KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It's a bigger problem than some may think, data from the Center for Disease Control shows shootings in 2020 took the lives of more Kansas and Missouri kids and teens under 18 than car accidents.
"It's bad enough for the homicides that we're having in the Kansas City area every year," said Don Pin, a firearms instructor in Kansas City. "We're on track to set another record; we don't need to set a record on how many of our children get hurt."
Pind says the two big parts people slack on are education and prevention.
"The argument for years had been when do you show children, at what age, that these are dangerous? It's any time they're starting to walk and talk," he said.
Teaching kids is the first step — the next is making sure they never get their hands on a gun a parent has made too easy to get.
"The tough part is that they leave it out all the time. You're, most of us work. We're not there all day. Keep it secured when you're not there. Keep it locked up, Or keep it with you," Pind said.
He says you can't argue safety is too expensive, a simple chain lock can be obtained free of charge at almost any gun store or police station.
It's an extra step, but Pind asks, is it really worth skipping?
"The trouble is, what's worse? I can't imagine walking in and finding my child on the floor with a bullet wound," he said.
—
