Mother raising gun-safety awareness after daughter shot in accidental shooting

Tips on gun safety

SAN ANTONIO – A mother whose daughter almost lost her life in an accidental shooting is raising awareness of the importance of being trained before using a firearm.

Cantie White said her daughter, who was shot in the chest in the 4500 block of Gardendale, became a shooting victim after a friend came to the apartment complex, wanted to show off a gun and accidentally fired it.

White and Johnny Castro Jr., firearm instructor at A Place To Shoot, want people to be more educated on gun use. Below are some tips on gun safety: 

  • When cleaning, showing or handling a firearm, make sure it is ammunition-free.

  • Educate children on what the weapon is and why it is important not to touch it, instead of sheltering them from it by hiding it.

  • When holding a gun, use the “L” for Life shape with your hand, keeping your finger out of the trigger chamber but on the side of the gun.

  • Invest in safety measures such as a safe or a key lock for the trigger, or know where the safety of a gun is located.

  • Take concealed-carry training courses.

“If they don’t understand the concept of simply handling a gun, then a mishap is going to happen,” Castro said.

“Training is important,” White said. “If you are going to use the gun for safety, use it for safety. If you are going to have it just to have, go through the proper courses to have it and be educated about it. Don’t play around with it. Use common sense, because it is not a toy.”


About the Author:

Japhanie Gray joined 10 News as an anchor in March 2022.