Fortress Safe has recalled about 61,000 gun safes with fingerprint locks after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 12-year-old boy who died.
The problem is that the safes contain a biometric fingerprint reader that allows unauthorized fingerprints to open the safe until an authorized fingerprint is programmed.
“This can allow anyone, including children, to open the safe and access hazardous contents, including firearms,” according to Fortress Safe.
The company did not provide specific details about the lawsuit, but said that a 12-year-old boy died from a firearm that was obtained from one of these safes.
There were at least 39 reports of the safes being opened without the correct fingerprint, according to Fortress Safe.
The recall involves biometric lock safes that were sold under brand-names like Fortress, Legend Range & Field, Gettysburg, and Cabela’s.
The safes include portable lock boxes, personal safes, pistol vaults, and gun cabinets that were sold from January 2019 to October 2023.
They were sold at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Sportsman’s Guide, Optics Planet, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gander, Rural King, Lowe’s and other stores nationwide and online.
Safety officials are urging consumers to immediately stop using the biometric feature, remove the batteries from the safe, and only use the key for the recalled safes being used to store firearms.
For instructions on how to disable the biometric feature and how to receive a free replacement safe, visit the recall website at https://www.fortresssafe.com/biometric-product-recall.html or call Fortress Safe toll-free at 833-588-9181 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday.
