Governor Roy Cooper kicks off new gun safety initiative

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A new initiative kicks off this week to bring awareness to gun safety and how to best secure firearms.

Governor Roy Cooper calls it NC Safe and it stands for secure all firearms effectively.

This is in response to a skyrocketing number of deaths of children and youths caused by firearm injury and a surge in firearm thefts.

According to the N.C. Child Fatality Task Force, deaths from firearm-related injuries increased 231% from 2012 to 2021 among children and youths in the state.

Guns have now become the leading cause of injury-related death within this population in North Carolina, with an average of 156 children and teens dying by firearms every year.

An estimated 380,000 guns are stolen every year, and vehicles are hot spots for gun theft.

Governor Cooper will speak later this afternoon as a part of the inaugural week of action.