Sanctuary Quick Access Biometric Home Safes Recalled Over Risk of Injury and Death

Product Recalls - June 19, 2024

Sanctuary and Sports Recalls Biometric Firearm Safes and Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safes Over The Possibility They Can Be Opened By Unauthorized Users

Sanctuary Quick Access Biometric Home Safes Recalled Over Risk of Injury and Death

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (June 19, 2024) – Sanctuary and Sports has recalled Quick Access Biometric Home Safes and Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safes.

The issue with the two safes is that they can be opened by unauthorized users. The company is aware of 77 instances of opening by unauthorized users. No injuries have been reported thus far.

Both safes accept fingerprints and come with a separate lock and key. It remains unknown how unauthorized users have been able to gain access to the safes.

Sanctuary Quick Access Biometric Home Safes were sold at Costco and other stores nationwide. Customers were able to buy the Sports Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safes at various sporting goods stores and online.

Both Sanctuary and Sports safes were sold between July 2020 and November 2023.

Liability For Injuries Involving Gun Safes

Accidental injuries and deaths involving firearms remain extremely common. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Unintentional injury is a leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents aged 0–17 years, and firearms are a leading injury method. […] Securing firearms (e.g., locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition) is protective against unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents, underscoring the importance of promoting secure firearm storage.” Accidental firearm discharges can lead to a range of serious injuries.

  • Gunshot Wounds: These can cause severe damage to muscles, bones, and internal organs.
  • Bone Fractures: Bullets can shatter bones, leading to complex fractures that require surgical intervention.
  • Nerve Damage: Bullets can cause severe nerve damage, resulting in the loss of motor function in the affected area.
  • Hand Injuries: An accidental injury can severely damage a person’s hand and result in the loss of one or more fingers.
  • Death: A large number of people have died from accidental shootings, even though they received prompt medical care.

The company that manufactures a biometric gun safe could be liable if the safe malfunctions. Generally speaking, companies can be held strictly liable when they create products that are inherently defective. To avoid selling defective products, companies should rigorously test their products. They must also anticipate all of the ways that it will likely be used or misused.

At least one lawsuit has been filed by parents who lost a child due to a faulty gun safe. Consider, for example, the tragic death of Carson Preston. He died in an accidental shooting after gaining access to a gun in a Fortress biometric safe sold by Scheels. Following that death, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fortress announced a recall of 61,000 safes designed to be opened with a fingerprint. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any injury involving a gun safe.

  • It should be determined if the safe is part of a recall.
  • Medical records should be preserved.
  • A forensic examination of the safe may need to be conducted.
  • An experienced product liability attorney should be contacted.

Gun safes are an important part of gun safety. When they function properly, they keep firearms away from unauthorized users, such as children. But in far too many situations, the companies that design these safes have not taken into consideration all of the ways that they will be used. The family of any child injured or killed in a shooting involving a faulty safe may have legal recourse through a civil claim.

Getting Legal Help After Injuries Involving Faulty Gun Safes

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates were deeply concerned to hear about the issues with the Quick Access Biometric Home Safes and Afield Home Defense 4-Gun Biometric Safes. When a person buys a safe to store a firearm, they expect it to function properly 100% of the time. But there have been dozens of instances where these safes have allowed unauthorized users to gain access.

Has someone that you care about sustained an injury involving a gun safe? You may have legal recourse. Our team of product liability attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.