One 15-year-old is dead, and another will carry the weight of this shooting for the rest of their life — all because of an easily accessible gun. Our hearts are with Thaddaeus Justice Terezakis’s loved ones and all impacted by this preventable tragedy.

Unintentional shootings are wholly preventable. This five-year-old girl should get to grow up, but — because of the irresponsibility of adults — will never have the chance.

Secure gun storage is not complicated — it's common sense.

We know that three quarters of all school shooters acquire their firearms from a parent or the home of a relative. This is entirely preventable by taking a few simple steps to secure guns in homes and vehicles — stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

A 13-year-old student armed with a handgun and a large knife shot and wounded a special education teacher just outside Highland Middle School in Hobbs, New Mexico on Friday. The student had been inside for morning classes prior to the shooting.

🔒 Thousands of homes in Anne Arundel County, Maryland are safer thanks to free gun locks distributed through a partnership between the Health Department and public libraries. Secure storage saves lives, and making gun locks free and accessible helps make that possible!

“Kids are, by nature, curious, so when they see things, they grab things,” said a local police lieutenant after a 2-year-old child gained access to a gun in an Idaho home and discharged it, killing the toddler. Now, a 19-year-old is facing charges because he failed to secure his gun.

The most important question left unanswered: How did a third grader get access to a firearm? This incident is a stark reminder of how critical it is for adults to secure guns in homes and vehicles — stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

Yet another child’s life has been cut short because two teens were able to access a firearm. Eleven-year-old Cristian Oliva Calderon was shot when a gun the teens were “playing with” discharged over the weekend. His family said Cristian has succumbed to his injuries.

Every month, at least two children gain access to a gun inside a vehicle and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else. Securing guns in vehicles can and does prevent these tragedies.

PREVENTABLE: A two-year-old found a loaded gun in the center console of their father’s vehicle and discharged it, wounding the toddler. The man is now facing charges.

We are so grateful to libraries across the country that are going the extra mile to ensure people in their communities are able to secure their guns. It takes a village to keep our families and communities safe from gun violence, and we can all play a role. 💚💜

Smart move, DuPage County, Illinois! Providing free gun safes to community members makes secure storage more accessible for families — a practical step toward safer homes, schools, and communities!

Yet another child’s life was cut short due to an unsecured firearm. Adults have a responsibility to ensure guns are stored securely — unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. Taking a few simple steps can prevent these heartbreaking tragedies.

We cannot expect a child to be the last line of defense between themselves and a loaded gun. The onus is on ADULTS to secure guns in homes AND vehicles — stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

And, in Sandy, Utah, a 5-year-old child died after finding a loaded gun and discharging it. Police called the shooting a “tragic accident,” but had simple steps been taken to secure the weapon, this child would still be alive.

In Columbus, Ohio, a young girl was wounded when she accessed an unsecured gun and discharged it. A surgeon who treated the girl said, “In trauma care, it’s probably the hardest thing when you’re treating injuries that are ones that could have been completely prevented.”

In Raleigh, North Carolina, two children under the age of 3 gained access to an unsecured firearm inside a home. The gun fired, striking one child in the arm. The child’s father was charged in connection to the shooting.