L.A. County begins distributing 60,000 free gun locks [Video]

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County health officials Tuesday began a program that will distribute 60,000 gun safety locks to the public free of charge.

“Far too many families have experienced the terrible pain of losing a child or teenager to gun violence,” Barbara Ferrer, county director of Public Health, said in a statement. “In a number of these cases, the simple act of locking and safely storing firearms would have prevented a tragedy. Fostering a culture of safety within the community begins with simple steps like securing firearms and protecting our children.”

The distribution effort, led by the county’s Office of Violence Prevention in the Department of Public Health, will initially offer the free locks at six medical facilities:

— Harbor-UCLA Medical Center;

— High Desert Regional Health Center;

— Los Angeles General Medical Center;

— Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center;

— Olive View-UCLA Medical Center; and

— Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center.

Later this year, the locks will be made available …