COLUMBUS, Ohio — September is Suicide Prevention Month and the city of Columbus is taking action by giving you ways to lock up your guns for free.
Columbus Public Health is giving away lock boxes at several events this month, while the city is giving away gun locks.
Regardless of what the reason is, Chantel Dondasse said every gun owner should have either a box or a lock.
Last October, her son Tykeece Dondasse accidentally shot himself in the head after he picked up a loaded gun off a bed in a family member’s home.
Tykeece would have to have several surgeries to repair his skull. Since then, he’s recovering and is now back in school.
"We're working with him every day, trying to get him back to Tykeece, I know it's not going to be A1 but .... we’re trying,” said Dondasse.
24-year-old Tyonte Diggs was charged with endangering children.
Dondasse said this could've been prevented if the gun was safely stored or put away.
“Just put [the] locks on the guns just to make sure your child is safe at all times. They're little they don't know, all they could know is, it looks like a play toy,” she said.
That’s why she’s urging people to take advantage of the opportunities given by the city.
"This could be anybody's child. anyone's child could go through this.”
The next event where you can pick up a lockbox is Sept, 20 at Hillard Darby High School.
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