Keeping guns out of the hands of...toddlers? Activists canvass neighborhood, hand out gun locks
Group canvasses neighborhood, passing out “trigger locks”
Group canvasses neighborhood, passing out "trigger locks"
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It's a big effort to get guns out of the hands of the wrong people. Not criminals -- but toddlers! Community activists canvassed the area near 45th and Locust on Wednesday, June 11th. This, after a four-year-old boy was able to get his hands on a gun and shoot himself in the head. The boy was playing at his grandmother's home when he discovered the gun, which had been stored under a bed.
Keyontist Moffett's grandmother, Renee Smith has been charged in connection with the shooting incident.
Smith faces a misdemeanor charge of leaving/storing a firearm near a child.
Police say in the span of two weeks, two children under the age of five found guns and accidentally shot themselves in the head.
The incident involving Keyontist Moffett occurred on March 19th.
On May 3rd, a three-year-old boy got his hands on his mother's gun -- pulling it from a vehicle's glove box.
Police say Kevin Donald pulled the trigger and shot himself in the head.
No one was charged in connection with that incident.
Now, community activists are taking steps to ensure something like this doesn't happen again.
"Today is in response to a four-year-old that was shot," a community activist told FOX6 News.
It has been three months since Keyontist Moffett found a gun in a shoebox under a bed and pulled the trigger.
"I don't wish it upon no other mother," Keyontist's mother, Laquida Moffett-Jordan said.
Keyontist's mother says the little boy's recovery has been trying -- but there have been good signs.
"He actually stood up and took two steps yesterday, so that was just so exciting," Laquida Moffett-Jordan said.
Police and a faith-based group are trying to make an impact -- and ensure this doesn't happen to another child in Milwaukee.
"What we are here to do today is hand out these trigger safety locks," a community activist said.
The group canvassed the neighborhood -- with some door knocks being unsuccessful, and others starting a conversation.
"We're not here to say whether or not you're supposed to have a gun. We are here to say if you do have a gun, you need to be responsible with it," a community activist said.
"There is just too many babies getting hurt for no reason," Moffett-Jordan said.
Milwaukee police provided the trigger locks. The faith-based organization says the trigger locks can be obtained at the district seven police department.
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