Indianapolis, Indiana – In a tragic report from gun safety advocacy group Everytown, it was revealed that at least 157 people lost their lives and 270 were injured in unintentional shootings by children last year. These incidents mainly involved teenagers between the ages of 14 to 17 and children aged 5 and under, leading to devastating consequences for the victims and their families. Everytown’s data, compiled from media reports, underscored the alarming frequency of such incidents, with approximately half involving children accidentally shooting themselves.
Sarah Burd-Sharps, senior director of research at Everytown, emphasized the heartbreaking impact these shootings have on families, often resulting in the loss of siblings, cousins, or friends. The organization called for increased efforts by federal and state authorities to track and provide public data on such incidents, highlighting the urgent need to prevent further tragedies.
A particularly sobering statistic revealed that nearly every day, a child gains access to a loaded gun and either harms themselves or someone else. The preventable nature of these incidents underscores the importance of implementing stricter measures to secure firearms in households with children. The devastating stories of young lives lost, such as a 2-year-old girl in Indiana and an 8-year-old boy in Alabama, serve as poignant reminders of the consequences of irresponsible gun storage practices.
Last year saw a record high in the number of unintentional shootings by children under 18, as reported by Everytown. The organization’s call for action is driven by the lack of comprehensive national data on such incidents, highlighting the need for more robust reporting and prevention strategies. While progress has been made in tracking fatal shootings, gaps in data collection and reporting remain a significant challenge.
Experts point to the need for a more systematic approach to gather data on firearm injuries, particularly among children. While federal agencies like the CDC provide valuable insights, the lack of timely and detailed information on non-fatal shootings underscores the limitations in current reporting mechanisms. Efforts by organizations like Everytown to document these incidents through media accounts provide a valuable, albeit partial, picture of the scope of unintentional shootings involving children.
Despite overall declines in unintentional shooting deaths since the 1990s, firearms remain a leading cause of accidental child fatalities. The prevalence of loaded and unlocked firearms in households poses a significant risk to children’s safety, as highlighted by a 2015 survey. Advocates like Julvonnia McDowell, who tragically lost her son in a shooting incident, underscore the importance of promoting safe firearm storage practices to prevent future tragedies. The collective effort to address this critical issue underscores the need for greater awareness, education, and advocacy to protect children from the devastating consequences of unintentional shootings.