Police in North Miami are raising a red flag when it comes to kids and guns.
Sadly there have been several recent incidents in which children have been accidentally shot, and have died as a result.
A 10-year-old boy recently got access to a gun and fatally shot himself by mistake in North Miami.
Now, police are raising awareness and handing out pamphlets on firearm responsibility and suicide prevention. They're also giving away 1,000 gun locks.
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"In the United States, guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens," according to the police chief. "Most accidental shooting deaths among children involve guns that are left loaded and unsecured."
We need not look far for incidents of young kids using guns in southwest Miami-Dade.
A 3-year-old was recently seen on surveillance video running toward a couch where there was a loaded gun. She shot herself in the hand.
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Four-year-old Josalyn Marie Taylor-Rolle was fatally shot by her brother, police say. Weeks later, the girl's mother is facing charges.
"It is a wake-up call for all of us," said Councilman Pierre Charles. "Gun Safety is life safety."
In two of the recent incidents, adults have been criminally charged in connection to the kids getting access to guns.
North Miami is teaming up with gun safety group Project Childsafe to give out 1,000 gun locks.
"Obviously our priority is going to be North Miami residents however, we want to save lives across this county," the police chief said. "So if there's someone that does not necessarily live in our jurisdiction, we want to accommodate as many people as we can."
How to keep children safe from guns
Gun safety experts say it's all about the basics.
They advise to never store a loaded gun in a house and to keep the trigger locking device on.
Experts also say gun owners should educate everyone in the home about guns and never point a firearm at anyone.
One gun safety expert told NBC6 that when it comes to kids firing guns, it shouldn't be classified as an accident, but rather negligent.
