One third of Veterans store their guns loaded and unlocked
Even though US Veterans are at high risk for firearm suicide, data from the HICRC 2015 National Firearm Survey show that 1 in 3 US Veteran firearm owners store a household firearm loaded and unlocked. Storage is similar among those with and without self-reported suicide risk factors. Veterans who own more guns, own guns for protection, and carry guns are more likely than others to store guns loaded and unlocked. These results are discussed in two articles: “Firearm storage practices, risk perceptions, and planned suicide prevention actions among veteran gun owners with and without self-harm risk factors” by Joseph Simonetti, Deborah Azrael and Matthew Miller appears in Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 2018, epub ahead of publication, and “Firearm storage practices among American veterans” by Joseph Simonetti, Deborah Azrael, Ali Rowhari-Rahbar, and Matthew Miller appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2018. epub ahead of publication.
