At least 55 people have been killed and 78 injured in 126 accidental shootings of children in the United States since the beginning of the year.
A new firearms tragedy in the United States. An 8-year-old boy was shot dead by his 5-year-old brother in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on Thursday. American television channel CNN reports that an investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy, but the authorities favor the thesis of the accident.
“This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided. I cannot stress enough that firearms must be kept properly secured and out of the reach of children at all times,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr.
The shooting took place at an apartment building on the outskirts of Pine Bluff, a town of about 40,000 people. Police forces found the 8-year-old boy unconscious when they arrived at the scene. The body of the young victim must now be transferred to the regional court for an autopsy.
126 accidental shootings of children in 2022
The Arkansas Department of Social Services was quickly notified of the shooting and addressed the scene. The 5-year-old and four other siblings were taken away and will be placed in the care of their aunt until the investigation is completed. Investigators will indeed try to determine if this incident was due to parental negligence while police found multiple guns in the home.
“There are unanswered questions like the actual safety of guns,” Sheriff Woods said. “The mother said the guns were safe, but we are now verifying that information.”
The sheriff also claimed that “gun owners who fail to properly secure their firearms are a split second away from one of those tragedies happening in their homes.”
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Since the beginning of the year, there have been no fewer than 126 accidental shootings of children in the United States, killing 55 and injuring 78, according to casualty count organization Everytown for Gun Safety.
Last year, at least 392 children were accidentally shot, killing 163 and injuring 248.
Original article published on BFMTV.com
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