DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County leaders said they're heartbroken after a 7-year-old was shot and killed this week.
Arrest warrants said Deonte Daugherty left his two sons, ages 6 and 7, in the car at a gas station with a loaded gun. The 7-year-old was shot and killed; Daugherty is now charged with second-degree murder.
"Keeping the guns out of the hands of children will eliminate this from happening in the future," DeKalb County Police Department Chief Mirtha Ramos said. "Arrests will be made. We are destroying families that are already suffering. It's painful, but we still have a job to do and we will do it."
One solution she and DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond talked about on Thursday was free gun safes, available at DeKalb precincts and a Community Outreach and Safety Fair this Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Big Lots parking lot at 3358 Chamblee Tucker Road.
"A gun that is not properly secure with a lock in a safe is nothing but a death trap, a ticking time bomb for your children or your grandchildren or children in your immediate vicinity," Thurmond said. "I want to join in with the 50 mayors who made a plea to our state leaders to come January to enact sensible gun laws in this state."
Ramos said unsecured guns are a problem in the community, whether it's children accidentally picking them up or people stealing them from cars.
At least 850 guns were stolen from cars in DeKalb County last year, Ramos said. The safes can prevent the guns from being taken, even if the car is broken into.
"Sometimes when we ask ourselves the questions, 'Where are the criminals getting these guns?' They're getting them from you, the community. They're getting them from your car," she said. "It's not just today that we need to worry about gun safety. It's today, tomorrow, and always."
News happens fast. Download our 11Alive News app for all the latest breaking updates, and sign up for our Speed Feed newsletter to get a rundown of the latest headlines across north Georgia.