Amid rash of accidental shootings, LCSO talks gun safety in Tallahassee
Amid a rash of accidental shootings in Florida's capital city, the Leon County Sherriff's Office is promoting gun safety and its free gun lock program.
Just this week, two teens have been arrested in connection with two separate accidental shootings that killed one and injured another. The incidents are the fourth and fifth accidental shooting since the beginning of September.
Ja' Darius Brown, 17, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of manslaughter and tampering with physical evidence after police say he "inadvertently" shot a woman as a group of people were smoking pot in a parked car. The woman later died at the hospital.
A day earlier, Javen Parker, 18, was arrested on charges of negligence, carrying an unlicensed firearm and improper exhibit of a firearm. Police say Parker accidentally shot a 13-year-old girl in the hand early Saturday morning.
He was walking with the girl outside of her sister's home in the 2700 block of Cathedral Drive when he noticed a car slowing as it drove past them, according to the arrest report.
"Javen stated he removed the firearm from his jacket pocket, for protection, if individuals inside the vehicle began to shoot at them," the report says. "After the weapon discharged, Javen dropped the firearm and ran inside unit #300 to inform others."
While other people started taking care of the girl, Parker fled and hid.
Both cases are still open investigations.
Since the start of the month, five people have been either accidentally or inadvertently shot. Four of the shootings involved children or minors.
At the start of the month, an 8-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his 14-year-old brother in the family's hotel room while they were seeking refugee in Tallahassee as Hurricane Idalia devastated their hometown Perry.
Five days later, a 1-year-old toddler was accidentally shot and killed after being left unattended around guns in an apartment with another 1-year-old.
The Tallahassee Police Department is still investigating to determine how the gun went off and if the surviving toddler was involved.
On Friday, LCSO responded to a call when a man accidentally shot himself in the foot.
'Take the necessary precautions'
In light of the recent surge of accidental shootings, LCSO is promoting their free gun locks that are always available to the community.
"We have a Second Amendment, the right to bear arms and protect yourself, but if you have children in your home you need to take the necessary precautions," LCSO Sergeant Shade McMillian said. "Kids are going to be naturally curious and inclined to mess with those things."
The sheriff's office is distributing kits with a gun lock and an informational packet in the wake of Tallahassee's recent tragedies as a means to stress the always important message of gun safety.
Many people argue that keeping the gun locked would inhibit them from easily protecting themselves in a situation that requires swift action. McMillian said it comes down to looking at the statistics of what is more of a threat on a daily basis.
The chance of your child finding and playing with your gun is more likely than someone breaking into your home, he said.
According to a Pew Research Center analysis, gun deaths among children and teens in the U.S. rose 50% since 2019. So far this year, there have been 1,095 unintentional shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Every year, 19,000 kids ages 1 to 19 are shot and killed or wounded in the country, according to Everytown for Gun Safety Research.
He said people are welcome to come by the sheriff's office any time and ask for a lock to take home.
Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on Twitter @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Five accidental shootings in Tallahassee since September 1
