DURHAM -- According to the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System, statistics for 2011 show there were 13 deaths where the shooter unintentionally pulled the trigger of a gun. Seven of those occurred while the victim was playing with the gun.

Jonie Ross at the Durham County Department of Public Health says this public health issue is easily preventable. "The deaths are all a part of it,  but the children that have gotten hurt, and possibly for life, is a lot more than that. We're talking about a lot of children who are getting to firearms and, unintentionally, they go off."

On Monday, from 11am-2pm, Durham County's Gun Safety Team will hold an awareness event in the courtyard of the Durham County Human Services building, at 414 East Main Street in Durham. The purpose is to teach responsible gun ownership and providing gun safety locks to those not able to afford them.