GunPact

To promote and provide information on making a GunPact with your best friend.

Activating the GunPact

If you observe your friend’s behavior changing in a negative way that makes you worried about his safety and the safety of others, it’s time to Activate the Pact.

(See examples of negative behavior in the Warning Signs tab.) Below are the Steps to take to Activate the GunPact to your best friend:

  1. Show your friend the paper or digital version of the GunPact on your phone.  Say “I’m activating the Pact”.
  2. Ask your friend to voluntarily give his guns to you so you can talk about what’s bothering him/her. If your friend refuses to give you his guns, immediately go to step 10.
  3. Offer to help your friend get through the problems he’s having
  4. Check in with your friend every day to see how things are going.
  5. Encourage him to talk, cry, or shout out what he’s feeling.
  6. Get your friend out of the house to exercise or do a sport to help reduce the stress.
  7. Store the guns in a locked gun safe. 
  8. Try to come up with solutions to help your friend with what’s he’s feeling.
  9. If he/she asks for the guns back, you MUST return them.
  10. If your friend refuses to give you his guns or immediately after you return his guns, assess your friends condition. Does he still need help? Are you still afraid he may harm himself or others, if so contact an adult as instructed below:

If your friend is under 18:

You should contact 2 adult people that your friend highly respects and listens to the most. One should be from the “Family Group” and one should be from the “Community Group”. Show the adults the GunPact that you both agreed to and tell them what’s going on with your friend. The adults will take it from there. Congratulations on being a great best friend!

FAMILY GROUP:

  • Mother
  • Father
  • Sister
  • Brother
  • Cousin
  • Grandmother
  • Grandfather
  • Aunt
  • Uncle

COMMUNITY GROUP:

  • Coach
  • Teacher
  • Paster or Priest
  • Family friend
  • Your parents

If your friend is over 18

  1. Take your friend to be examined by a doctor. Perhaps he/she needs medication.
  2. Suggest going with him to a therapist.
  3. Hold an intervention with his family and friends.
  4. Check in with your friend every day.