Reports of Unintended Gun Violence Collected from Media Reports Across the United States
Three more two-year olds were shot and killed today after small children found unattended loaded guns in their homes. Four American two-year olds have died from unintended gun violence in just two days. In Callaway, Florida, a four-year old shot a two-year old sibling, according to the Sheriff’s Office. “We’ll be evaluating and gathering evidence. …
Kyler Small, a Hueytown, Alabama two-year old, died today after finding a family member’s loaded gun and shooting himself. Coroner’s officials called the shooting “accidental.” An investigation is ongoing, but no further information about the shooting is being released. Source: Associated Press “Police: 2-year-old Killed After Discharging Relative’s Gun,” apnews.com (January 12, 2022).
In Granbury, Texas, a one-year old child accidentally shot an infant sibling and their mother in a Walmart parking lot. Both mother and child are expected to survive. The 23-year-old mother of the children “was standing outside of the driver’s door of their vehicle,” according to witnesses. The childrens’ father was behind the truck. “[T]he …
Near Dixon Mississippi, “a 15-year-old and [a] 12-year-old were in a room with a gun safe and were handling a single-barrel 20-gauge, breach-loading shotgun with the hammer exposed when the gun went off in the 12-year-old’s hands and shot the 15-year-old in the back,” according to investigating authorities. The 15-year old died as his friends …
On the day of Christmas Eve, a two-year and a five-years old were victims of gun accidents. The two-year old killed himself and the five-year old was injured. In Independence, Missouri, the two-year old was handling a gun when it fired. The child was pronounced dead several hours later. Police were initially told that there …
In North Hollywood, California, Valentina Orellana-Peralta, a 14-year old girl who was shopping for a quinceañera dress, was accidentally shot and killed in a department store dressing room when a bullet passed through a wall during a police action at the store. She died at the scene. Los Angeles police were shooting at an assault …
Jeremiah Pruitt of Birmingham, Alabama, age 13, was shot and killed by one of his 11-year old twin brothers in a gun accident today. The boys had found a gun in a drawer and were playing with it when the accident occurred. The boys’ mother, Starcrease Pruitt, was at one of her two jobs when …
In Atlanta, Georgia, a one-year old who was left alone with her pre-school age brother and a loaded gun was accidentally shot. She is in critical condition at the hospital. A police lieutenant said though it was “a tragic accident,” charges could be filed. “Please put guns away. This is now the second time in …
From a Facebook post made by the sheriff’s office in Nagadoches County, Texas, we learn today that two young boys were playing in a bedroom with a .380 semi-automatic pistol that had been left unattended. The boys, one ten and the other 13, had been shooting earlier in the day under adult supervision. When the boys …
A Covington, Virginia three-year old found a gun in his home and shot himself to death. His grandfather acknowledged that the gun was his, but told police it was hidden under some clothes. The boy died at the hospital after being airlifted to a trauma center. According to the news report investigators are “searching for …
Three children were killed in unintended gun violence on Thanksgiving Day. In Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a group of kids were making a social media video with a gun on Thanksgiving Day, when one of them accidentally pulled the trigger. A five-year old was shot and killed and a 13-year old has been taken into custody. …
Two Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania children, a four-year old and a five-year old, were shot and killed in separate gun accidents today. The four-year old, apparently found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the face. He died at the hospital. “My prayers go out to the family. I feel so bad for them. …
Eric Perez, a 10-year old in Shelbyville, Kentucky, died today in a shooting that appears to authorities to have been accidental. “He was just a fun and energetic little boy — he did his own little thing, that’s why it’s so shocking,” said a neighbor. A police spokesperson added, “[t]hat’s hard especially with the holidays …
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. …
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a two-year old boy found a gun next to a bed in his home and shot himself in the stomach. The bullet exited through the boy’s back. The boy’s parents drove him to hospital, where he is listed in stable condition. “Yet another one of our precious children has suffered a critical …
Kayden Jones, age 8, of Atlanta, Georgia was accidentally shot and killed at his home. Family and friends released red and blue balloons on Sunday at a vigil in his honor. “We’ve been crying all night, all morning,” a neighbor said. “How can you constantly keep trying to explain and get another seven or eight-year-old …
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, …
In Granite Quarry, North Carolina, a middle school student shot and killed himself when he “mishandled a gun” that he thought was unloaded. At this time, the family has asked for privacy and we ask for everyone to keep the family in thoughts and prayers,” the local police chief said. “We have no further releasable …
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: …
Kemar D. Hinton, age 4, of Greensboro, Alabama, shot and killed himself today with a loaded gun he found in his home. “When a tender age child is involved, it’s just near and dear to my heart that we find out the truth. But like I said, based on the evidence we have so far, …
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 Ann Arbor, Michigan, a 16-month old child was shot in the head by a sibling, but is expected to survive. “He is breathing on his own,” his grandmother told a local news station. There were four children at home at the time of the accident. The victim was the youngest and the oldest was …
