LAKEWOOD, Ohio — A new Ohio law goes into effect Monday. It allows Ohioans to carry concealed weapons without training classes or background checks. It’s this law and the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde that have spurred Lakewood leaders to take matters into their own hands and make sure guns don’t get in the wrong hands.
Tom Bullock, Lakewood Councilman at-large, said city leaders felt like they had to start somewhere when it comes to curbing gun violence.
“We've got to break the taboo and start talking adult to adult about gun responsibility in the home, just like we don't drink and drive, we have seatbelts in cars, We’ve got to have our guns securely locked and stored and separate from ammunition,” he said. “We've had enough of children being killed in schools, people being killed in grocery stores. We've got to be able to be safe in our communities.”
The city council approved a couple of thousand dollars of city funds to purchase 200 gun locks. They’re free to anyone who wants a lock.
“Just think if, for a few dollars, you can prevent an accidental death of a child in the home or a suicide of somebody who's going through emotional or mental crisis, or even worse than that, somebody who's going to take a weapon to a public place, that's a no brainer,” he said.
The locks are located at the Lakewood Police Department. All you have to do is ask for one, and you will be provided with it, while supplies last.
“It’s similar to like a bicycle lock. It’s a cable that you can move through the gun’s firing mechanism, or the revolver part of the gun, to lock it so it can’t be fired. The one that we have will work on a semi-automatic pistol and a revolver,” said Lakewood Police Captain Gary Stone.
He’s hopeful people will take advantage of the locks and other municipalities will follow suit.
“It’s my hope that these gun locks are put to good use and they keep firearms safer in people’s residences,” said Stone.
On Tuesday, City of Cleveland interim Chief of Police Dornat "Wayne" Drummond spoke about gun violence at home and how prevention is the key to avoiding tragedy.
RELATED: 'Madness': Mayor Bibb and safety officials address gun violence in Cleveland
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