In response to a rise in youth gun violence, Denver will begin distributing more than a thousand gun locks to firearm owners across the city.

Mayor Michael Hancock will announce where Denver residents can obtain the gun locks on Saturday at the New Hope Baptist Church. A demonstration of gun lock use will also be provided.

“The most effective thing we can do, if you’re a rightful and lawful gun owner, is to lock that gun up and not carry it in your vehicle,” Hancock said earlier this week during a town hall-style conference call to discuss solutions to the youth violence issue.

The mayor has described the problem as an “epidemic” and a public health crisis.

Between 2016 and 2019, the city experienced a 160% increase in juveniles charged with possession of a handgun, according to court statistics. Last year, five people under 18 were charged with first-degree murder.

Hancock said during the community call that as property crimes have risen across the city, so too has gun theft.

“Unfortunately, these guns are being used in a lot of youth violence incidents,” he said.

The citywide distribution of 1,200 gun locks was made possible, in part, by a donation from Project ChildSafe, the largest firearm safety education program in the country. The organization supplied 1,000 of them, while the Denver Police Department provided the rest.

Hancock, alongside Project ChildSafe representatives and community partners, will make the announcement at 10 a.m. on Feb. 1 at 3701 Colorado Blvd.