Keep Our Community Safe: Securely Storing Firearms Helps Prevent Tragedy

DuPage County Schools, in conjunction with our School Safety Network and community partners, are requesting your help with an important safety issue. We are committed to providing a safe educational environment for our students, staff, and community, and statistics show that the safe storage of guns can prevent tragedies both at home and at school. Safety is a collective commitment, and owning a firearm comes with important responsibilities.

How can securely storing firearms prevent tragedy?

• Suicide: Over the past decade, the firearm suicide rate among young people has increased faster than any other age group, and one study showed that more than 80 percent of children under the age of 18 who died by gun suicide used a firearm belonging to a parent or relative.
• Mass Shootings: In mass shootings at PreK-12 schools, more than 80 percent of shooters used a firearm owned by a family member.
• Self-Inflicted and Unintentional Injuries: Studies indicate that proper firearm storage can reduce the risk of self-inflicted and unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens compared to households that did not safely store firearms.

It is also important to know that as of January 1, 2026, Illinois law requires gun owners to safely store firearms to prevent access by children or other unauthorized individuals. Firearms must be stored in a locked container, properly engaged to render the firearm inaccessible or unusable to any person other than the owner or other authorized user. Under the Illinois Safe Gun Storage Act, gun owners may face a civil penalty ranging between $500 up to $10,000 for violations of the Act.

Need more information on how to secure your firearms? Please visit the Safe Firearm Storage Sheet.

In addition to storing any guns securely, we are also asking you to prioritize communication. If you overhear anyone talking about or threatening to commit an act of violence–either toward themselves or others–please contact your local police department, school district, or Illinois Safe2Help, where you can provide information anonymously and confidentially. We want to intervene, but you are the eyes and ears of the community, and your responsible reporting could help us prevent a tragedy.

Finally, we want you to know that if you or someone you know are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 for free and confidential phone support. This help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Thank you for your consideration. Please contact us with any questions.