Based on the most recent available data, in 2011 there were 2,703 child and teenage firearm deaths in America. That's seven of America's youth killed every day. These youth were shot in different ways by varying intents -- some were murdered, some unintentionally shot themselves or were unintentionally shot by another, and others died by their own hand. All were tragic and should lead to public outcry about the continuous threat gun violence poses to our nation's youth.
This report provides a detailed breakdown of data on children and guns, including 2011 fatal injury, nonfatal injury, and violent death data, as well as other relevant studies. We analyzed the 2,703 youth firearm deaths and 16,700 youth firearm injuries, detailing trends, as well as where and how these shootings occurred.
This is a public health crisis. These deaths are preventable. Most parents bring a gun into the home legally with no intent of doing harm. Many think they're doing their family a service by offering protection. Yet it is these guns that cause the majority of gun deaths and injuries. A gun in the home is a significant risk factor for homicide, suicide, and unintentional shootings. The firearm is much more likely to harm a family member, such as a child or teen, than to help prevent or deter a crime. Ultimately, where there are more guns, there are more gun deaths.
We at Brady are working hard to reduce gun death and injury. The first step toward solving this public health crisis is understanding the problem -- where, how, and why these deaths and injuries occur. This report provides that overview.