First-time gun buyers learn weapons' violent histories in powerful PSA

Would you think twice about purchasing a gun if you knew what past crimes it had been involved in? A striking new PSA is hoping that sharing a gun's violent history will make potential buyers think twice and question the idea that owning a gun makes you safer.

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The gun store may have looked normal at first glance, but shoppers were shocked when they took a closer look at the tags on the weapons -- each included specifics on shootings that had involved that same model gun, including information about the shooter and the victims.

A tag on a rifle referenced Adam Lanza and the 20 first-graders and six teachers that were killed in 2012, while another on a handgun included information about the 2-year-old boy that accidentally shot his mother in the head inside a Walmart after discovering a gun in her purse.

According to the non-profit States United to Prevent Gun Violence, which sponsored the PSA, over 60 percent of Americans think owning a gun will make their lives safer. Many of the unsuspecting people that entered the mock store cited protection and safety as the main reason they were interested in purchasing a gun. However, once faced with the violence caused by the guns, many left the store with a different take on gun ownership.

"It is one of our rights, but my opinion has definitely changed," one woman said when she was interviewed after leaving the store. "I don't feel safe with a gun."

The video ends with a simple message: "Every gun has a history. Let's not repeat it."

"Our goal is to educate those looking to purchase a firearm and ensure they are aware of the potential risks [and to promote responsible gun ownership]," Julia Wyman, executive director of States United To Prevent Gun Violence, told Adweek.com. "Often gun purchasers wrongly believe guns will keep them safe when in fact a gun in the home greatly increases the risk of homicide and suicide. This sets the record straight so consumers can make an informed choice to buy a firearm or not."

Fifty-two percent of Americans say it is more important to protect the rights of Americans to own guns, while 46 percent say it is more important to control gun ownership. About one-third of Americans with children under the age of 18 have a gun in their home, according to a 2014 report from the Pew Research Center, including 34 percent of families with children younger than 12.