With shootings on the rise in Wilmington, how these 'big padlocks' can improve gun safety

By June 30, Wilmington had seen a 27% increase in shootings compared to the same time period in 2023.

"That is unacceptable for our community," Chief Donny Williams of the Wilmington Police Department said at a news conference in July. "We are better than that, and it is something that we will not, and we should not tolerate."

Why is gun violence increasing locally, what measures are being taken to address it, and how can current gun owners promote safety?

Wilmington firearm thefts and North Carolina gun sales on the rise

With shootings on the rise in Wilmington in 2024, firearm theft has also emerged as a significant issue.

In October 2023, the Wilmington Police Department reported that 64 guns had been stolen from unlocked vehicles across Wilmington since the beginning of the year. Lt. Jason Nichols, head of the Wilmington Police Department's downtown task force, said that firearm theft was a major concern in District 1 when he sat down with the StarNews this June.

"People leave their guns in cars and that's why people will break into your car, hoping to find a gun," Nichols said.

The Wilmington Police department has also seen in rise in juvenile firearm possession, according to the police chief. Since January 2024, Wilmington police recovered more than 65 firearms from juveniles under the age of 17, with the youngest offender being just 14 years old, Williams said at the July press conference.

These trends in the Port City coincide with a significant surge in gun sales across the state.

Between 2022 and 2023, North Carolina saw a 112% increase in gun sales -- the largest increase recorded across all 50 states, according to SafeHome.org's analyzation of FBI gun ownership data. North Carolina was only one among four states where gun sales had increased, a trend some attribute to the state's repeal of pistol purchase permits in March 2023.

Gun violence was declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in June 2024. More than half of American adults or their family members have experienced a firearm related incident in their lifetime, according to the Surgeon General's advisory . The advisory prioritizes examination of firearm lethality, availability and access.

In addition, "socioeconomic, geographic, and racial inequities as well as the associations between these factors may contribute to firearm violence outcomes and exposure," the advisory reads.

Related Coverage: Revised regulation: How did firearm restrictions change in North Carolina in 2023?

A preventative measure: Free trigger locks

Wilmington gun owners can receive free trigger locks from the Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office.

"These locks work on both semiautomatic (firearms) and revolvers," Willett said. "They look like big padlocks with a big, long metal wire ... the point behind the gun lock is to make (the gun) inoperable while it's locked."

The most convenient method for gun owners to obtain free locks is by visiting the front desk at the police department headquarters, Willett said. Alternatively, residents could request a lock from a patrol officer.

"They're easy to use, we don't need to see the gun ... (residents in need of a lock) can just show up," Willett said. "They don't cost (anything) ... the main name of the game here is safety."

Willett emphasized that police officers are available to demonstrate how to use the locks for those who need assistance, but otherwise, the process of receiving the lock can be conducted with relative anonymity.

Free trigger locks are also available from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Jerry Brewer, public information officer with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, said there are three places where residents can go to receive the locks.

"One is at the downtown courthouse where we issue (Carry Concealed Weapon) licenses, the other is the front desk at our main facility, and then our (Crime Awareness and Prevention) Unit ... they have them as well," Brewer said.

Other gun safety resources and initiatives

A new local, state and federal partnership is designed to address violent crime in the Port City.

The Violent Crime Action Plan, a collaboration between the Wilmington Police Department, New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office, the United States Marshals Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, is focused on investigating and prosecuting violent crime in and around Wilmington, Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said at a Wilmington press conference in July .

Law enforcement officials also highlight the importance of responsible gun safety practices. Wilmington police urge gun owners not to leave their firearms in an unattended vehicle and to properly store them in a gun safe.

"Don't leave your gun in your car ... don't leave your gun in the center console, or just out in the open," Nichols previously told the StarNews.

Also, educating children about gun safety is important if they live in a home with a firearm, even if it is properly stored, Willett said.

"Teach (children) gun safety. Knowledge is power," Willett said. "If you teach somebody ... this is a gun, this is what it does, (and to) treat every gun like it's loaded, so (they) know it's not a toy, it does serve (to) take some of that curiosity away from young folks."

Community violence intervention programs, firearm risk reduction strategies, education, and mental health support are all integral components of the U.S. Surgeon General's approach to addressing firearm violence nationwide.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: With shootings on the rise in Wilmington, how these 'big padlocks' can improve gun safety