KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Brooklyn Mae Mohler Foundation encourages parents and gun owners to educate kids on gun safety. National SAFE Day started after Brooklyn Mae Mohler was a victim of a preventable shooting in a friend’s home.
According to Commander Isaac Merkl with the Kennewick Police Department, Washington state law requires guns to be stored safely. He says this is important because just this year alone, 22 guns have been stolen, and there has been a rise in juvenile crime.
Commander Merkl said parents need to have a conversation about guns and the dangers around them for kids to understand it’s different than what they might see on TV. It’s also important to talk to them about what to do if they find a gun so they understand how to react.
Commander Merkl says you can get a safe, a lock box or a locking mechanism so the gun can’t be used. Secure gun storage can save lives, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Commander Merkl says most gun manufacturers provide gun locks when you buy your gun. If not, he said you can go to any sporting goods store to find one.
“We believe that it’s important for anybody that is a firearm owner to be familiar with their firearm,” Commander Merkl said. “How it functions and to take training to ensure that they know they can handle it properly and store it properly.”
As a father, Commander Merkl says he has regular conversations with his kids about what to do if they find a gun and even walks them through what to do in situations where they could find a weapon.
According to Commander Merkl, the correct answer for every situation is to find an adult, let them know they found it, and never touch the gun.
