A Connecticut mother is continuing her push for federal gun safety in memory of her son.
The mother of Ethan Song is trying to make Ethan’s Law for safe gun storage a reality across the country, not just here in Connecticut.
“We need to educate America that this stuff is happening all the time, and children and guns, it’s a recipe for disaster," Kristin Song said.
Gun safety is personal for Kristin. Her son, Ethan, being the catalyst for Ethan’s Law which requires gun owners to keep their firearms in safe storage if a minor is likely to gain access.
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Ethan died after an accidental shooting involving an unsecured gun in Guilford in 2018. Five years later, the work continues.
“Right now, in America there are about 400 million with 5.4 million kids living at home with an unsecured gun,” Kristin said.
Gun Safety in the U.S.
The community is marking the tragedy with a blood drive in Ethan's memory. More than 100 people showed up, including Katie Doucet. She believes in safeguards to ensure kids can’t get their hands on guns at home.
“By avoiding that altogether and they have no access to weaponry of that kind, they would be safer,” Doucet said.
Kristin said after Ethan’s Law was passed and signed in 2019 in Connecticut, she would like to see it become federal law.
Both Connecticut senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are introducing the bill in the Senate with Kristin working in five other states to make their versions of Ethan’s Law, like Minnesota and Virginia.
“There are a bunch of states now that really understand that this does not impact the second amendment. This does not take your gun away,” Kristin said.
She said she’s optimistic Ethan’s Law can get through Congress. Kristin said she spoke with President Joe Biden, and he said he'd sign it.
