COLORADO SPRINGS — According to the El Paso County Coroner’s report, 17 percent of deaths in the county are caused by suicide. And in the state of Colorado, firearms are used in half of all suicide deaths. That’s why community members are working to start a conversation that could save lives, and for those hosting these workshops, it’s personal.
For Colorado College student, Maddi Schink, suicide by firearms is personal after losing her aunt at just 14 years old.
“So that’s kind of what brought me to this work in the first place is my aunt. And it’s been fulfilling to work on a project that honors them and helps me channel my energy into doing something productive,” said Schink.
Now, the 22-year-old is using her healing to spread a powerful message.
“I think we’re really just trying to connect the dots between suicide prevention and safe firearm storage. I feel like sometimes we talk about those things like they’re from two different worlds but they’re very linked in El Paso County,” said Schink.
176 people died from suicide in El Paso County last year. The majority of these deaths were caused by a firearm.
That’s why the Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County and local college students are working together. The groups have been offering free gun safety workshops to the public.
“Over 63 percent of the deaths by suicide that occurred last year, all involved a firearm… and so 63 percent, that tells us safe storage is a really important factor on how we might be able to reduce deaths by suicide,” said Cassandra Walton, Executive Director of Pikes Peak Suicide Prevention Partnership.
At these workshops they walk you through the different kinds of quick release devices that allow you to protect your family and store your guns safely.
The next workshops will take place this Thursday and Saturday. To sign up, visit here.
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
