This letter to the editor was published by The Columbus Dispatch.

It is tragic when a child dies. It is even more tragic when that death was preventable. But perhaps the worst is when the child dies because of a parent’s negligence. When 5-year-old Serenity Johnson shot herself with her father’s unattended firearm, it was an accident, but it was also a crime — endangering children— a charge the city prosecutor dismissed after securing a guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter. (May 23, "Columbus father pleads guilty in death of 5-year-old who shot herself with unsecured gun")

Serenity’s death took place long before Columbus’s new gun laws went into effect. The prosecution of Serenity’s father makes one thing perfectly clear: Columbus does not need additional gun laws to prosecute individuals who recklessly store their firearms around children. Mr. Johnson’s plea agreement and upcoming sentencing are testament to that fact.

Rather than squander scarce resources defending a Columbus law which is clearly prohibited by state law, is demonstrably unnecessary, and in the case of the 30-round magazine ban for which the city has failed to offer any evidence that the unconstitutional rule would reduce crime, the city's resources would be better spent educating firearms owners about safe storage and children to avoid guns. Spending resources in this way would be a far more effective way to prevent future tragedies. 

David C. Tryon, director of litigation, The Buckeye Institute