Fayetteville, WV (WOAY) – Two local voices in the region are using Gun Violence Awareness Month as an opportunity to talk about responsible firearm ownership, particularly for families with children in the home.
Corporal Jacob Rice with the Fayetteville Police Department says firearm education is a community responsibility, not just a household one.
“I think every household that has guns needs to be well-educated and knows they need to know the right steps to take on how to secure their weapons or their ammunition,” Rice said. “Kids are going to other kids’ houses. So the family in that other house needs to have the right education and know the proper steps to take to secure their weapons as well.”
Rice says parents should start the conversation as early as possible.
“Gun safety is paramount. I have young kids at home and they know don’t touch Daddy’s guns,” he said. “Anything can happen in the blink of an eye and keeping your family safe is top priority.”
Gabe Wood, with Flat Top Arms in Beckley, agrees, saying the goal is to build awareness before curiosity leads to a dangerous situation.
“I feel like we should start younger so that it gets in their brain at an earlier age,” Wood said. “I’d say eight, nine years old is a good time to start with them and show them what the safety of them is.”
Wood says the most common and preventable mistakes come down to storage.
“Storing them low enough that the child can reach it and storing them loaded, that’s probably one of the biggest ones,” he said. “Not putting them in a safe, keeping them loaded in a drawer or just sitting out.”
He recommends a locked safe as the most reliable option for any home with children.
The Fayetteville Police Department is taking the message further next week with a Youth Police Academy, where firearm safety will be part of the curriculum. The academy is fully booked for this year, but Rice says the department plans to expand and take on more students in 2027.
