Court: Owners May be Liable for Shooting with Stolen Guns Massachusetts' highest court has ruled that gun owners may be negligent for shootings with their stolen firearms in certain situations, reports the Boston Globe. The Supreme Judicial Court's ruling applies to gun owners who fail to properly store their firearms when they know someone with a history of violence can access them. The ruling stems from a 1999 fatal shooting of a police officer by a man with a violent history and mental illness.