Teen's father charged after teen uses gun to confront others in alley

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Prosecutors have charged a father with multiple crimes after authorities say his 14-year-old son took his father's handgun and used it to confront some boys in an alley in South L.A. in September.

A resident captured video of the teen being detained by police.

"We want to send a strong message throughout the city of Los Angeles that every parent needs to safely store their weapon. Indeed, every adult needs to safely store their weapon," said L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer.

The boy's father, 54-year-old Santiago Chavez, is charged with allowing a child to carry a firearm off premises, and more. Authorities say Chavez claims he had his gun stored away when his son got it without his permission.

Prosecutors say that argument is not good enough.

"What if that weapon had been fired? We'd be having a very different press conference this morning," said Feuer.

This is the second time a parent has been criminally charged after a child took a loaded weapon from home. Prosecutors filed similar charges against a parent a few months ago. In that case, they say a minor took his parents' gun to school and showed it to a friend, who alerted school officials.

Authorities say kids getting easy access to guns is a national problem that parents must help solve.

"Two-thirds of the shootings perpetrated by kids could have been prevented had those firearms been safely stored," said Feuer. "There are trigger-locks that work. There are safes in which one can store a weapon."

Chavez is facing three criminal counts, punishable by $1,000 fine and a year in jail for each.