MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Next week, the Shelby County Council on Gun Safety will begin their work. The newly formed group is made up of 25 community members.
They will come up with new gun safety ideas at the Shelby County government level to combat the lessening of gun regulations at the state level in recent years.
Members include gun owners, educators and those who've dealt with gun violence of a family member, including Stacie Payne.
"I refuse to you know, ever let Cameron die in vain," Payne said, whose life changed on Oct. 22, 2015 - when her 19-year-old son died in a Nashville shooting.
"For me, I only had a couple of choices. I feel like it was only fight or flight and flight was not an option for me," Payne added.
Payne's fight continues to this day, to prevent other families from experiencing similar pain. She's now a member of the newly formed council.
"I think bringing more awareness is a big piece, as well as educating our youth," Payne said.
Willie Simon, a gun owner, is also on the council and especially passionate about reversing the major surge of local guns stolen from vehicles.
"If I get out of a car for a second, maybe someone is watching me and they make the assumption that something is there," Simon said.
Data this week showed in Memphis, that 1,241 guns were reported stolen from cars in the first half of this year, compared to 344 in the same time period in 2016 and 144 in 2011.
"We have to establish some kind of way of saying, 'OK, this is minimal, this is what's minimally necessary to carry a weapon or conceal a weapon,'" Simon said.
Simon said ideas already being floated include more free gun lock and safe opportunities and public service campaigns.
"You can do all those things and I think that will keep us from having the tragedies we've had the last few months," Simon said.
The first Shelby County Council on Gun Safety meeting is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.