From the Garland Police Department: The importance of protecting our loved ones has no price and the Garland Police Department wants to make sure that anyone who has a gun at home can secure it properly to ensure the safety of their family. If you have a gun and would like a gunlock please contact the Police Service Desk at the police department at 1891 Forest Lane, Garland, TX 75042.
Responsible gun ownership should be at the top of every gun owner’s priority list. The tragic statistics below are a powerful reminder to follow all possible safety guidelines.
Unintentional Shootings
- Nearly 1,300 children younger than 18 years of age die from shootings every year.
- Most victims of unintentional shootings are boys and they are usually shot by a friend or relative.
- Nearly 40% of all unintentional shooting deaths among children from 11-14 years of age happen in friends’ homes.
- Adolescents are at a higher suicide risk when there is a gun in the home.
- 91% of victims in unintentional shootings by children are under 18. More than 25% of these shootings are by kids age 5 and younger. One in every four of the victims are also 5 and younger.
- About 83% of the child shooters are young boys. Boys and men make up 76% of the victims.
- So far in 2022, there have been unintentional shootings by over 21 children. Nine of those victims died.
- Accidental gun deaths occur mainly to those under 25. So far in 2022, 209 children (age 0-17) have died by gunshot and an additional 519 were injured.
- In 2021 there were at least 377 unintentional shootings by children. This resulted in 154 deaths and 242 injuries in the United States.
- Approximately 31% of accidental deaths caused by firearms might be prevented with child-proof safety locks and loaded chamber indicators. The safety is there to protect against accidents, but you should not rely on it to make the gun safe.
- Talk to your children. Remind children that if they come across a gun, they must stay away from it and tell you immediately.
- A gun safe, gunlock, loaded chamber indicator and similar safety measures are important. Keeping a gun out of the hands of people who are not trained to operate it is the best way to prevent accidental gun deaths.
Store guns/ammo safely
- Keep guns out of reach and out of sight of children. Leaving guns unsecured – on a nightstand, table, or another place where a child can gain access – can lead to injuries and fatalities.
- Store firearms unloaded and secured with effective, child-resistant gun locks in a locked container out of the reach and sight of children.
- Store ammunition in a separate locked container out of the reach and sight of children.
- Use combination locks and safes or safes that use fingerprint recognition locks. Keep combinations carefully hidden.
- When a gun is not stored, keep it in your immediate possession and control at all times.
- If you carry a gun in your car, install a lockable container in which you can securely store the gun when you exit the vehicle.
Sources: Aftermath.com; Npr.org; Healthychildren.org; Safekids.org