Angelica Ramos
Contributing Writer
BLACKSBURG- Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith opened the Blacksburg Town Council meeting Tuesday April 20, 2024 with a quick update on the council’s Gaza statement.
“We sent it to President Biden, U.S. Senators [Mark] Warner and [Tim] Kaine, [U.S. Congressman] Morgan Griffith and also [State Senator] Travis Hackworth and [Delegate] Chris Obenshain. So, we have heard back from Warner, Kaine, Griffith and Obenshain’s office. I just wanted to point that out, that we have taken that statement and elevated it to the next level of representation.”
Moving forward with the agenda, Vice-Mayor Michael Sutphin addressed the Montgomery County Public School’s statement concerning the secure storage of firearms. The statement explains 4.6 million American children live in homes with at least one loaded or unlocked firearm. Therefore, approximately 350 children under the age of 18 accidentally harm themselves or someone else.
“Whereas, evidence strongly suggests that secure firearm storage is an essential component to any effective strategy to keep schools and students safe;” Vice-Mayor Sutphin read, “Research shows that secure firearm storage practices are associated with up to an 85 percent reduction in the risk of self-inflicted and unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens. The U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center emphasizes the importance of appropriate storage of firearms since 76 percent of school shooters use firearms acquired from the homes of parents or close relatives. Across the country, lawmakers, community members, and local leaders are working together to implement public awareness campaigns, such as the Be SMART program that is being introduced in the Montgomery County Public Schools (“MCPS”) this month, which encourages secure gun storage practices and highlights the public safety risks of unsecured guns.”
The Blacksburg Town Council moved for approval of the Consent Agenda, therefore approving and adopting Montgomery County’s statement concerning secure storage of firearms with a vote six to zero in favor of approval.
