PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Residents in Germantown say they welcome efforts in Harrisburg to compel people to lock and safely store away their guns, because too often children are gaining access to unprotected weapons.
According to research from gun safety advocates at Everytown Research & Policy, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens, ages 1 to 19, in the United States. Every year, 19,000 children and teens are shot and killed or wounded, and approximately 3 million are exposed to gun violence.
In Philadelphia alone, about 100 young people within that age range have been shot so far this year, and at least 18 of them have been killed, according to data from the city controller.
A group of Germantown parents said they are at a loss for solutions to Philadelphia’s growing gun violence problem, but they agreed that locking up guns could at least help.
Democratic state Rep. Darisha Parker from Philadelphia is championing a bill she says will help minimize the possibility of guns being left unprotected at home by amending the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act to require dealers to include a locking device with every gun sold in the state.
A further amendment would add a new section to the Act to require owners to lock any gun with such a device when it’s not in use, and to store it in a lockbox or other location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure.
Adriana Carr, a mother, says it’s a good idea.
“Too many kids are getting a hold of guns, and they be hurting themselves,” Carr said. “And parents don’t be watching or keeping an eye on their kids leaving guns sitting around or in kids' reach. That's not safe.”
She said she hopes all parents would do whatever is needed to keep their children safe — and that means adding locking mechanisms. It’s a small inconvenience compared to the alternative, she said.
“Just be mindful of having children in the house. No one is saying you can’t have a firearm to protect you and your family, but just keep it out of kids’ reach.”
According to a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health report, more than half of gun owners in the U.S. don't lock their firearms securely.
Keith Adams says gun owners need to be responsible, because the risk of the weapon being found by a child or stolen is too high.
“It’s their right to bear arms — but be responsible, and have them locked up,” Adams said. “It’s necessary. Kids are curious, and kids are gonna be kids.”
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