Right now, so-called “safe storage” laws are all the rage in anti-gun states. I also kind of see why. When you no little about guns or using one in self-defense, you simply assume that it can be easily accessed should the need arise, but locking up a gun keeps it out of the “wrong” hands, be that burglar or child.

However, kids sometimes need to defend themselves too. While we have age limits on the sale of firearms, we don’t have age limits on defending your life. Nor should we.

Recently, a young woman may have proven just how wrongheaded safe storage laws actually are. She used a gun to protect herself and her sisters.

On Sunday, two men in a white sedan pulled up to a home in Blaine. One got out of the car and repeatedly tried to gain entry by trying to kick in the doors. Inside the home were three teenage girls, who responded by calling 911. They were home alone at the time, with their father at work and their mother at the store. At one point, the man who was trying to break in circled around to the backyard and was prepared to bust open a window with a shovel. When this was about to happen, the man and his driver began to start arguing. During that argument, the youngest of the teenage girls in the home, only 14 years old, had found and loaded the 9mm pistol.

She reportedly fired in the general direction of the two men, scaring them off.

Now, generally, I tend to take the position that you don’t fire at someone unless they’re actively aggressive. In this situation, I’d give her a pass. She was clearly terrified and while the two men weren’t aggressive, they also weren’t exactly retreating either.

Local law enforcement agreed. Lawrence County Constable Daniel Castle said, “Although she could have done a little bit better, considering that she is 14 years old, she did a good job. I encourage everyone that can legally carry a firearm, to carry a firearm to protect themselves and their families just in case the need arises.”

In other words, she did just fine. Not perfect, but fine. Hell, she’s a 14-year-old girl. I wouldn’t expect perfection out of most adults, so a 14-year-old doing that well is wonderful.

Now, imagine what this news story might look like if there were a safe storage law in place. We may well be talking about the brutal murder of three teenage girls instead. Or worse.

While safe storage laws are meant to keep guns out of the “wrong” hands, they can also keep them out of the hands of people like this young lady. Had such a law been in effect, a simple self-defense case that few hear about might well have morphed into a national tragedy that would have parents clutching their daughters close each night.

Given my druthers, I’d rather the young woman have a gun in her hand and bad guys running.

Also, Cam talked about this yesterday on Cam & Company. You should check that out too.

Hat tip: Breitbart