Last weekend a 12-year-old boy was killed accidentally by a gun with which he and a 13-year-old were playing.

We have a great privilege in this country to own guns not only for our protection, but also for sporting enjoyment. It’s a freedom that most of us would lay our lives down to protect.

But with this privilege comes a major responsibility — to safeguard our guns from the inquisitive hands of children.

Our heart goes out to the family of the young child who has unnecessarily lost his life; we hope that each parent or guardian in our reading area will take the time to secure his weapons so that we do not lose another young person in such a tragic way.