Hi John,
I lost one of my closest childhood friends to a gun. Steve’s family were hunters. They kept their rifles in an unlocked cabinet in the basement of their home. One day after school, one of those guns was used to kill Steve.
It was an ordinary day. We’d all gotten back from our classes and were hanging out. I headed home first and less than an hour later I saw police cars and aid vehicles outside Steve’s home. I was later told that my friends Danny and Steve had taken out a bolt action rifle. They began racing to see who could load and unload it the fastest. They never learned the answer to that question because Steve was unintentionally shot in the chest. He died later that day.
This is a story I know is far too common. Eight children are unintentionally shot in the United States every day from improperly stored firearms. Here in Washington State, more than half of all gun owners report that they do not lock up their guns.
Hardly a day goes by where I don’t think about Steve’s tragic death, the trauma endured by his siblings, parents, and family, and the guilt felt by Danny. Steve didn’t have to die.
Steve and Danny never should have been able to access the rifle in the first place. Now, I work to decrease unintentional shootings so no one else will have to suffer the way Steve and his family did.
Please, join me in honoring Steve and all who loved him by supporting this lifesaving work.
With gratitude,
Craig W. Reynolds (he/him)
