#NotAnAccident Index Reveals California Suffered At Least 5 Unintentional Child Shootings Already in 2015—including shootings in Fresno, Gilroy, Linda, Victorville
National Index Shows At Least 25 Deaths, 88 Unintentional Shootings Involving Children This Year, One Every 36 Hours; Everytown and Moms Launch “Be SMART” Campaign to Reduce Child Shootings; BeSMARTforkids.org
San Francisco, CA – Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America’s recently launched #NotAnAccident Index and interactive map, a first-of-its-kind tracking of unintentional shootings by children 17 or under across the United States shows California suffered at least five unintentional shootings involving children, resulting in five injuries and one death in 2015—including shootings in Fresno, Gilroy, Linda and Victorville.
Nationally the #NotAnAccident Index indicates that since January 1, 2015, there have been at least 88 unintentional shootings involving children, resulting in 65 injuries and 25 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.
“As a parent, I am shocked by how often we see unintentional child shootings here in California,” said Jen Reidy, volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Everytown for Gun Safety research has shown that once every 36 hours a child unintentionally fires a gun and harms someone. As adults, we need to do everything we can to protect children from these preventable tragedies.”
The California shootings on the #NotAnAccident Index are:
- January 18, 2015 Fresno, CA: A 14-year-old boy was attempting to scare his ex-girlfriend when he unintentionally shot himself in the leg. When he found his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle outside the home of her new boyfriend, the 14-year-old fired a .22 caliber rifle several times in the air. The gun jammed, and while trying to clear it, he shot himself in the leg. The teen was treated for his injury and then booked into the Fresno County Juvenile Hall for endangering the public.
- February 12, 2015 Fresno, CA: A Madera County sheriff’s lieutenant was getting ready for work when he set his handgun on the bed and went to use the bathroom. The magazine had been removed from the weapon, but there was still a round in the chamber. His ten-year-old daughter grabbed the gun and it discharged, hitting and injuring his eight-year-old daughter. The sheriff’s lieutenant was not disciplined.
- April 19, 2015 Victorville, CA: 15-year-old Xavier Minefield shot and killed 16-year-old Dakota Washington. Police said the shooting was unintentional but charged Minniefield with involuntary manslaughter.
- May 2, 2015 Linda, CA: A 17-year-old boy was cleaning a gun when he pulled the slide and it slipped, firing a bullet through the wall where it hit two of his sisters, ages six and eight, who were sleeping on the bed in the next room. Both girls were transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The gun was removed from the home, and police have ruled the shooting unintentional.
- May 4, 2015 Gilroy, CA: A 13-year-old girl unintentionally shot herself in the leg after finding a handgun belonging to her stepfather, a Gilroy Police officer. She was treated at a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Police are investigating the incident, and a preliminary investigation concluded that the gun was the officer’s privately owned handgun, and not his service weapon.
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.
“The Be SMART campaign is a great way to get Missourians talking about basic gun safety and preventing further tragedy,” continued Gregory. “This campaign is not anti-gun, it’s pro-gun safety. The goal here is not to scare people or take away anyone’s rights, but rather to demonstrate that we have the power to help prevent these tragedies before they happen, and it starts with the Be SMART campaign.”
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.
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million supporters and more than 40,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand