Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Kai Rowan Turner, age 2, of Battle Creek, Michigan was shot and killed today when “multiple, multiple” shots were fired into his home. The toddler was the only victim of the drive-by shooting. “This is an innocent child, a 2-year-old that is now longer with us,” a Battle Creek Police Deputy Chief told reporters Tuesday …
One-year old Khori Patterson of St. Louis, Missouri found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the head. He later died at the hospital. “This is just a terrible tragedy that should have never happened. Guns are inherently dangerous,” a police colonel said. Khori’s grandfather said that Khori “loved animals, eating ice …
In Rosebud, Missouri, a 10-month old baby was shot in the stomach by a three-year old child. The toddler had taken the gun from a purse on the counter in their home. According to the report, there is an ongoing investigation. Source: Zachary Farwell, “Investigators Determine Shooting of Baby in Gasconade County as Accidental,” ABC 17 …
There were at least five gun accidents involving children across the United States today, four of them fatal. In Forestdale, Alabama, a 12-year old accidentally shot and killed his mother. The child initially made up an implausible story but then admitted his role in the shooting. “This offense is a tragedy for the … family …
Jesus Miguel Gamboa, age 24, of Chaparral, New Mexico was charged with child abuse after his three-year old daughter found a loaded handgun in his home and shot herself in the neck. Gamboa was reportedly in the bathroom at the time of the incident. The girl is in stable condition at the hospital. Police are …
In Cochran Georgia, two young children were the unintended victims of gun violence today. According to law enforcement, bullets fired at a local housing complex struck and killed two-year-old Yasir Satterwhite and injured four-year-old Tamir Satterwhite. The older boy is in stable condition at the hospital after surgery. Authorities “feel confident” that the two …
In Guthrie, Oklahoma, a ten year old found a gun in his home. He shot and killed his 12-year old brother. The boy died at the hospital. There is no report that anyone has been charged in connection with the incident. In New Orleans, Louisiana, 18-year old Zyaire Cornelius was arrested after his two-year old …
A pair of three-year olds were injured as the unintended consequence of gun violence today. Both were shot when rounds were firing into cars in which they were traveling. In Chicago, Illinois, the toddler was shot in the leg and is in good condition. There are no suspects. In Goldsboro, North Carolina, Tyrik Joyner, age …
A 12 year-old Valdosta, Georgia boy is dead and a 16-year old has been arrested after the two stole five guns from vehicles over the course of a single night. The two boys were apparently playing with their recently stolen guns when one of them went off while being held by the 16-year old. The …
In Houston, Texas, 18-year old Nariah Champion was accidentally shot and killed by 17-year old Zakorion Batiste, who was playing with a gun. The two were among a group of kids hanging out together. Batiste has been charged with manslaughter and is being held on $50,000 bail. According to the report, if bond is made, …
Devin Page, Jr., a Baton Rouge, Louisiana 3-year old, was shot and killed by a stray bullet that entered through a window of his home. Police do not know who fired the gun. “He was a great, a very smart, intelligent 3-year-old. He was always happy, you know he loved the dance, he loves school, he …
14-year old Alexis Pierson, a Port St. Louis, Mississippi middle-schooler was shot and killed in her home by a child who found a loaded gun. One of Alexis’s friends had brought the gun over and did not secure it. When Pierson told the child who found the gun to put it down, the child accidentally …
A three-year old Jacksonville, Florida boy found a loaded and unsecured gun in the bedroom of his home today. He shot himself in the head and died. Alexander Sibley, a 36-year old man, was later arrested and charged with illegal gun possession based on a prior felony conviction. A neighbor told a reporter, “I do …
In Shreveport, Louisiana, two children, aged 3 and 4, apparently found a loaded gun in their home. The gun inevitably was fired and the four year old, Michael Thomas, Jr., was shot in the chest and killed. His younger sister was also injured. Two adults were home at the time of the incident. According to …
A Ripley, Tennessee three-year old found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the head. He was found dead at the scene. No arrests have been made, but there is an ongoing investigation. Also today, the father of a Dolton, Illinois three-year old who accidentally shot and killed his mother was arrested …
Several types of common American gun accidents were on display today in cities across the country. In Memphis, Tennessee, a man died in an apparent shooting range accident. Two children found loaded guns at home and shot themselves. Again, in Memphis, Tennessee, a toddler is in critical condition after a self-inflicted shooting. Memphis officials say …
A Toledo, Ohio man was charged with child endangerment and tampering with evidence after a toddler found a loaded gun in the man’s pocket and used it to shoot himself in the chest. The man was lying down in bed when the incident occurred. The toddler is in critical condition at the hospital. In Miami, …
A pair of three-year old children found loaded guns in their homes and accidentally shot themselves today. In Birmingham, Alabama, a three-year old found a family member’s loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the leg. He is expected to survive. The report notes that it was the second incident in Jefferson County …
For the second day in a row, a law enforcement officer was shot in a training accident. A correction officer requalifying on her weapon at a training facility in Cedar Grove, New Jersey was reportedly struck in the buttocks when her weapon misfired. Her name was not released and she is expected to be OK. …
Three common types of gun accidents were illustrated on Friday. In Meeker County, Minnesota, Mike Hendrickson, a hunter, unintentionally fired a gun into his thigh while climbing a tree stand. He was airlifted to the hospital after a tourniquet was applied at the scene of the accident. “His first surgery revealed significant loss of tissue, …
Jasper Wu, of Fremont, California, was just shy of his second birthday when he was struck and killed by a stray bullet while traveling with his family on Interstate 880 in Oakland. The round was part of an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles traveling in the other direction. No one besides Jasper was struck …
A three-year old in Columbia, South Carolina shot and killed herself today. No other details are available. Authorities have not said how the child got the gun. Nor do they question why there are no laws or regulations that would prevent gun designs that make it simple for a toddler to pull a trigger. Source: …
In Bradley County, Tennessee, a two-year old child found a loaded gun at home, shot themself in the chest, and was later pronounced dead at the local hospital. “A preliminary investigation discovered that the firearm had been left unsecured and the child was able to have access to the weapon.” The child’s father, Matthew Jenkins, …
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Carter, age 65, was struck in the head and killed by a stray bullet while driving near a local high school. He crashed his SUV off the road at the time of the shooting. A 16-year old boy was also struck in the head by gunfire and taken to the hospital …
Once again, a baby girl was injured today in a gun accident. The baby’s mother, Victoria Tejeda, age 20, of Ramona, California and her boyfriend, Roman Estrada, age 18, were both arrested after the incident, in which Estrada accidentally fired a gun and shot the baby in the leg. Both Tejeda and Estrada were charged …
In the second incident affecting a local child this week, an Indianapolis, Indiana three-year old was struck by random gunfire near his home. He is expected to survive. Police do not know who fired the shot that injured the toddler. No other details are available. Source: “Child Struck by Stray Bullet on East Side of …
For the second day in a row, a toddler was accidentally shot and killed with an unsecured gun in his home. Timothy Murphy, age 3, of Arcadia, Louisiana found a gun in an unlocked cabinet in the travel trailer where he lived with his mother and her boyfriend. The boy apparently shot himself and died …
Gastonia, North Carolina police are investigating the death of Markovia Durham, a 29-year old man who was shot and killed by his two-year old son. “It’s a horrible tragedy. It’s a horrible situation for everyone involved,” said the Gaston County District Attorney. The child thought the Glock pistol was a toy according to family members. …
Shamyrion Alexander of Dayton, Ohio, age 11, was shot and killed by an 11-year old relative today. The boys had “gained access” to a .40 caliber handgun when it fired and killed Shamyrion, according to police. “It is a huge concern when young people gain access to firearms. Obviously, we see the tragic result that …
Once again, the focus today is on the rash of gun violence affecting American children. Three toddlers were shot in apparent gun accidents today. At least ten teenagers were also killed or injured in eight shootings across the country. Two four-year olds and a three-year old were involved in gun accidents that were barely covered …
A four-year old and a three-year old apparently found guns and shot themselves to death today. In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a four-year old found a gun in the family car and shot himself in the head. He died at the scene. At the time of the incident, which occurred in a parking lot, the boy’s …
Although there were many hundreds of incidents of gun violence on Independence Day, there were thankfully no deaths clearly associated with celebratory gunfire. However, several people were injured in such incidents across the country. Also today, a six-year old Knoxville, Tennessee boy found a gun and shot himself to death. In Raleigh North Carolina, Alexandria …
At least three toddlers and two teenagers were injured in gun accidents today. The reported details of most of the incidents are limited or murky. In Birmingham, Alabama, a two-year old apparently shot himself inside a vehicle at a gas station. The news story implies that the child found a gun in the car, perhaps …
Six women and a toddler were struck by stray bullets in four incidents today. Although the shooters may have had violent intent, all of the women struck were not intended targets. In Aurora, Colorado, numerous shots were fired by two or more shooters outside an apartment complex. Two of the rounds passed into the building. …
An Atlanta, Georgia three-year old shot himself in the hand when he found a loaded gun in his home. The boy’s mother was in the next room at the time of the incident. The boy is in stable condition at the hospital. And no decision has been made about whether his mother will be charged. …
For the second day in a row, a two-year old toddler got hold of and fired a loaded gun. In this instance, a Joliet, Illinois toddler shot herself. According to the local police, she “unfortunately succumbed” to her injuries. No other information is available. Source: “2-Year-Old Child Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound in Joliet, Police …
In Lakeland, Florida, a man unsuccessfully hid a loaded gun in a couch to keep it away from children while he and a friend watched a basketball game. A 3-year old found it and used it to shoot his two-year old sister. The girl is in critical condition at the hospital. The gun’s owner was …
For the second time in a week, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin toddler found a loaded gun and shot himself. This time a two-year old is in critical condition. A news report states that a 28-year old woman was arrested in connection with the incident. Just last Saturday, a Milwaukee three-year old found a gun and killed …
Police believe that a Houston, Texas three-year old found a loaded gun in his home today. He shot and killed his 8-month old brother, Royal Gordon. Four adults were home at the time. Police say it is unclear how the child got ahold of the weapon as they continue to investigate. As usual, there was …
A three-year old in Baker, Louisiana, found and pulled the trigger on his father’s loaded gun while his father was making lunch. The gun had recently been purchased for the family’s protection. The boy is now dead. It was unclear whether the boy’s father will face charges. “I believe in gun ownership. I grew up …
In Clarksville, Tennessee, a two-year old child was killed in a home where there were three children under the age of four. One of the toddlers found an unsecured gun and shot the two-year old. He died at the hospital. Julian Chester, the child’s mother’s boyfriend, was arrested on unrelated charges. Source: “Tenn. Toddler Dies …
In East Chicago, Indiana, a two-year old found an unattended loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the side of the head. The child was conscious when officers found him, a police deputy reported. Family members told police that the boy had located his father’s gun in the residence and shot himself with …
In Edwardsville, Pennsylvania, a 10-year old boy named Connor died in a gun accident at his home. At the time of the accident, he was jumping on a couch. One of the adults in the home was clearing the chamber of a gun when it fired. According to a report, the gun was sent to …
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a three-year old boy found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself. Police were alerted to the incident by a call from the hospital. Although the child is expected to survive, there is an ongoing investigation. Source: “Toddler Expected to Survive after Accidental Shooting, Police Say,” Fox 8 Live …
In Ellisville, Mississippi, a four-year old toddler found a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his family car and accidentally shot and killed his two-year old sister. Their mother had left them in the back seat of the car temporarily. The toddler was able to climb out of his car seat and grab the gun. “It’s just …
Two young children were killed in preventable accidental shootings, one in Philadelphia, the other in Detroit. The incidents are strikingly similar. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, balloons were released at a vigil for nine-year old gun accident victim Nyssa Davis. Davis was shot and killed by a 5-year old relative in her home. The boy had found …
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a toddler found a gun and used it to shoot his mother. Her injuries are not considered life threatening, but local police are investigating “possible child neglect.” No other information is available. The incident is one of many recent incidents in Indiana in which young children have been involved in serious …
