Ramsey County authorities are handing out free gun locks at 11 locations, hoping to stem what they say has been a rash of firearm-related tragedies around the country this spring.

"There's no questions asked. People can just ask for one and they'll be given one," said Ramsey County Attorney John Choi at a press conference at the St. Paul Public Library's Rondo branch on Dale Street, one of the distribution locations.

"I have been thinking about this for quite some time," Choi said. "Just recently we've had a huge rash of toddler involved incidents just happening across the nation, and I don't want this to happen again in our community to any family, because it truly is a tragic thing."

He cited three shootings involving kids who found unsecured weapons in the last four years in the Twin Cities, including two that were fatal.

Choi was joined by Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom and Joan Brandt, family health division manager with the St. Paul-Ramsey Public Health Department.

Brandt said parents may think that keeping a gun hidden is enough to keep it out of the hands of children. But she said a survey of children in gun-owning homes by Harvard researchers found that wasn't so. "More than 70 percent of children under the age of 10 knew where their parents stored their guns, even where they were hidden, and 36 percent of the children reported that they'd handled the weapons," Brandt said. She said the survey also found nearly 40 percent of the kids contradicted a parent's assertion that their child didn't know where to find a gun in their home.

The initiative includes an informational website, including videos showing how to safely lock up handguns, rifles and shotguns. Choi said his office is funding the program with criminal forfeiture proceeds, and that he may make it an ongoing effort, depending on the public response.

The gun locks will be available at the following locations:

• Arlington Hills Community Center

• Dayton's Bluff Recreation Center

• Hallie Q. Brown Community Center

• Highland Park Community Center

• Hmong American Partnership

• Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community

• North Dale Recreation Center

• Rondo Community Outreach Library

• Ramsey County Library - Roseville

• Ramsey County Library - Shoreview

• Ramsey County Vital Records

Correction: The list above has been updated with the correct name of a center handing out gun locks.