Officials stress gun safety after Fort Worth child's death

Just a few months ago, leaders in Fort Worth came together to try to prevent deaths from accidental gunfire.

"We're here today to address the dangers and consequences of illegal gunfire," said Fort Worth Police Chief Eddie Garcia at the June press conference.

"We know that it is dangerous, it is illegal, and it is absolutely preventable, and it will not be tolerated here in the city of Fort Worth," Mayor Mattie Parker said at the same event.

But Saturday night at an apartment complex in South Fort Worth, that's exactly what happened.

Police say a 5-year-old girl shot and killed herself with an unsecured gun Saturday night, the exact thing officials said they were trying to prevent.

"They started rendering medical aid to a young child as soon as they got on scene. This child did have an apparent gunshot wound," said Buddy Calzada with Fort Worth police. "We also transported the child to a local hospital. Unfortunately, that child was pronounced deceased at a local hospital."

Saturday's incident wasn't even the only one of a child harming themself with an unsecured gun this weekend.

"Fifteen minutes before this call came out, we actually had another child, between the ages of 10 and 11, that had a gun in the back yard and shot themselves in the hand," said Calzada.

These accidental shootings are the ones Dr. Daniel Guzman says he's trying to stop.

"Unfortunately, we're having these tragedies, and when I look at this, I go, 'This is somebody I didn't get to reach. This is somebody that didn't get the message,'" said Guzman, who works in the emergency department at Cook Children's in Fort Worth.

Fort Worth police say if you have a gun, they have the gun locks for you.

"If you don't have a gun lock, reach out to us, come to one of our sectors. We keep these gun locks with us," said Calzada.

The same locks work for nearly every type of gun — from a modern pistol to an old revolver and even a high-powered rifle.

The message from police and hospitals remains the same: these devices can prevent tragedy.

"I don't want people to be in that position where, and they're like I never thought it was going to happen to me," said Guzman.

Fort Worth police say they don't have any updates on the case involving the little girl at this time; it remains under investigation.