"Was that Gun Shots or Fireworks?"
A few evenings ago, my husband and I were watching TV when we suddenly heard a loud squeal of rushing tires and then, right outside our living room window, the pop-pop-pop of gunfire. From where I was sitting on the couch, I could see a hand emerge from the passing vehicle and even what looked like a puff of smoke as the gun went off.
After the call to 911, the checking on the kids and the eventual calming down, what was left was within me was anger. Summer should be a time of open windows, reading outdoors in the endless daylight, swimming and sports and barbecues with friends - and it is all those things. But it has also become a time when we ask ourselves, “Was that gunshots or fireworks?” A time of year when violent crime is most likely to occur – and when that violence is more likely than ever to be the result of a gun.
Gun violence is complex problem that will ultimately require action at all levels of government and at all levels of society. At the City, we’re tackling the problem in a number of ways, through our Police Department, our Office of Neighborhood Safety, our City Attorney’s Office, and our partnerships with other organizations.
Just as important are the actions that each of us as individuals can do to make our community safer. One of these critical actions is safe gun storage. When guns are locked, unloaded and with ammunition stored separately, they are much less likely to be accessed by those who shouldn’t have them and used to cause intentional or accidental harm. Safe storage reduces the risk of children gaining access to guns and injuring each other at play, such as happened recently in Saint Paul, when a 13 year-old girl gained access to a loaded gun and injured an 11 year-old boy with the weapon.
Safe storage also decreases the risk of suicide. According to Moms Demand Action, approximately 351 people in Minnesota die by firearm suicide every year, and the availability and effectiveness of firearms increases the risk of a fatal outcome when suicide is attempted. And safe gun storage, especially in vehicles, cuts down on crime. The FBI reports that approximately one gun is stolen from a car every 15 minutes on average in cities across the country. In the first two quarters of 2022, the St. Paul Police Department identified that 52% of stolen guns recovered from crimes were stolen from motor vehicles.
We have already taken one major step toward addressing this problem - but there’s more we need to do. Last spring, I worked with Moms Demand Action and my colleagues on the City Council to pass an ordinance amendment requiring the safe storage of guns. Now we need to raise awareness about this ordinance and the life-saving value of safe gun storage. An ordinance is only a piece of paper if our community members don’t know about it or have access to safe gun storage devices, such as gun safes and locks.
With common-sense policies, strong community partners, and everyone's help spreading the word, we can reclaim summer -- and every season -- as a time for safety, fun and connection.
July, 2024