Facts about Guns

Gun-Related Injury Facts

• Nearly 1,300 children younger than 18 years of age die from shootings every year.
• 1 in 3 families with children have at least one gun in the house. It is estimated that there are more than 22 million children living in homes with guns.
• Most of the victims of unintentional shootings are boys. They are usually shot by a friend or relative, especially a brother.
• Nearly 40% of all unintentional shooting deaths among children 11-14 years of age occur in the home of a friend.
• Adolescents are at a higher risk for suicide when there is a gun in the home.

Myths About Guns

• Some parents believe that hiding their guns will prevent children from accessing them. However, 75% of children who live in homes with guns know where they are stored.
• Many parents think their children are not capable of firing a gun. However, children as young as 3 years old may be strong enough to pull the trigger of a handgun.
• Parents believe their children know the difference between real guns and toy guns, but in 16% of unintentional firearm deaths among children younger than 13 years of age, the gun was mistaken for a toy.
• Parents often believe their child would not touch a gun because “he knows better.” However, studies have found that most children will handle a gun if they find one, even if they have been taught not to.
• Some parents consider non-powder guns, like BB, pellet, and paintball guns, to be toys. These guns, which can fire at the speed of traditional guns, lead to nearly 22,000 injuries each year, especially eye injuries.

Gun Safety Tips

• The best way to keep your children safe from guns is to remove all guns from the home.
• If a gun is in the house, always keep it unloaded and locked. It should be out of reach and sight of children. Keep ammunition and guns locked in separate locations, not together.
• Safety devices, including gun locks, lock boxes and gun safes, should be used for every gun in the house.
• Storage keys and lock combinations should be hidden from children.
• Before visiting friends and relatives, ask if they have guns in their homes. If so, make sure they keep their guns unloaded and locked as well.
• Never leave children unsupervised in a home with a gun.