Once again, multiple children were unintentional victims of gun violence today. One 7-year old was shot by a 9-year old relative. The other three victims were innocent bystanders to intentional gun violence.

In Houston, Texas, a 7-year old child was shot by a 9-year old relative who found a loaded gun on the bed in their home.  According to police, there were multiple unsecured guns around the house. The bullet that struck the 7-year old passed through his face from cheek-to-cheek, but he is expected to survive. The owner of the guns fled the scene.

The other three children were shot in separate incidents:

In St. Louis, Missouri a three-year old child was injured when the car in which he was sitting was shot up while his mother unloaded groceries for a family member. According to the report, “the boy was at least the 32nd child to be injured or killed by gunfire this year across the St. Louis metro area.”

In Moss Point, Mississippi, an 8-year old was struck at an outdoor family gathering when two gunmen opened fire. The report says, “[e]ven though the shooting is over, the physical and emotional damage has already been done. A total of five vehicles and two homes were also struck.” The owner of a nearby home said that “the chaos has traumatized her family.”

A five-year old girl in Indianapolis, Indiana was struck when shots were fired into her home.  The incident happened across the street from Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. “It’s unfortunate that this baby is a victim of a cycle of violence,” said the church’s pastor.

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