City Councilor Michael Flaherty is fighting to make sure that a gun law loophole is closed to impose a mandatory prison sentence for those found with illegal guns in their home or at work.

Flaherty’s attention to the loophole is a direct result of the tragic death of 8-year-old Liquarry Jefferson, who was shot by his 7-year-old cousin with an illegal gun last week.

“Current law imposes mandatory minimum jail time for anyone on the street that is caught with an unregistered gun. Conversely, the law does not impose any mandatory minimum sentence for those individuals possessing an illegal gun in their home or at their place of employment,” said Flaherty.

Flaherty has filed to change the law as a home-rule petition, meaning if approved by the legislature, it would only apply to Boston, not the rest of the state.

The district attorney’s office said that last year 172 cases prosecuted in the gun court, nearly 10 percent fell through this loophole.

“Liquarry’s horrific death underscores the need to close this loophole. My proposed legislation will close the current loophole by extending penalties for possessing an illegal firearm while in the streets to those possessing an illegal gun in the home or at their work,” said Flaherty.

Jefferson was shot with an illegal gun that was being stored by a 15-year-old relative in a stairwell. The details of the case are still under investigation.

A Flaherty aide said that Flaherty’s proposed change to the law has support from Mayor Menino, the district attorney and hopefully, the legislature.

City Councilor Rob Consalvo commended Flaherty for offering the legislation and is eager to see anything that would stop violence in the city.

As of Monday, 32 people have been killed in Boston this year.

But Flaherty said much of the violence points to a greater problem.

“We continue to see a socio-economic divide among Boston residents, where a culture of violence and lack of opportunity has yielded two Bostons,” said Flaherty. “In some Boston neighborhoods, homes provide families a shelter from street violence. In other neighborhoods, homes provide immunity from gun laws. Homes in all Boston neighborhoods should be serving as a safe haven for people, not illegal guns.”