Children in Michigan, Indiana and Idaho died in gun accidents today. The Michigan accident occurred in Canton Township. Eight-year old Jack Bennett, an only child, died when a bullet discharged as his father was cleaning a gun. According to his mother, Tammy Snyder, “[i]t was a freak accident. It was supposed to be an unloaded …
On the 8th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, at least four children were killed or injured in gun accidents. Three of the incidents involved guns that were found by the children themselves or by other children. The fourth involved a child who was hit by a stray bullet while walking on the …
Lessons Learned: [note: hyperlinked material shows in dark blue] November 15, 2020 marked the one-year anniversary of Shattered: The Gun Accident Journal. There are now more than 366 daily reports in the archive, categorized by state and tagged for common safety issues. There are also five chronological narratives that illustrate the steady accumulation of family …
In Columbus, Ohio, a 23-month old toddler found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the stomach. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. Several adults and other children were reportedly in the home when the accident occurred. No arrests have been reported. Source: “Toddler Taken To …
A four-year old North Charleston, South Carolina boy died in a gun accident today. He apparently found a loaded gun and accidentally shot himself, though few details are available. No arrests have been made, but the police continue to investigate. According to the report, “South Carolina doesn’t punish firearm owners for leaving their weapons out, …
Two children under the age of five were involved in fatal gun accidents today. Details are scarce. In Adams Township, Ohio, a four year-old died at the hospital after being shot in the chest. The local Sheriff’s office confirmed that the shooting was an accident. It is not clear who fired the gun and no …
In Montgomery, Michigan, a group of curious toddlers found a loaded gun while their parents were in the kitchen making dinner. One of the kids used the gun to shoot another child, age three, in the neck and face. The three-year old was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition. The Michigan State …
Three individuals shot themselves in the lower body today in various handgun accidents. A toddler is severely injured, a man is dead, and another appears to have lost his ability to reproduce. A three-year old in Jupiter Inlet, Florida gained access to his uncle’s handgun and shot himself in the thigh and hand. He is …
For the third day in a row, a child injured himself with a gun found in his home. In this instance, it is a three-year old in Baltimore, Maryland. He was treated at the hospital for a wound to the hand. We continue to need clearer legal requirements for safe storage, better child access prevention …
A three-year old Arlington, Texas boy died today in yet another tragic gun cleaning accident. According to police, an “adult relative” was cleaning a gun when it fired and shot both the boy and the person who had been cleaning the gun. That person suffered non-life threatening injuries. The toddler died at the hospital. No …
Criminalizing the Negligence of Caregivers May Let Manufacturers Off the Hook It is quite clear from any rational child safety perspective that manufacturers should be discouraged or prevented from designing guns that children can easily fire. Better designs can be achieved with effective external manual safeties, magazine safety disconnects, heavier trigger pulls or trigger designs …
In Hendersonville, Tennessee John Robert Moore, a two-year old boy, found an unattended loaded handgun in his father’s car and shot himself. His father was a volunteer firefighter and the two were visiting the Shackle Island fire station at the time of the accident. “Everybody loved that little boy,” said Martin Bowers, fire chief for …
A two-year old Elkview, West Virginia toddler is dead after he found an unsecured gun in a bedroom of his home and used it to shoot himself in the head. A parent and a sibling were in the home at the time. Putting aside a parent’s responsibility to unload and safely secure guns when children …
For at least the third time this week, children were shot and killed by stray gunfire. Ten-year old Lena Nunez, of Chicago, Illinois, was struck by a bullet that entered through her apartment window and hit in the head. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police believe that a group of males outside were …
A three-year old boy died after a gun accident in Lima, Ohio. The circumstances of the accident are not available. The accident brings to mind the accidental shooting of Aubrie Moore, a four-year old Middle Point, Ohio girl who shot herself with a found gun in April. On June 11, her parents were charged with …
