SC man heads to Atlanta area to help prevent accidental shootings involving children
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A South Carolina man stood along a busy road in Gwinnett County Wednesday afternoon, handing out free gun locks.
2 GEORGIA COUSINS KILLED IN SEPARATE SHOOTINGS IN SINGLE MONTH
Jack Logan is the founder of a group called Put Down the Guns Now Young People. Founded in 2012, the grassroots group has made it their mission to keep guns out of the hands of children and teens by speaking at schools, setting up in communities, and knocking on doors, as well as giving away gunlocks.
"New guns come with safes and what's happening with that is some parents just leave the key in the safe and that kid or teenager will take the gun out. But the ones who don't have a safe, I encourage them to get a gunlock," he said.
The group is based out of Greenville, South Carolina, but Logan said he traveled to the Atlanta area after hearing about the recent accidental shootings involving children.
"Because so many children have been hurt accidentally by touching guns. There are ones who've been hurt, there's one's who've lost their lives," Logan said.
Just in the last few weeks, at least four children have become victims of apparent accidental shootings in our area.
A 9-year-old was killed at a home in Jasper County on Saturday.
Last week, a 1-year-old was shot in southwest Atlanta, and an 11-year-old lost his life in Clayton County.
On Thanksgiving, a 5-year-old was shot and killed at her South Fulton home.
In all of these cases, the person who pulled the trigger was also a child.
"I don't think people understand the magnitude of the problem. We asked parents to put their guns up. What you do not hear about is the number of children shot in the leg or arm," said City of South Fulton Police Chief Keith Meadows.
Logan said he handed out more than 100 gunlocks Wednesday afternoon.