3 year old dies from accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound in Birmingham

FILL A SEAT. WE’VE ALL SEEN THE HORRIBLE STORIES OUT THERE, KIDS DYING IN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS. A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN THEY’RE PLAYING WITH GUNS AT HOME OR MISTAKE THEM FOR TOYS. DATA SHOWS NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THE GUNS WERE LEFT UNLOCKED AND LOADED. THE NEW STUDY IS IN THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY, AND IT LOOKED AT CASES INVOLVING KIDS UNDER 15 FROM THE LAST DECADE IN 80% OF THOSE CASES, THEY FOUND THE WEAPON USED IN THE ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING BELONGED TO AN OLDER FAMILY MEMBER. THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST DISTURBING PART OF THIS ENTIRE STUDY. JUST ABOUT HALF OF THESE ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS INVOLVED YOUNG CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF TWO AND FOUR. HERE IN THE US, GUNS ARE A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR KIDS AND TEENS FROM 2009 TO 2018. AND JUST 33 STATES, 279 CHILDREN LOST THEIR LIVES TO ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS. SO WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? ONE EXPERT SAYS IT’S BECAUSE PEOPLE DON’T VIEW GUNS AS A SAFETY RISK. ON THE CONTRARY, THEY’RE VIEWED AS PROTECTION. BUT WITH THAT, WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR PROTECTION. MOST OF THE ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS WERE SELF-INFLICTED. THAT’S ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR KIDS UNDER FIVE WHO SHOT THEMSELVES IN EIGHT OUT OF EVERY TEN CASES. FOR OLDER KIDS, 10 TO 14. A FRIEND IS THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL SHOOTINGS AND THAT’S WHERE PLAYING WITH THE GUNS CAN BE FATAL. SO HERE IS YOUR WARNING AND ADVICE FROM EXPERTS. LOCK UP YOUR GUNS, MAKE SURE THEY’RE OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. IT’S REALLY THAT SIMPLE. YOU ALSO HAVE ANOTHER OPTION THAT BEING GUN LOCKS MANY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OFFER THESE FOR FREE. SO DON’T WAIT. REACH OU