Gun safety begins with safely storing weapons. Especially in terms of suicide prevention.
That’s the message from a coalition of law enforcement and citizens groups in Centre County.
Gary Sinderson has more.
“One of the things,well you see this. this is a simple gunlock that fits most guns”
Working with the Centre County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, Centre County Commissioner Steve Dershem among those Tuesday talking about keeping guns safe, either with a lock, or storing them securely.
Experts say gun availability or lack of availability can be a factor in preventing suicides
“In 2020 and 2021 we had a total of 15 suicides. in 2022, we’ve had 12. of those 12, 8 of them involved guns. so this is another reason that gun safety is very important”
Most new guns are sold with locks. Those here say its a public safety issue, not a political issue
“Find a way to secure your guns. because as much as we cherish our rights to possess guns, we also have the responsibility to keep everybody safe”
Many police departments and other agencies have firearm safety kits available to the public, which include gun locks.