Friday is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and the University of Washington and Public Health — Seattle & King County are highlighting the importance of gun lock boxes. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the country, according to a Pew Research Center study released in April. In Washington state, more than 800 people die by guns every year, according to the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. “About a third to forty percent of households in the state of Washington have firearms in the home,” said UW Medicine pediatrician and firearm researcher Dr. Fred Rivara. “Unless it's stored safely, that firearm is going to pose a greater risk to people in the household than not having a firearm.” According to the study released in April, the rise in gun deaths among children and teens correlates with the rise in gun deaths among American overall. The Pew Research Center said homicide was the largest single category of gun death among children and teens in 2021 at 60%, followed by suicide at 32% and accidents at 5%. In contrast, suicide accounted for 55% of gun deaths among adults in 2021. Read more: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/public-health-gun-lockbox-giveaways-king-county-national-gun-violence-awareness-day/281-c4220f7f-b4bc-4227-a828-531b81cfe29e