Georgia Moms Demand Action Statement in Response to Unintentional Child Shooting That Injured Nine-Year-Old in Dekalb County
5.21.2015
#NotAnAccident Index Reveals Georgia Suffered At Least 6 Unintentional Child Shootings Already in 2015—including shootings in Augusta, Baconton, Chatsworth, DeKalb County, Jefferson and Macon
National Index Shows At Least 28 Deaths, 97 Unintentional Shootings Involving Children This Year, One Every 36 Hours; Everytown and Moms Launch “Be SMART” Campaign to Reduce Child Shootings; BeSMARTforkids.org
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. – The Georgia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the below statement today in response to the recent reported unintentional shooting in DeKalb County in which a 9-year-old boy shot and injured himself after gaining access to a 9mm handgun that was stored in a shoe box in his mother’s bedroom.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this young child who was injured this week in DeKalb County. Sadly, these tragedies happen all too often. Recent research from Everytown for Gun Safety research has found that there have been at least 97 unintentional child shootings in 2015 so far, an average of one in America every 36 hours,” said Dr. Viviana Goldenberg, a volunteer leader with the Georgia chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We encourage parents and adults, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, to ‘Be SMART’ and take these simple steps to help prevent shootings by children: Secure all guns in your homes and vehicles; Model responsible behavior around guns; Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes; Recognize the risks of teen suicide; Tell your peers to Be SMART.”
Everytown and Moms Demand Action recently launched the #NotAnAccident Index and interactive map, a first-of-its-kind tracking of unintentional shootings by children 17 or under across the United States. The index reveals Georgia suffered at least 6 unintentional shootings involving children, resulting in three injuries and three deaths in 2015—including shootings in Augusta, Baconton, Chatsworth, DeKalb County, Jefferson and Macon
Nationally the #NotAnAccident Index indicates that since January 1, 2015, there have been at least 97 unintentional shootings involving children, resulting in 71 injuries and 28 deaths—that’s an average of one unintentional child shooting in America every 36 hours. The index is based on media coverage and police reports of instances where a child 17 years or younger unintentionally fired a gun and harmed either him or herself or another person.
The Georgia shootings on the #NotAnAccident Index are:
- January 18, 2015, Baconton, GA
Following a day of hunting, the adults in the hunting party told Jackson O’Quinn, 13, to put away the guns used in the hunt. He was in the process of doing so when he unintentionally discharged one of the guns, hitting and killing himself.
- March 10, 2015, Macon, GA
After finding a gun in his home, an eight-year-old boy unintentionally shot and injured his five-year-old brother.
- March 19, 2015, Chatsworth, GA
A two-year-old girl unintentionally shot and injured herself in the abdomen with a .25-caliber gun. Her father called the police, who recovered a gun at the scene. She was treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
- March 29, 2015, Jefferson, GA
Three-year-old Jaxon Kullen White unintentionally shot and killed himself with a handgun. Police were called to the scene and transported White to a local hospital, where he died.
- April 29, 2015, Augusta, GA
A fifteen-year-old boy was playing with a gun when he unintentionally discharged it, hitting his brother, Rasheem Scriven, 1, in the head, killing him. The older child was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct, and possession of a handgun by a person under 18.
- May 19, 2015, DeKalb County, GA
According to police, a nine-year-old boy waited until his mother was asleep, went into her bedroom, and removed a shoe box from the closet shelf where she stored a 9mm handgun. As the boy handled the weapon, it discharged, injuring his left finger. As of May 20, 2015, police had not determined whether charges will be filed.
According to police, a nine-year-old boy waited until his mother was asleep, went into her bedroom, and removed a shoe box from the closet shelf where she stored a 9mm handgun. As the boy handled the weapon, it discharged, injuring his left finger. As of May 20, 2015, police had not determined whether charges will be filed.
In efforts to reduce the number of shootings by children, Everytown and Moms Demand Action recently launched the Be SMART campaign, a new public education campaign asking gun owners and non-gun owners alike to come together to reduce the number of unintentional shootings, suicides, and homicides that occur when firearms are not stored responsibly and children or teens get ahold of a gun. The campaign asks parents and caretakers to take five steps to help prevent shootings by children: Secure all guns in your home and vehicles; Model responsible behavior around guns; Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes; Recognize the risks of teen suicide; Tell your peers to be SMART. More information on Be SMART is available at BeSMARTforKids.org.
As part of the Be SMART campaign to promote gun safety in communities nationwide, Everytown and Moms Demand Action will provide one gunlock for every supporter who completes the online gun safety quiz on BeSMARTforKids.org to Moms Demand Action chapters to distribute at local gun safety awareness events.