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Activist travels from South Carolina to promote gun safety in Atlanta

Jack Logan has traveled around the Midwest and East Coast over the past decade advocated for gun safety and the use of gun locks.

BUFORD, Ga. — In the past month, there have been several cases of young children being shot around metro Atlanta and often the person pulling the trigger was also a child.

It is the reason Jack Logan came to the Atlanta area on Wednesday.

"Free gun locks!" Logan shouted using a megaphone from the sidewalk of a busy Buford intersection. "Let's prevent children from being hurt."

Logan brought dozens of gun locks with him to Atlanta to hand out for free to anyone who wanted one.

"104. 104 all together," Logan replied when asked how many locks he had handed out. Moments later he handed out another, bringing his final total for the day to 105.

Logan is the founder of the Put Down the Guns Now Young People Organization, which he started more than a decade ago to speak out against gun violence against children. 

He traveled from Greenville, South Carolina to Georgia after seeing recent news headlines from the Atlanta area. 

"We have been here to Georgia before, but it has increased with the number of accidental shootings with children," Logan said. "That got our attention and today I was determined to come to Georgia. Because I don't want to see another child hurt, accidental by a gun."

On November 25, 5-year-old Khalis Eberhart was shot and killed in South Fulton. According to South Fulton Police, a gun was found under a couch cushion in an apartment and investigators believe Eberhart's 3-year-old cousin pulled the trigger.

In Clayton County on December 9, an 11-year-old was shot and killed by a 12-year-old. Clayton County PD has announced the 12-year-old was arrested and is being charged with murder. 

On December 10 in Atlanta, a 1-year-old girl was shot in her family's home. Atlanta Police, after investigating, determined the girl was downstairs along with her older brother who is a preschooler.

A gun was present and while their mother was upstairs the gun discharged, according to APD. 

"At this point in time, this does appear to be an accident,"  said Lt. Ralph Woolfolk. 

In Jasper County, a 9-year-old was shot and killed on December 11. In a press release sent to 11Alive, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office described the shooting as an "apparent accidental juvenile on juvenile shooting."

On Tuesday in DeKalb County, a 4-year-old was shot in the hand. DeKalb Police are still investigating to determine what led to that shooting. 

"Less than 10 seconds to put a gun lock on your gun," Logan said while trying to catch the attention of drivers.

Logan said he believes many accidental shootings could be prevented with proper gun storage, safety training, and the use of gun locks. He added it is a message he wants gun owners in Georgia and around the country to hear. 

It is the reason he has traveled around the Midwest and East Coast over the past several years.

"Chicago, we've been to Detroit, we've been to Philadelphia, we've been to Atlanta, we've been to Charlotte," he listed, adding he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

"I want to see kids kept safe," he added. 

Logan distributes the gun locks for free through his organization. He said he receives the locks himself through ProjectChildSafe.org, a program that is part of the National Shooting Sports Foundation

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