A three-year-old child in Michigan has been hospitalized after the kid accidentally shot themselves this weekend.
The child was transported to the hospital after sustaining a serious "accidentally self-inflicted" gunshot wound, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department (GPRD). They found the child at the 700 block of Sinclair Avenue on Saturday after receiving a report about a shooting.
It was not immediately clear how the child gained access to the loaded gun. The owner, whose identity was not publicly revealed, is said to be cooperating with authorities in their investigation, according to ABC affiliate WZZM.
Increasing Self-Inflicted Gunshot Injuries Involving Children
The shooting injury is the latest in a string of self-inflicted gunshot wounds among children. Last week, a student at Lindley Middle School in Mableton, Georgia, suffered a critical self-inflicted gunshot wound, prompting a school lockdown, BNO News reported.
Earlier this month, a six-year-old boy in Lakeland died after getting an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound. The boy reportedly grabbed a Glock19X that had been left between the driver's seat and the center console of her father's car. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head, per The Ledger.
In November last year, LMPD officers responded to an emergency call in the 5500 block of Overbrook Woods Place, where they found a three-year-old girl with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot injury. Authorities later arrested her father, who was said to have placed the loaded gun under the coach and fell asleep.
Firearms remain the leading cause of death for children and teens in the US compared to car crashes and cancer, data from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions showed.
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What Are the Gun Safety Laws in the US?
Many states have implemented secure storage laws that require gun owners to keep their firearms locked and unloaded when they are not in use. This means that if a gun is left unattended, it should be stored in a locked container or secured with a locking device. These laws aim to reduce the risk of accidental shootings and ensure that children cannot easily access firearms.
Additionally, some states have specific Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws that hold adults accountable if a child gains access to a firearm due to negligent storage. If a minor obtains a firearm and causes harm, the adult responsible for the gun can face legal consequences.
Penalties for improperly storing firearms vary by state but can be quite severe. Generally, people could face fines ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars and potential jail time from a few months to several years. The punishment often depends on factors like the type of weapon, whether it was loaded, and whether a minor or prohibited person gained access to it.