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 …
The Problem of Relying on a Gun Seller as an “Expert” on Gun Safety According to the original report, police concluded that an Independence, Missouri eight-year old found a gun in his family’s home and shot himself. He was transported to the hospital where he later died. “We are just trying to put all the …
A three-year old and a four year old were injured today by their gun-owning parents’ negligence. This is at least the fourth day in a row that young children were injured in gun accidents. You can track the links to the other stories here. In Houston, Texas, a three year-old was shot in the upper …
A two-year old in Waco, Texas shot himself in the head with a loaded gun he found in his uncle’s backpack. He later died at the hospital. After the incident, the boy’s uncle, Derrick Pipkins, left the scene with the gun. Pipkins was later arrested and charged with tampering with evidence. Source: Felicia Cardenas, “Waco …
Every type of gun safety problem was on display in gun accidents that occurred today. All of today’s accidents are tragic, but none more so than the death of a Texas two-year old in Lawrence, Kansas who was shot in the chest while visiting at a local home. Details of the circumstances of the accident …
In Cleveland, Ohio, a 6-year old boy found his uncle’s gun under a bed and accidentally shot himself in the hand. The boy’s uncle was arrested and charged with child endangerment. The boy was taken for emergency treatment at the hospital. Source: Adam Ferrise, “6-year-old Boy Accidentally Shoots Self with Uncle’s Gun in Cleveland, Police …
Johnnel Green of Marietta, Georgia was arrested today after leaving a loaded semi-automatic pistol on a patio chair at a home he was visiting. Two cousins, a four-year old and a two-year old, found the gun. The four-year old apparently fired a single round and both children were injured. After the incident, Green apparently left …
In Salisbury, North Carolina, teenage boys were passing a gun around as they played video games. A 13-year old was holding the gun when it went off and a 14 year-old boy was killed. According to police, the gun was stolen. The mother of the 13-year old shooter told a reporter, “[n]one of them should …
A Macon, Georgia 4-year old shot and killed himself today with a gun he found in his home. The boy’s grandmother, Kawana Liggins, was arrested and charged with tampering with evidence. Two boys, aged 14 and 16 were interviewed by police because they apparently had brought the gun into the home. According to the report, …
In Casa Grande, Arizona,a five-year old boy who found a loaded handgun in his apartment, accidentally shot and killed his mother, Michele Cox, today. Ms. Cox’s three other children and her boyfriend were home at the time of the incident. After the fact, a police department statement reminded the public in a generic way about …
A Hopkinsville, Kentucky teenager accidentally shot himself in the hand today with a 9 millimeter pistol. It is unclear where he got the gun because few details were reported. Source: John Godsey, “Hopkinsville Juvenile Injured In Accidental Shooting,” wkdzradio.com (September 3, 2021).
A Newark, New Jersey eight-year old was playing with a loaded gun he found in his home when it fired and killed him. According to law enforcement, the incident is being treated as a “horrible accident.” Police are investigating whether the gun was legal and how the child got hold of it. “The 8-year-old was …
Two Memphis, Tennessee girls were shot and killed in separate gun accidents today. In the first incident, at 2:30 A.M., William Oliver accidentally shot and killed his own eight-year old daughter, believing she was an intruder. He has been arrested and charged with reckless homicide. In the other incident, a Memphis six-year old was shot …
Yet another Indianapolis, Indiana child was involved in an accident with a gun today. In this instance, a two-year old apparently found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself. He is reportedly in critical condition at the hospital. There were two other children in the home at the time. They were released into …
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 …
Ashton Wimbush, an Albany, Georgia two-year old was shot and killed in a gun accident today. The District Attorney announced, “the firearm that was used appears to have been a part of what the two children were apparently playing with.” It is unclear which of the children fired the gun. According to authorities, the children …
Two children were injured today in gun accidents. In Chester, Pennsylvania, an 11-month old girl was struck in the head when a gun fell off a table and discharged. She is listed in fair condition at the hospital, but is expected to survive. The reporting did not include information about the gun involved in the …
In Altamonte Springs, Florida, someone called police during a Zoom video conference when they saw and heard a toddler in the video background and then heard a loud noise. Police discovered that the toddler had found a loaded gun and shot his 21-year old mother, Shamaya Lynn, to death. The report does not mention the …
Frantic rescue attempts were unsuccessful when a 5-year old boy accidentally shot a three-year old girl in Bena, Minnesota. According to the report, first responders intercepted a vehicle in which family members were rushing the girl to the hospital in order to provide emergency medical attention. Their life-saving attempts were unsuccessful. Law enforcement officers are …
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. …
The epidemic of gun violence affecting the nation’s children continued unabated today. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a 6-year old found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the hand. He is in stable condition at the hospital. Also today, at least eleven teenagers were shot and injured in separate episodes of gun violence. …
