Prevent tragedies by locking up guns

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - With school out and recent local incidents involving youth and firearms, King County Executive Ron Sims and Public Health - Seattle & King County are urging all residents to store their firearms unloaded and locked and parents to ask about firearms and storage in homes where children play and visit.

"Summer time needs to be a time of safe fun for children," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Recent episodes involving teens and guns are serious reminders that all guns must be locked and unloaded. Ask if firearms are safely stored at the homes where your child or teen spends time."

"Most gun owners store their firearms safely," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "However, despite the advantages of safe storage of firearms, we still have approximately 17,000 homes in the county with loaded and unlocked guns."

Firearm-related violence

Nine King County children and teens died from firearms in 2002.

In Washington from 1997 to 2001, almost 300 children and teens under the age of 20 years died from gun injuries, and an additional 293 children were severely injured.

In 2002 firearm related deaths (142) replaced motor vehicle crashes (132) as the leading cause of injury death for King County residents.

Between 1997 and 2001, 636 King County residents died from firearm injuries and another 457 residents were hospitalized for gun related injuries.

Prevention steps

Safely store all firearms. If you have firearms make sure they are locked and unloaded, with the bullets locked and stored in a different place from the gun. Push button and combination locks are best, since with a keyed lock children may gain access to the key.

Before allowing children to go to a friend's house to play, parents should ask if there is a gun and make sure it is safely secured.

"Locking up firearms protects our community by preventing a gun from being used to commit a crime, helps keep schools gun free, and prevents curious children from playing with guns and potentially injuring or killing themselves or others," said King County Sheriff Dave Reichert.

"We know from recent events and child death reviews around the state that the small percentage of guns that are not safely stored pose a tremendous risk to youth and all our citizens. We strongly encourage gun owners to make safe gun storage the rule in their household," said Tony Gómez, Program Manager, Violence & Injury Prevention Unit, Public Health - Seattle & King County.

Most stores that sell guns and gun accessories also sell gun-locking devices such as gun safes and vaults, lock boxes and chamber locks.

For more information about safe storage of firearms, visit www.lokitup.org or call the toll-free LOK-IT-UP hotline at 1-877-565-4887.

Contact the ASK Campaign at 1-866-322- IASK or www.washingtonceasefire.org/ASK for more information on asking about gun safety where children play or visit.

LOK-IT-UP is a local partnership committed to developing and disseminating messages that encourage safe storage of firearms. The partnershipo includes hospitals, public health departments, non-profit organizations, and most area firearm retailers and wholesalers of firearms and safe storage devices.

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