GUNS: More Than 150 People Were Shot by Children Last Year

A new report from a gun safety advocacy group finds that at least 157 people were accidentally shot and killed last year by a child who got ahold of a gun.

Photo: E+

According to Everytown, in addition to 157 deaths, another 270 people were injured in unintentional shootings by minors. Most of the shootings involved kids between the ages of 14 and 17, and children under 5. Half of the shootings involved children who shot themselves. In the other incidents, someone else was injured or killed and it was usually another child -- most often a sibling or friend. Last year had the highest number of unintentional shooting by children ever. Everytown director Sarah Burd-Sharps says, "Nearly once every day, a child gets their hand on a loaded gun and shoots themselves or someone else. It’s so preventable.”