Initiatives Include $40,000 for a Public Awareness Campaign for Be SMART, a Responsible Gun Storage Program
Volunteers with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action Spoke at a Press Conference Announcing the Initiatives
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the announcement of six gun violence prevention initiatives announced yesterday by Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and VIA Metropolitan Transit. As part of these initiatives, VIA Metropolitan Transit will contribute $40,000 to advertise Be SMART, a responsible gun storage campaign, on its buses and provide cards about the program in both English and Spanish. The initiatives also include an effort to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
“This announcement is a landmark moment for gun violence prevention in the San Antonio area,” said Linda Magid, a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “When state and federal lawmakers refuse to pass common-sense gun legislation, city and local officials are all too often left to shoulder the burden of gun violence prevention alone. We are so grateful that our leaders in Bexar County recognize that gun violence prevention is not about politics or partisanship, it’s about the safety of our children.”
According to the #NotAnAccident Index, which tracks unintentional shootings by children since 2015, nearly 350 American children under the age of 18 gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else each year. An overwhelming majority of unintentional shootings by children could have been prevented had the gun been stored securely. To address this safety issue volunteers with Moms Demand Action advocate for the Be SMART program to train community members on the simple steps everyone can take to keep children safe by keeping guns securely stored.
