Family-Friendly Event to Feature Gun Lock Giveaways and Safety Demonstrations

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston invites the public to join her for a Firearm Safety Fair in recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Month. The family-friendly event will feature gun lock giveaways, safety demonstrations, music, food trucks, and treats. It will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2022, at Gresham Park Recreation Center (a county-designated cooling center) located at 3113 Gresham Road in Decatur, rain or shine. It is free and open to the public.

The goal of the safety fair is to engage the community in the serious and urgent topic of gun safety and violence prevention in a fun, yet informative way. The event is being held in tandem with DA Boston’s newly formed Firearm Violence Prevention Unit’s education initiative titled, “Keeping It R.E.A.L. (Responsible, Educated, And Lawful Gun Ownership), Keeping It SAFE,” amid an uptick in crimes involving guns across the country.

Every day, more than 110 Americans are killed with guns.¹ Additionally, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in America.² The new Firearm Violence Prevention Unit will work to track statistics involving the use of firearms in crimes committed in DeKalb County.

“Far too many people are solving conflicts with guns in our community,” said District Attorney Boston. “We need to provide resources for conflict resolution and safety tips for responsible gun owners on the heels of the heartbreaking cases of children who have died as a result of unsecured firearms being accidentally discharged. Our goal is to reduce violence and save lives.”

The Firearm Violence Prevention Unit, which began operating in March 2022, is the first of its kind in Georgia. The Unit includes an attorney, investigator, victim advocate, and a social worker, who work collaboratively with other units in the office to reduce the proliferation of gun violence in the DeKalb community. The Unit will focus on identifying gang members and others in illegal possession of guns; work with federal partners to investigate firearms cases with a domestic violence component and bring federal charges, as appropriate; and engage the community on firearm safety, education, and violence prevention strategies.

The Firearm Safety Fair is being hosted in partnership with Congresswoman Lucy McBath, U.S. Representative for the 6^th Congressional District, DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, and DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos. 

¹ CDC, Fatal Injury Reports, 2016-2020.
² CDC, Fatal Injury Reports, 2020.