NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — A number of groups came together in New Hanover County on Monday to hold a press conference to discuss the importance of locking up firearms and keeping them out of the hands of children and teenagers.
New Hanover County Commissioners, New Hanover County Board of Education, District Attorney District Attorney Ben David and other state and local officials were in attendance for the event.
“The purpose of this campaign is to really to try to get the public to buy into securing all their firearms. Make sure they don’t get into the hands of people that should not possess them, like criminals or like young people that should not have firearms,” said Depart of Public Safeties William Lassister.
Cases of teenagers or children accessing guns can often times be the result of firearms being stolen. The idea of the campaign is hoping to encourage people to secure their firearms in a more secure manner. Chief District Court Judge JH Corpening says leaving firearms unsecure is part of the issue.
“Breaking and entering cases we have in automobiles, it’s the number one crime that juveniles commit, the number one felony. You know as I think about, who would leave a gun unlocked in a car? You’re not going to leave your phone unlocked in your car. You know, we’re attached to the hip with our phones, well we need to be more attached to our firearms,” said Corpening.
During the press conference, the panel of speakers took questions. When asked what some reasons might for youths stealing firearms, Willam Lassiter says they’ve found two reasons as to why.
“Young people feel like they need protection, either in their community or at school. About 50% of the people that say they had a firearm at the school, they said the reason that they brought it was for protection for themselves. But the other thing that we’re seeing is that young people are stealing guns as an initiation for a gang,” Lassiter said.
You can find more information about the campaign here.