San Rafael, CA – Marin County is not far removed from the gun violence so frequently reported in the news, including the killings this week in San Jose. However, many Marin residents don’t realize the risks posed by the thousands of guns in local homes.
Gun locks will be available at most law enforcement departments in Marin.The 2020 Marin County Civil Grand Jury estimated that there are 100,000 firearms in Marin homes and vehicles. That figure predates the record number of new gun purchases made nationwide in 2020, a 60% increase over 2019 based on background checks. Surveys suggest that thousands of those guns are stored unlocked and loaded, accessible to anyone in the home.
On June 2, the Marin Gun Safety Collaborative, a multidisciplinary partnership of Marin public and private organizations, will launch a public awareness campaign designed to educate Marin residents about the dangers of unlocked guns in the home. Gun locks will be available at most law enforcement departments in Marin, and through Peace Novato every month.
“This program is essential to address the public safety risks posed by rising gun sales, and the misconception that a gun in your home can keep your family safe,” said District Attorney Lori E. Frugoli. “While many people buy weapons to defend themselves from an armed intruder, in reality, that gun is much more likely to be used on your own family – in a suicide, domestic violence, or accidental shooting.”
The campaign will focus on the risks posed by easy access to guns and demonstrate that locking firearms is essential to safeguarding Marin families and the rest of the community.
Safe gun storage reduces the risk of firearm suicide, which is Marin’s leading cause of gun death. Every year about 20% of Marin suicides are by firearm, leaving an average of 13 Marin families without their loved one.
“That is why the Marin Gun Safety Collaborative and the Marin Suicide Prevention Collaborative are working together to prevent access to lethal means,” Frugoli said. “If we save one life we will have succeeded in our mission.”
Locking firearms slows down what is often an impulsive act. Less than 5% of suicide attempts without guns are fatal, and most survivors will not attempt suicide again. Giving someone in crisis the benefit of time and distance from such a lethal means can prevent families from suffering the devastating loss of their loved ones.
Locking firearms can also prevent unintentional shootings, a particular concern of Frugoli and the collaborative. Children can become the victims of unintended shootings when they find unsecured, loaded guns. Locking guns can avoid these senseless tragedies.
The campaign will remind gun owners that they are legally responsible for protecting children by safely storing firearms: locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. Gun owners can be held criminally liable if they store a loaded gun where a child is likely to gain access to it.
Locking guns and ammunition can also reduce other forms of gun violence, as well as gun theft. According to recent analysis by the U.S. Secret Service, 75% of school shooters obtained their guns from home. Additionally, keeping firearms in a safe can prevent theft. Firearms stolen in Marin have been used in subsequent crimes, including the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
Also, if a gun is no longer wanted in a household, it can be turned in to local police. Another priority of the program is to inform residents that firearms also can be temporarily stored with law enforcement during a household crisis to increase family safety. More information is available at local police departments.
More information about how to store guns and ammunition safely: