Justice Department promotes King County's campaign to reduce gun violence

King County's gun-violence prevention program got a boost this month from billboards and Sound Transit ads paid for by the U.S. Department of Justice. The $30,000 campaign encourages residents to safely store their guns to prevent them from being used to commit crimes.

A 2005 study found that safe storage reduces firearm suicides by 78 percent and unintentional shootings by 85 percent. King County's LOK-IT-UP program is a partnership with Harborview, Seattle Children's, Washington State Department of Health and multiple law enforcement agencies and gun retailers working together to promote safe firearm storage.

"A public-health approach to reducing gun violence relies heavily on awareness and education," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "Thanks to this investment by the Justice Department, more people in our region are aware of our effective violence-reduction program."