The St. Louis County Department of Public Health hopes to get 3,500 gun locks in the hands of community members in the month of June.
Politicians and advocates gathered Wednesday to mark National Gun Violence Awareness Month and announce the launch of “Lock It for Life.”
Data show that 21% of childhood deaths in St. Louis County involve a gun, whether that is by an accidental shooting, criminal act or suicide. The vast majority of those killed are Black.
The county always makes gun locks available at its police stations and the Department of Public Health. The Lock It for Life campaign has expanded to include more partners such as the YWCA, a local title company and additional branches of the St. Louis County Library.
“These locations were selected based on gun violence data and community accessibility,” said Dr. Kanika Cunningham, the county director of Public Health. “Our goal is to meet people where they are with real solutions.”
Studies show that providing families who have firearms in the house with a safe storage device like a gun lock can encourage those families to store their guns more safely.
Save Lives Now
County Executive Sam Page used the occasion to push the county council to invest Rams settlement dollars in a regional violence reduction effort.
The $1.75 million would help support Save Lives Now, which is coordinated by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. The funds would be directed toward areas like mental health care and violence interruption.
“Our residents have asked us to be leaders in this public health crisis,” Page said. “They have asked us for investments that reflect the values of their lives. And they’ve asked us for action.”
The council initially proposed using opioid settlement funds but pulled back after Page raised concerns about the legality. The council has not yet moved forward with the request for Rams money.
