Students create posters to demonstrate understanding of gun safety

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Big honors for a group of young artists in Indianapolis. More than one hundred students participated in a gun safety poster contest.

On Friday the top three were honored. There was a round of applause for the winners of the poster competition.

“They had an opportunity with their art teachers to put together posters, and they are turned in to be judged so that we know they understand what gun safety is,” IMPD Officer Marilyn Gurnell said. “When they see a gun, the first rule is don’t touch, leave the area and find an adult,” she added.

Second grader Nathaniel Davis was one of the winners.

“You should only have guns for protection.” Davis said.

Davis was one of the 115 students who participated. All of the students attend several schools in Indianapolis and 40 posters were turned in to be judged. IMPD Chief Troy Riggs and Assistant Chief James Waters spoke to the kids.

“This is a great program for kids. With as many guns as we have around Indianapolis, sometimes kids find them at home, sometimes they find them on the street and it’s important that they understand that guns do pose a risk,” Waters said.

IMPD said one of the reasons they started the program is because there have been so many incidents involving kids and loaded guns. And they hope the message is clear: guns are not toys.