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John, Every day in the U.S., 8 kids are shot by a misused or unlocked gun. Gun sales were at a 20-year high this past summer, and with coronavirus lockdowns keeping more kids at home, the number of deadly unintentional shootings by children is rising. To illustrate how critical proper gun storage is, as families are spending more time at home, States United To Prevent Gun Violence has tapped into the cultural phenomenon of unboxing videos by launching a PSA with a fictional eight-year-old influencer, Cayden. "Parents who own guns need to take every precaution when it comes to gun storage,” says our Executive Director, Clai Lasher-Sommers. "3 in 4 first and second graders know where their parents keep their gun, and 1 in 3 admit to handling the weapons. Guns need to be locked to prevent children from accessing firearms and to decrease the chances of unintentional shootings drastically." Unboxed opens like any other popular toy unboxing video. Cayden is in his parents’ bedroom, excited to show off something new for the camera. Except instead of revealing a toy, Cayden unboxes the semi-automatic pistol his parents keep in their closet. As he enthusiastically shows it off for the camera—playing with it, loading it, drawing back the slide—he unwittingly puts himself in danger. Please watch the PSA, which is age-gated for safety. | |
