," Swoboda said.
The law now requires gun owners to lock or safely store their firearms to further prevent those who do not own the guns from accessing and discharging them.
On April 10 FCPS officers responded to a report of an accidental gunshot wound in the northern part of the city. When they arrived they found Roy Summers injured. He was rushed to a hospital where he died.
After an investigation, police ruled that Mackall had knowingly placed a loaded firearm in an accessible location to a child. The gun was not locked.
"When you see kids wrapped up in cases that were completely preventable, it just adds another level of sadness and anger. When they are preventable, it stings more," Swoboda told CBS4'S Dillon Thomas.
"This is the first time we have used this law," he said.
Mackall's husband, Ron Matthews, was also charged with attempting to influence an officer and tampering with physical evidence related to the case.
Police haven't been able to locate either Mackall or Matthews since the charges were filed.
"While it is important to hold people accountable, justice is a hollow term right now. A six-year-old is dead because a parent didn't take the necessary steps to make sure a house was safe and firearms were secure," Swoboda said.
"Let's not repeat an incident like this," he said.
Gun locks are readily accessible and often accessible for free. Fort Collins Police has partnered with the Larimer County Gun Coalition to help residents gain access to gun locks. Student resource officers within PSD are also in possession of locks so families of students can make sure their firearms are safe.
