CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the school year starts at home for many students, a string of recent shootings are highlighting potential dangers for children.
In less than a week, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department said three children have been shot because of unsecured guns, including a two-year-old who died over the weekend. The boy’s father is among three people charged in those separate cases.
A gun expert told WCNC Charlotte if those people had their guns locked up, the tragedies would not have happened, and it only takes a few seconds to take the proper safety steps.
Larry Hyatt, owner of Hyatt Gun Shop, showed WCNC Charlotte a gun lockbox. He said it’s easy for an adult to access their gun, but children can’t get to the weapon.
“We would not have had those horrible accidents this past week,” said Hyatt.
Among the victims was two-year-old Amor Cureton who died after shooting himself on Reagan Drive Saturday. Police said his father, Antonio Cureton, was charged with involuntary manslaughter for not securing the gun.
“There’s a two-year-old little boy who is not with us anymore for no good reason,” said CMPD Major Ryan Butler.
Just days earlier, another two year old shot himself on Camp Greene Street on Thursday and was rushed to the hospital. Police said a family friend, Devonte Warrant, was charged for not securing the gun in that case.
“This has got to stop and it's not stopping,” said Major Butler.
Across the country, unintentional child gun deaths were up 43% in March and April compared to the average gun deaths in the same months between 2017 and 2019, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
It’s highlighting a major safety issue as more children stay at home, instead of head to school this year. In a tweet, CMPD urged people to ‘lock up your guns’.
“It’s so preventable,” said Hyatt.
Hyatt partnered with CMPD in 2018 and gave away hundreds of gun safes.
“Overwhelmingly they took advantage of it, very few people did not,” Hyatt said.
Hyatt said if you can’t afford a lockbox, he’ll give you a cable lock for free if you stop by the store. He also said he’s seeing an unprecedented number of new gun owners during the pandemic and it’s very important they’re aware of the safety steps.