An upcoming event on Thursday, Sept. 4, aimed to help stop preventable gun deaths will provide free locks and firearm safety education to the public.
Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley and Irvine Councilmember Melinda Liu are co-hosting the gun safety town hall in Irvine from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Quail Hill Community Center.
The program will cover firearm safety, storage, handling and responsible use, according to a news release from Foley’s office.
“Education and access to safety equipment remains an essential part of maintaining safe neighborhoods,” Foley said in a statement. “We continue advocating for reliable gun locks that protect gun owners and their families, as well as safeguard our community spaces like schools, places of worship, and more. The Irvine Police Department works diligently on protecting Irvine families from accidents involving firearms, and I’m proud to partner on this important initiative.”
The Irvine Police Department will provide free gun locks to those who need them.
The county in 2024 saw 149 gun-related deaths, according to Foley’s office. Three were accidental deaths, 39 were homicides and 107 were self-inflicted gun deaths.
Irvine saw a recent gun death involving a 13-year-old boy in April who got access to a firearm that wasn’t secure and shot and killed himself. Police at the time did not say whether the act was intentional or an accident. A man who owned the gun was arrested for criminal storage of a firearm and suspicion of child endangerment after detectives found multiple unsecured firearms in a bedroom.
Foley said she was also deeply disturbed by the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school where two children were killed and 17 people were injured during Mass.
“As we continue fighting for sensible gun control laws,” she said, “we must recognize that prevention includes education, responsible gun use, access to mental health resources, and community awareness.”