Another two-year old Jacksonville, Florida toddler died after an apparent gun accident today. Although some of the circumstances of the accident are unclear, the child and/or a young sibling apparently found a loaded gun in their home. One of them fired it and the toddler is dead. Police confirmed that there were also adults present …
At least two men accidentally shot themselves in separate gun accidents today in Richmond, Virginia. The two incidents are part of a report about five separate shootings within an hour in that city. In all, six people were shot, including a teenager and a toddler. None of the five incidents involved a gun being used …
Two children were injured in gun accidents today. In Panama Beach City, Florida, a toddler found a gun in the family car and shot himself in the stomach. He is recovering at the hospital. In San Antonio, Texas, a 14-year old girl was shot in the chest and arm when she was grabbing something from …
The reports for May are consistent with expectations for a time when families are home together in a society that overvalues the need for guns in the home. Children unexpectedly home from school found guns, and shot themselves, their siblings or others far too often. Reports describe accidents in which at least 14 children died. …
For at least the sixth time this month and the third time this week, a toddler died in a gun accident. This time a three-year old in Flint, Michigan found a gun in his home and shot and killed himself. Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said, “[t]his is a tragedy and a loss no one should …
Two toddlers died in gun accidents today. One found a gun and shot himself, the other was shot by a young sibling. Three-year old Bryson Skinner died after finding in a handgun in his home and shooting himself by accident. A related 22-year adult and his girlfriend were arrested and charged with felony child abuse. …
Amir Jennings Green, a 4-year old in Thornton, Illinois, found a loaded gun in the basement of his home today. He fired it and killed himself. This is the third gun accident in two days in which a toddler found a gun and fired it. Source: “4-year-old Dies After Accidentally Shooting Himself in Thornton,” WGN …
Two young children gained access to guns today and shot themselves. At a Wawa grocery in Henrico County Virginia, a 5-year old found a loaded gun in a car while her parents were pumping gas at the Wawa. She shot herself in the hand. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a 3-year old was taken from her …
Three children were accidentally shot in their own homes yesterday. Each incident involved a handgun apparently left unsecured. Two 12-year old boys in Springfield, Oregon, who were off from school due to the coronavirus on Tuesday morning, found a gun belonging to a family member and were playing with it when it went off. One …
A three-year old shot himself in the head today in Columbia, South Carolina with a gun he found in a bedroom in his home. He is hospitalized in critical condition. His mother was later charged with “unlawful conduct toward a child.” In Bolivar, Missouri a two-year old child shot his four-year old brother in the …
Gun accidents happen every day in America. Very little is known about how many. Nor is there a complete record of their consequences. This journal is an effort to catalogue a single representative incident from among disparate news reports each day over the course of a single year. The intent is to gather anecdotal evidence …
In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an 8-year old found his father’s loaded handgun when his father left him alone briefly in the car while shopping. The boy shot himself in the leg. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Just over a month ago, a Fort Lauderdale toddler also found his father’s loaded handgun …
A Pataskala, Ohio girl was shot and killed by her 6-year old brother on the day after her second birthday. The boy had found a loaded gun in the home. A newspaper obtained the transcript of the call to 911: “There’s been an accident with a weapon. … My daughter’s been shot with a gun,” …
A Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a woman was shot in a parked car when her toddler pulled the trigger on a loaded gun. After being taken to a local hospital, the woman was expected to recover. No further information is available about the circumstances of the accident. Source: Associated Press, “Woman Accidentally Shot by Toddler in …
Daniel Sanabria, a 3-year-old in Cape Coral, Florida was shot today by an older sibling. Daniel was taken to the hospital in critical condition. According to reports, the gun used had been locked in a gun safe. The shooting has been ruled accidental. No charges will be filed. Source: Kyra Shportun, Taylor Crehan & Emma …
Steven Johnston of Lincoln Park, Michigan was arraigned today on child abuse charges after his three-year old daughter, Skylar, shot herself in the head after finding his loaded gun. His family called the accident a preventable tragedy. Mr. Johnston was not home at the time of the accident. Skylar was left in the care of …