SAN ANTONIO – Health officials are urging gun owners, especially those who might have children in their home, to lock away their firearms.
The reminder comes as many kids will be at home this summer, some while their parents are working.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death in Texas children, according to Erica Haller-Stevenson, a violence prevention administrator for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District.
“The most important thing to do is manage your firearm responsibly,” Haller-Stevenson said.
Due to the popularity of video games, Haller-Stevenson said most kids—even young children—know how to use a gun. However, she said most can not grasp the impact that firing a real firearm can have.
“Young kids do not understand death the way older kids and adults do,” Haller-Stevenson said. “They don’t understand that consequences are permanent.”
Even if kids know that guns can kill people, they may not realize how easily a bullet can be fired.
“They also may not understand that just handling a gun improperly can accidentally discharge a bullet.”
Haller-Stevenson gave the following tips for gun owners to follow:
- Make sure the safety is on while not in use
- Guns should be stored unloaded and separate from ammunition
- Use a gun lock, trigger lock or place the gun in a lock box or safe
“Don’t share the code or the key with your kids,” Haller-Stevenson said. “This also applies to maybe older people in your household who are at risk for suicide.”
Haller-Stevenson also said gun owners should not leave firearms in their vehicles.
Around seven guns were stolen from vehicles every day in 2024, according to crime statistics from the San Antonio Police Department.
“San Antonio has a very high rate of thefts of firearms from vehicles, and then most of those firearms go on to be used in a crime,” Haller-Stevenson said. “We actually have one of the highest rates in the country of this issue.”
One of the most powerful tools available to parents, Haller-Stevenson said, is educating children on what to do if they encounter a firearm.
“Teaching them about your pool, right, and how a pool can be dangerous, and you need to have an adult around. It’s the same thing as cooking with the stove. You need to have an adult around, right?” she said. “Children should not be handling firearms without an adult who is giving them appropriate support and supervision.”
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