In the latest incident in a rash of accidental shootings involving young children this week, Makayla McKay, a four-year old Chicago, Illinois girl was shot and killed by another child inside her home. “It was an accident,” a Police Superintendent said. “A visiting relative brought a gun to visit inside the home. It was in …
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 …
In Groveton, Texas, Daniel Kee, the interim Chief of Police, announced in a raw post on Facebook that a four-year old cousin to his wife had found a gun in her home and shot herself to death. “4 years and 4 days old just to be killed because those who claimed to be the caretaker …
Two children were accidentally shot and killed by older siblings in their homes today. A third child, age 8, found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself. A 12-year old Baton Rouge, Louisiana child was arrested and placed in juvenile detention after admitting that he accidentally shot and killed his four-year old sister. …
Three children shot and killed themselves today with loaded guns they found in their homes. In each case, few details were reported. In Smithfield, Utah, a five-old and his family returned from a camping trip on Tuesday night and left their camping gear in a downstairs room. The boy came downstairs early on Tuesday morning …
Columbus, Ohio police urged residents to take advantage of a free gun lock program after a 5-year old girl found a loaded gun in her home and shot herself in the head. She died at the hospital. Columbus appears to be a city where gun violence involving children is common. The City of Columbus recently …
In Southport, Florida, a five-year old child shot a seven-year old sibling with a 20-gauge shotgun while their mother slept in another room. Sheriff’s deputies found the seven-year old bleeding on the bathroom floor in her mother’s arms with “severe and life-threatening injuries.” According to the report, the injured girl told investigators that her brother …
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 …
In High Point, North Carolina, a four-year old boy found a gun underneath a couch cushion and shot himself in the head. He later died at the hospital. His mother, Jasmine Eagan, has been charged with felony child abuse. Several adults were in the home at the time of the incident. According to the report, …
In West Jordan, Utah, a 13-year old boy was accidentally killed by his 15-year old friend. According to police, the two had snuck out in the middle of the night with a handgun and were “messing around with it” in a church parking lot. “At some point, the 15-year-old accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting and …
In Wichita, Kansas, a three-year old found a gun and shot herself and her father while he was sleeping. The girl was struck in the hand and her father was struck in the leg. Both were treated at the hospital. Police are investigating how the firearm was stored. During the investigation, three other children have …
According to Maple Heights, Ohio police, 5-year old Princeton Patterson found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself in the head. They found him dead at the scene. There is an open question about whether an adult will be charged for failing to properly secure the gun. A local law professor says state …
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 …
For the second time in less than a week, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ten-year old has died in a gun accident. In the latest incident, a 10-year old girl was found to have suffered a wound to the head in West Philadelphia. She died at the hospital. “Less than one week after meeting with family in …
Devonte Carter, Jr., a four-year old, found his father’s loaded gun and accidentally shot himself to death in Jennings, Missouri. His father, Devonte Carter, Sr., age 25, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm and is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond. Source: “4-year-old Jennings Boy …
In Manhattan, New York, a newly commissioned off-duty New Jersey trooper accidentally fired a round on a Penn Station train platform while adjusting his holster. He shot himself once in the leg and was treated at the hospital. No word about whether the gun had a manual safety and whether it was deployed. There …
A three-year old and a ten-year old died in gun accidents on opposite sides of the country today when they found loaded guns in their homes. In Fresno, California, 3-year old Bryson Vang found his father’s loaded gun and shot and killed himself. His parents and siblings were home at the time. The gun was …
A child, believed to be 6 or 7 years old, shot themselves in their Burbank, Illinois home today, sometime in the mid-afternoon. No details of the circumstances of the accident were released. In Milton, New Hampshire a 32-year old man was shot in the head by his 8-year old nephew while hunting chipmunks. “It’s not …
In Detroit, Michigan, three children found a loaded gun in their home. One of them pulled the trigger and accidentally shot and killed a 12-year old boy. The victim’s twin and a 13-year old cousin were present at the time of the accident, but it is unclear who pulled the trigger. No adults were present …
In Temple, Maine, a two-year old found a loaded gun in his home and used it to accidentally shoot and kill himself. Other family members were home at the time of the accident. The incident comes just over a month after another Maine two-year old found a loaded Glock piston on a nightstand in his …
A 14-year old Jacksonville, Florida boy was arrested and charged with negligence after a 6-year old found a gun in a bedroom of his home and accidentally killed himself. Police said the 14-year-old is accused of improperly storing the gun because he had had possession of the weapon earlier that day. The child, 6-year old …
