VIDEO: Respecting Firearms and Gun Safety

WINSTON COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)—More than half of the people in the state of Mississippi own a gun. Gun owners buy weapons for protection, for hunting or for sporting purposes.

When a firearm falls into the hands of a little one, there is great potential for tragedy.

“When I was growing up, when everyone owned guns and they owned it for various reasons. For protection of their home, for killing varmint that were harassing livestock, and for hunting,”said Western Auto Manager Dwayne Barrett.

Barrett has sold guns for years. He says he can see a difference in the people who buy guns and their perception about the danger.

“They see these guns as something you can come back from, when in reality once that fatal shot is fired, it’s not something you’re going to come back from,”said Barrett.

A Journal Pediatrics study, from 2012 to 2014, shows more than 1,000 children died annually from gun related injuries.

Winston County Sheriff Jason Pugh says the biggest tool to combat numbers like that is for parents to communicate.

“If they have a weapon in the home and the child knows it’s there and is curious about it, to talk to that child about the weapon. Take that moment to give them the education it could really avoid a tragedy,”said Pugh.

Pugh says many families have guns out of fear of home invasions and it only takes seconds to load one. He says a child’s safety is a lifetime decision.

“The dangers of that weapon falling into a child’s hands, greatly outweighs the dangers of somebody not giving you enough time,”said Pugh.

Barrett and Pugh said there are several ways to keep a gun out of a curious child’s hands.

“Make sure that firearm is secure and unloaded,”said Barrett.

“There are little gun safes that that can mount under counters. There’s a good old fashioned high cabinet that goes above the refrigerator,”said Pugh.

The Winston County Sheriff’s department is interested and open to speaking to any group about the importance of gun safety.

You can contact them at 662- 773-5881.