For National Gun Violence Awareness Day last Friday, Public Health – Seattle & King County joined forces with local nonprofits and municipalities to distribute free gun lockboxes. The annual event aims to promote secure firearm storage as a step toward preventing gun-related injuries and deaths. This year’s partners included Community Passageways, Freedom Project, Urban Family, Progress Pushers, the Federal Way Community Center and the City of Auburn.
According to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, during the first three months of 2025, firearm-related homicides and injuries in King County were down – reaching a five-year low. Also, South King County saw a 37% drop in shot-fired incidents compared to the same time period last year.
While officials haven’t directly credited the decline to any single circumstance, Friday’s lockbox event is one part of growing community efforts to curb gun violence…