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Guns kept in our homes or residences continue to wind up in the hands of children far too often, leading to unintentional, violet situations that result in our kids or someone else's kids losing their lives because we fail to ensure firearms are properly stored away children. Whether you hear about it, read about it, see it on television or witness it, the reality of the matter is that adults have the responsibility of protecting children from situations that can leave families changed forever!
From personal research, take for instance the year 2015-2021- there were 713 child deaths in the U.S. from unintentional gun injuries, the majority (85%) of which occurred in a house or apartment. Of those in a home setting, 56% happened in the victim's own home, enough said!
Additional Firearms Deaths and Key Safety Information:
Specific Breakdown by Intent (Ages 0-17)
- Unintentional Deaths: From January 2015 to December 2021, the #NotAnAccident Index recorded 926 total deaths from unintentional shootings by children (which includes the child shooting themselves or someone else, who may be an adult). The majority of these incidents (71%) occur in or around the home. From 2015 to 2024, there were at least 1,382 people killed in total from unintentional shootings by children.
- Homicides: In-home firearm homicides of children and teenagers more than doubled between 2010 and 2021 in some studies. In data from 2020-2021, about 24% of all child/adolescent firearm homicides occurred at home, but for children aged 12 and younger, this figure rose to nearly two-thirds (63%).
- Suicides: Data on the exact location of all youth firearm suicides is not as specific as the location data for unintentional deaths. However, suicides by firearm among children and adolescents have increased over the past decade. In 2023, 29% of child and adolescent firearm deaths were suicides.
Firearm Storage and Security Measures
- Store firearms unloaded: Always ensure guns are completely unloaded, with any rounds in the chamber removed, before putting them into storage.
- Use a secure locking device: Store firearms in a high-quality gun safe, locked cabinet, or lockbox that uses a key, combination, or biometric lock. Hiding a gun is not sufficient.
- Store ammunition separately and securely: Ammunition should be kept in a separate locked location from the firearms.
- Keep keys/combinations inaccessible: Ensure keys or lock combinations for both firearms and ammunition storage are kept in a secure place that children, teens, and unauthorized individuals cannot access or guess.
- Utilize secondary locking mechanisms: Use a trigger lock or cable lock on the unloaded firearm as an additional safety precaution, even when it is inside a safe or lockbox.
- Avoid leaving guns unattended: A firearm should be on your person and under your immediate control at all times when not in secure storage.
Firearm Education and Communication
- Educate all household members: Discuss the risks of firearms and proper safety rules with all members of the household, especially children.
- Teach children safety rule
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