TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Since 2004, the Pima County Attorney's Office has handed out thousands of gun locks to families. More than half of the families in the United States live without their guns locked, leaving over four million children under the same roof as unlocked guns.
“Children do know where their parents keep their handguns," Fabian Pacheco, the Chief of Detectives in Pima County, said.
Pacheco said gun violence is one of the leading causes of death for children, particularly unintentional shootings in their homes.
"It is a nation wide program, there are statistics out there some as high as 4 or 5 million children in homes with loaded and un-secure handguns," he said. "It's significant."
The gun locks are available for free at the Pima County's Attorney's Office and the Pima County Health Department is expected to roll out a gun lock program within the week.
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
