Gun safety on minds of Valley residents after toddler dies from accidentally shooting himself

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As the investigation into the death of a Fresno toddler who shot himself continues, the incident is sparking discussion on gun safety.

Jacob Belemjian owner of the firing line in Clovis says the tragedy serves as a reminder to any gun owner to use trigger locks, safes, and lock drawers to avoid a child picking up a gun.

"Being in this business I'm stunned at the number of instances that these kinds of things happen and it's frustrating because it's so easy to prevent," said Belemjian.

State law in California requires every handgun purchased has to have a California approved locking device.

"All you have to do is put it in the magazine well and lock it," said Belemjian.

Another option is a lockbox.

"Ideally, I'd like to see people lock their guns in their safes. That keeps criminals out of them, keeps kids out of them, keeps your brother-in-law out of them, keeps everyone out," said Belemjian.

A study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics shows that, on average, 5,790 children in the U.S. receive medical treatment in an emergency room each year for a gun-related injury.

The study was based on data from 2012 to 2014 shows about 21 percent of those injuries are unintentional.

"They say oh they can never get it they can't reach it. Kids are crafty. They can climb. They're curious. The other thing a lot of people don't understand. They think a kid can't fire the gun because they can't hold the gun," said Belemjian.