Metro Public Health Department offering free gun locks at all clinics

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Between 2015 and 2023, 158 accidental shootings involving children occurred in Tennessee, according to research by Everytown for Gun Safety .

The Metro Public Health Department is taking steps to lower this number by offering free gun locks at all clinics.

“The one thing we can do that will help protect individuals that may accidentally get a hold of a weapon and shoot somebody — or themselves — is to lock them up and store them correctly,” director of health Gill Wright said.

Wright stressed the importance of making sure gun locks are on correctly. The one time a lock gets left off could be the one time someone accidentally harms themselves or others.

Guns are the leading cause of death among children in Tennessee, according to the 2023 State of the Child report . Tennessee has no law requiring guns be stored in a certain way. Tennessee doesn’t require a locking device to accompany the sale of a firearm and there’s no rule requiring gun owners to lock their weapons.

In June, the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security created a video ad campaign to promote safe storage among gun owners.

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Wright said that 96 percent of suicide deaths seen at the Metro Health Department involve a weapon, adding that men are more likely to use a weapon than women.

These secure gun locks are located at any health department clinic and are available to the public. You can also see a list of safe store Tennessee free cable lock pickup locations here .

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