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. …
In Americus, Georgia, a 16-year old boy was listed in critical condition after being accidentally shot. He and a group of boys were horsing around with a gun on the back deck of a local home. One of the boys, Jordan Hamilton, age 17, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct. In Waterbury, Connecticut, a …
In Dallas, Texas a five-year old boy was shot and killed by an eight-year old who found a loaded gun. Authorities announced that they are investigating how the 8-year old got access to the gun. No other details have been released. Source: Jozelyn Escobedo, “5-year-old Boy Dies After Being Shot by Another Child in Dallas …
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 Dallas, Texas, a ten-year old boy who found a gun in his home accidentally shot himself. His father originally claimed to police that the boy had been struck by a bullet fired by someone else while he was playing in the yard. Police say that there is a chance that charges will be filed …
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 …
After an Oxnard, California 9-year old found a gun in his home and accidentally shot himself, a 17-year old was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and unsafe storage of a firearm. Officers said the child thought the gun, which was easily accessible, was a toy. The boy is in stable condition at the hospital. …
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 …
At the home of a Helena, Alabama police officer, a three-year old child found a loaded gun and shot and killed a six-year old sibling. The officer was not home at the time of the incident. “This was a truly tragic morning for Shelby County. Our agency grieves with the family of this child. I …
Two young girls were accidentally shot and killed today, one in Arizona and the other in Michigan. In Tempe, Arizona, a four-year old girl found an older sibling’s loaded gun hidden under a piece of furniture and shot and killed herself. The girl’s sibling apparently told police that the gun was placed out of sight …
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 …
In Union, Missouri, a four-year old founded a loaded gun under the couch where his father was sleeping. The boy shot and killed himself. According to the local sheriff, the boy’s father, Scott E. Hilton, Jr., was restricted from having a gun in the home. Hilton was arrested and charged with second degree murder during …
Three people were injured when a Bath, Maine two-year old found a loaded 9 mm pistol on a nightstand in his parent’s bedroom. According to a report of the incident, the boy’s mother “sustained a ‘clean gunshot wound’ to her leg and the father, 25, sustained a minor injury to the back of his head. …
In Saint Joseph County, Indiana, a two year-old found a gun and shot himself. Police say the child suffered multiple non-life-threatening injuries to his right foot, left leg and left hand and is being treated at the hospital. Police did not say how the child found the gun, but they are seeking at least one …
A three-year old child in Milwaukee, Wisconsin found a loaded gun in his home and shot himself to death. When the boy’s uncle sought emergency help, a medical assistant who was visiting next door responded. She said the boy’s mother was incredibly distraught. “I can still hear her screaming so I just hope it’s a …
A 17-year old, a 12-year old and a four-year old were injured in gun accidents today. In Rigby, Idaho, a 17-year old was removing his gun from a vehicle while fishing with friends when the gun accidentally fired and he was struck in the chest. He was flown to the hospital and is expected to …
A 34-year old Burlington, North Carolina woman was arrested for failing to secure a firearm “to protect a minor” after a 15-year old boy was accidentally shot. The incident involved three children who gained access to the woman’s gun. The boy was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries. In Helena, Montana, a 68-year old …
Police in Statesville, North Carolina announced that a two-year old child found a loaded gun on a bed in their home and shot themselves. The child is in stable condition. The owner of the gun and the child’s mother were arrested. The gun owner, Erin Vanderburg, was charged with failure to secure a gun to …
In Elkhart, Indiana, a five-year old boy found a loaded gun in his family’s mobile home and shot himself in the chest. Police have confirmed that the shooting was accidental. The boy went to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, although after surgery, he is expected to survive. “My child. That’s what ran through my mind,” …
Two three-year old boys gained access to loaded handguns in separate accidents and shot themselves. Available reporting suggests that the parents were treated differently after the two incidents. Neither report suggests that police are asking why gun manufacturers are allowed to make guns that a three-year old can fire. In Bakersfield, California, 29-year old Shawndel …
Three children were seriously injured in separate gun accidents today, one in Florida, one in Tennessee and one in Georgia. A 14-year old boy in Miami, Florida was preparing to start working out with his father in the family garage. When he went to move his father’s gun, it went off. The boy was airlifted …
In another accident involving a nine-year old child, a Louisville, Kentucky boy was rushed to the hospital after unintentionally shooting himself while playing with a relative’s gun. Police say the boy’s injuries are not considered life-threatening. The incident is nearly identical to one that occurred in Alabama just two days ago on April 15. A …
In Fairfield, Alabama, a nine-year old boy is fighting for his life after finding a gun and shooting himself. He is at the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and the boy’s name has not been released. Nor if there information about how he came into possession of the gun. …
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 …