Orange County Sheriff distributes free gun locks

The danger of children accessing loaded, unlocked guns is very real. According to a January 13, 2014, report, 31 percent of U.S. households in 2012 had at least one child and one gun in the home, and 1.7 million kids in 2002 lived in homes with a loaded, unlocked firearm.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the distribution of gun locks increases safe gun storage.

Americans overwhelmingly support safe-storage laws and legislation criminalizing incidents where a child gains access to a weapon owned by his or her parents and uses it to shoot someone. One poll found that 75 percent of Americans believe that in such circumstances, a child’s parents should be charged with a crime for failing to prevent the child from handling the gun.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the best way to keep a child or teen safe from gun injury or death is never to have a gun in the house, especially a handgun. For those who choose to keep a gun in the home, the AAP offers an alternate protocol: Keep the weapon locked; maintain the weapon unloaded; store the ammunition locked; store the ammunition in a separate place from the gun.

In March of 2016, a 15-year-old Apopka girl was accidentally shot-and-killed by her 16-year-old boyfriend in the Sheeler Hills subdivision. He was charged with 2nd-degree murder.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office will be distributing free gun locks at all sector substations from Monday, February 6th until Wednesday, February 8th, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM

The Apopka location is at 1111 North Rock Springs Road, Apopka, Florida 32712.

The OCSO encourages everyone to drop by and grab a free gun lock.