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Texas Safe Gun Storage recommends using a gun storage device, such as a trigger lock, biometric lock, gun case or safe, to safely secure firearms.<\/p>\n
A child died Sept. 5 in Fort Worth after what police say appears to be an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Officers arrived at approximately 7:45 p.m. to an apartment complex located near the 2100 block of Revolutionary Way in Fort Worth, according to Cynthia Wood, a public information officer with the Fort Worth Police Department.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wood said in a statement the child was transported to a local hospital and later died.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cEarly details indicate the child gained access to a weapon that was unsecured and accidentally shot herself,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n
So far in 2026, 17 children in Texas have died or been injured after gaining access to a firearm and unintentionally shooting themselves or another person, according to data from Everytown<\/a>. Three of those 17 incidents have occurred in Fort Worth.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to know about safely storing firearms, especially when children may be present in a home.\u00a0<\/p>\n What is the safest way to store a firearm?<\/p>\n More than 50% of gun owners do not safely store their guns, according to Texas Safe Gun Storage<\/a>, which is run through the Texas Department of Public Safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Safely storing a firearm means no one other than the owner should have access to it, said Juan Gutierrez, a sergeant at the Texas Department of Public Safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n Texas Safe Gun Storage recommends following three main steps to safely store firearms:\u00a0<\/p>\n Using a gun storage device<\/a>, such as a trigger lock, biometric lock, gun case or safe \u201cMake sure they\u2019re stored in a place that\u2019s even more restricted,\u201d Gutierrez said. \u201cDon\u2019t just have it in the living room. Have it, if you can, in a bedroom, in a closet in a bedroom \u2014 somewhere a little bit further away than right there in shared spaces.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nStoring and locking ammunition separately from firearms\u00a0
\nRestricting access to firearms by storing them in secure areas<\/p>\n