It could happen to any of us
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In December of 2012, Boaz had just broken up with his long-time partner. His business was struggling. He was a calm, warm person who was entering a personal crisis. It could happen to any of us.
He was a gun owner. And In a moment of intense pain, Boaz reached for the tool that he knew was staggeringly effective at its designed purpose: death. That particular day, his firearm was not securely stored in a safe or with a cable lock. That made it all the easier to – in an anguished impulse – seek a permanent “solution” to a temporary problem.
Left to grapple with the loss was Dan, Boaz’s stepbrother. One week later, the Sandy Hook school shooting happened. The back to back tragedies inspired Dan to fight to save the next life.
If Boaz’s gun had been securely stored, the short pause needed to access the gun could have been enough for the crisis to subside and for the suicidal impulse to pass. PA is one of a minority of states that does not have a safe gun storage requirement.
This is Dan’s story
Sources:
- Households with securely-stored firearms have lower rates of firearm suicide than households with unsecured guns
- 76% of school shooters under 18 acquired the gun from the home of a parent or close relative
- 44,000 guns were estimated stolen just a 6-year period in PA alone
- 142 children and teens die by gun in PA each year
- 34 states have some kind of secure gun storage law on the books