Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter
This time last year the nation was shocked by a 6-year-old boy who seriously wounded his teacher at the Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. The child’s mother, Deja Taylor, 26, said in an interview with the police that she typically stored her firearm in her purse with a trigger lock in place, or in a lock box.
Taylor was eventually sentenced in federal court for using marijuana while in possession of a firearm and for making false statements about her drug use at the time she purchased the gun. Federal prosecutors said ATF agents never found a lockbox, a trigger lock, or a key for the gun. While in this case the victim, who was an adult, survived, gun violence cases involving children under the age of 11 killing or injuring a victim are on the rise.
In an exclusive interview with Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter revealed an alarming number of seven cases in the last 18 months that occurred in Lake County. Each case involved children under the age of eight killed by coming in contact with a gun owned by a parent or a family member. The cases are currently under investigation. Carter said, “It should be zero because it is totally preventable.”
It’s an issue that concerned him so much that his office outlined his Gun Safety Lock initiative at a press conference on Friday, January 26, 2024, at the Lake County Government Complex Auditorium located at 2293 N. Main St., Crown Point.
The Lake County Prosecutor is joining forces with Indiana State Police, East Chicago Police, Community Activist and founder of Lock It Down Foundation Andrew Holmes, Lisette Guillen Case Files Chicago, Prosecutor Carter’s Clergy Council, Hard Rock Casino and NiSource to educate and distribute safety locks to gun owners in Lake County. “In addition to the commitment to make our community better, Hard Rock and NiSource have also made generous donations to fund the cost of the gun locks and safety courses,” said Carter.
Carter met Andrew Holmes, a Chicago activist known for his work against gun violence, about a year ago and has stayed in touch communicating on issues related to violence and gun safety issues. Holmes is bringing his expertise and his ability to work with the community to assist the Lake County Prosecutor in his Gun Safety Lock Initiative.
This Gun Safety Lock Initiative is important, as the number of accidental shootings continue to increase in our county. “It has become evident that education on gun safety and the distribution of free gun safety locks to the community is of utmost importance,” said Carter.
According to Prosecutor Carter, gun safety locks cost a mere $3 to $3.50. It is a shocking revelation that such a small amount could have prevented the death of a child. In the United States, 21 children between the ages of 0-11 have been killed because of gun violence and another 31 children were injured according to Gun Violence Archive (GVA), as of January 24, 2024.
The Gun Violence Archive (GVA) is an online archive of gun violence incidents collected in an effort to provide near-real time data about the results of gun violence. GVA is an independent data collection and research group with no affiliation with any advocacy organization.
The initiative will have gun safety locks available for every type of gun—rifle, shotgun, handgun, automatic, and revolver.
To distribute the gun safety locks the Initiative met with the Clergy of Lake County. It is an organization formed by the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office comprised of many members of the clergy representing various religions in Lake County, who volunteer their time to have an opportunity to learn more about criminal justice topics that affect our community. It has a very large membership. The churches will be used to distribute the gun safety locks not only to their congregation but to anyone interested in obtaining a gun safety lock. A list of the locations will be made public.
The gun safety locks are free of charge, no questions will be asked. Individuals will only be asked to provide an email address for a link to two YouTube training videos. In addition to “How to Store Your Gun” and “How to Use a Safety Lock” videos, in-person gun safety courses will also be offered to those interested.
The Prosecutor’s office and the Indiana State Police will be conducting forums to educate the public on the handling of handguns and handgun safety. The training sessions will take place over some time through the churches and other avenues of distribution including Resource Fairs in Lake County, along with Lake County Schools through opportunities at parent/teacher conferences, orientations, and social events at the schools.
The City of Gary currently distributes gun safety locks.
The Lake County Prosecutor’s Gun Safety Lock Initiative is being launched through the churches. Carter said, “All our movements in history have been made through the churches. They are an intricate part of our community. In utilizing the churches people will feel a bit more comfortable in receiving the locks as well as information on how to properly use the lock.”
One of the things Carter emphasizes to all the parents and people in the education of gun safety locks is that it is totally preventable. Carter said, “It is a criminal offense—the Prosecutor’s office does not use the term ‘accident’ when it comes to a young person getting killed by a gun in the household.”
In the instance of a child shooting another child the gun owner will be charged with negligence or criminal recklessness with a sentence range of 20 years or 2-8 years, respectively. While many people know young children will not be prosecuted for gun violence, many do not know the gun owner will be prosecuted.
“It is a tragedy when a child dies. I know parents say, ‘well you can’t hurt me anymore.’ But the fact of it is we want to prevent this from happening. So, through education, using these gun safety locks, as well as being aware that if you have a gun in the home don’t take for granted that my child won’t come in my bedroom and get the gun or that my child won’t be looking for the gun. Children play and a gun is like an attractive nuisance.”
