As National Gun Violence Awareness Month continues, safety experts spotlight the importance of securely storing firearms, especially in homes with children. In Florida, state law makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to leave a loaded gun unsecured if a child under 16 could reasonably gain access to it. That means the firearm must be locked in a container or secured with a trigger lock. If a person is injured or killed, the penalties may escalate to charges as serious as aggravated manslaughter. Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School of Public Health said gun violence is now the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens. The Johns Hopkins University study found firearm-related deaths for kids ages 1 to 17 have doubled from 2013 to 2022. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/experts-emphasize-safe-storage-during-national-gun-violence-awareness-month/67-13d392b5-ab6d-43c8-bfd6-fccbfe4ec66c