Anne Arundel County to supply free gunlocks to residents
BALTIMORE -- Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman joined officials from the county's health department, libraries, and public schools to launch a new program on Thursday: providing two free gun locks to adult residents.
"Every year, nearly 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else, all with unsecured guns," Pittman said.
During a press conference on the gunlocks, Pittman cited research showing how secure storage practices can help reduce the risk of gun violence.
"Storing firearms securely protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings and gun-suicides," Pittman said.
The program is led by the Department of Health's gun violence intervention team in partnership with the Anne Arundel County public library system. Pittman said the county purchased 4,500 locks with funding secured by a grant from the Governor's Office of Crime, Prevention and Youth Victim Services.
Officials with the Department of Health pointed to an alarming rate of youth suicide in Maryland. One woman shared her own story of losing both her father and her son to self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
"It's very important that if you have a gun in your house, it is stored unloaded and locked up and gun locks can keep someone from an impulsive decision," the woman, known as Dorothy, said.
The gunlocks will come with instructions on how to use them and resources for safe gun storage as well as suicide prevention.
Gun locks are now available at the Busch Annapolis Library, the Eastport-Annapolis Neck Library, and the Glen Burnie Library.