Toddlers Have Already Shot 23 People This Year And It’s Only May

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Toddlers Have Already Shot 23 People This Year And It’s Only May
And those are just the ones that have been reported.
By Megan Reynolds / The Frisky
May 6, 2016

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According to a report via the Washington Post, American children aged three and under have shot at least 23 people in 2016 which is a five person increase since last year. In an analysis from October 2015 conducted by reporter Christopher Ingraham, the nation’s toddlers were shooting people at an average rate of one per week. These numbers are most likely on the low side, too. While sometimes it certainly feels like every week brings another story of a child stumbling upon a gun and shooting another person, consider the fact that the stories that get the press are the ones in which the victims suffer grievous harm. That means that toddlers have shot 23 people this year…that we know about.

The rest of the cases didn’t get media attention probably only because no one was seriously injured or killed. Everytown For Gun Safety, a pro-gun control group, has discovered at least 77 incidents in 2016 alone where a child 18 years old or under accidentally shot someone. So, where are these incidents taking place? Where in this great nation of ours do children have such easy access to guns? According to the Post,
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Georgia is home to the highest number of toddler shootings, with at least eight incidents since January 2015. Texas and Missouri are tied for second place with seven shootings each, while Florida and Michigan are tied for fourth, with six shootings apiece.

Please refrain from making assumptions about the kinds of people that are “letting” this happen and the states where these incidents occur. Toddlers shooting people with guns that they should not have access to isn’t just a result of bad parenting or gun-crazy Southerners whistling Dixie while placing a loaded revolver in the hand of their 3-year old and hoping for the best. Gun control laws vary by state; Georgia and Missouri happen to be pretty lax. Guns do exist in other states like New York, California and other places in this great nation where a gun culture doesn’t really, but the laws are different. This fact combined with the social acceptability of guns and gun culture adds up to an environment where children would indeed have access to guns and therefore would be able to shoot them accidentally.

So, how do we fix this? Gun control laws are one step; checking in with gun owners about the ways they store their guns is another. Treating guns with the seriousness they deserve would be a third. If you have a gun at home, great. I’m not going to take it away from you. But try and keep it away from your kid.

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@bobsal u1553115,

Guns have gotten into this culture in a big way. Killings like this will continue until we make legislation to get guns out of the everyday life of so many Americans.

Having a hunting rifle or rifles is one thing. Having handguns as a pervasive aspect of a large part of the population will inevitably lead to senseless killings like this.

3 Replies

@Blickers,

Gotten into the culture? They have been a part of the American experience since this nation was founded. Sorry but the SCOTUS disagrees with you an removing them from everyday life. It's a Constitutional right that you or your anti-gun flunkies can't remove.

1 Reply

Thes anti-gun nuts want us all to die. If people can't have guns, how can they defend themselves against toddlers?

1 Reply

@Baldimo,

The Constitution says you have the right to have a gun. It doesn't say you have the right to any kind of gun out there. There are plenty of places where you need a license to own a pistol or handgun.

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I say we plug 'em first. I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6.

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@Blickers,

Blickers wrote:

Guns have gotten into this culture in a big way. Killings like this will continue until we make legislation to get guns out of the everyday life of so many Americans.

The 2013 gun control debacle is what led the Democrats to their historic defeat that is coming later in 2106.

It's already going to be decades before the Democrats see the inside of the White House again, and the Second Amendment isn't going anywhere.

Maybe it is time to quit now before they get even further behind.

Blickers wrote:

Having a hunting rifle or rifles is one thing. Having handguns as a pervasive aspect of a large part of the population will inevitably lead to senseless killings like this.

Assault rifles are fine for home/business defense or carrying in cars. But for going around on foot you want a handgun.

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@Blickers,

Blickers wrote:

The Constitution says you have the right to have a gun. It doesn't say you have the right to any kind of gun out there.

It says that a type of gun can be restricted only if there is a good reason for restricting it.

Blickers wrote:

There are plenty of places where you need a license to own a pistol or handgun.

A shall issue license.

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@Blickers,

Quote:

The Constitution says you have the right to have a gun.

It also says that the right will not be infringed. It seems you want to infringe on that right to own a gun simply because you don't like them and don't see a need. Good thing it isn't your need that is taken into account, it's the needs of people who want to own a gun.

Quote:

It doesn't say you have the right to any kind of gun out there.

It doesn't? Can you point me to the place in the 2nd Amendment that says what guns I can or can't have?

Quote:

There are plenty of places where you need a license to own a pistol or handgun.

There are more places where you don't have to have anything to own a handgun. Cities like Chicago tried to heavily restrict gun ownership and they were shot down by the SCOTUS, they don't seem to agree with your un-Constitutional views on guns.

2 Replies

@Tes yeux noirs,

You ever wonder why a majority of people in the US don't agree with you guys on guns.

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@Baldimo,

Quote Blickers:

Quote:

There are plenty of places where you need a license to own a pistol or handgun.

Quote Baldimo:

Quote:

There are more places where you don't have to have anything to own a handgun.

Yes, and as a result the United States has a murder rate four times higher than other advanced countries. The crux of the matter is, though, that requiring licenses for handguns is not unconstitutional, or else New York City and other places would have had their handgun laws struck down.

Wow, not even toddlers shooting can sway you gun guys. You're not capable of being swayed, no matter what the cost.

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@Blickers,

Quote:

Yes, and as a result the United States has a murder rate four times higher than other advanced countries.

As a result? Sounds like you are trying to say our murder rate would be lower without guns... Why do you guys only want to compare "developed countries" when you talk about guns.
https://mises.org/blog/mistake-only-comparing-us-murder-rates-developed-countries

Quote:

The crux of the matter is, though, that requiring licenses for handguns is not unconstitutional, or else New York City and other places would have had their handgun laws struck down.

Do you currently know if any of those states have lawsuits against them for their un-Constitutional laws? Yes I call them un-Constitutional, that is my opinion.

Quote:

Wow, not even toddlers shooting can sway you gun guys. You're not capable of being swayed, no matter what the cost.

When you guys can't get your way, it always comes down to the kids doesn't it? It seems to be your last defense when trying to limit the Constitution.

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Quote:

Please refrain from making assumptions about the kinds of people that are “letting” this happen and the states where these incidents occur. Toddlers shooting people with guns that they should not have access to isn’t just a result of bad parenting

If this isn't a result of bad parenting --- then what is it? How does a toddler get their hands on a loaded gun? You would pretty much have to leave one out where they can reach it. Toddlers are not tall enough to reach into a top shelf closet for example. If the gun was locked and kept out of reach a toddler could not get access to it.

Now I am not a fan of guns, but common sense would keep guns out of a toddler's hands. You aren't talking about older kids that would be searching these things out.

1 Reply

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@Baldimo,

Baldimo wrote:

Can you point me to the place in the 2nd Amendment that says what guns I can or can't have?

Generally for any Constitutional right, the rules are that the government can only pass a law impacting the right if that law addresses a compelling public need, and is narrowly tailored so that it has no impact on the right aside from addressing that compelling public need.

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@Blickers,

Blickers wrote:

Yes, and as a result the United States has a murder rate four times higher than other advanced countries.

This is doubly wrong. The US does not have the highest murder rate out of all advanced countries (or at least we didn't the last time I looked up the stats, which was quite awhile ago). And our murder rate has little to do with gun possession.

Blickers wrote:

The crux of the matter is, though, that requiring licenses for handguns is not unconstitutional,

Shall issue licenses are ok. May issue licences are NOT ok.

Blickers wrote:

or else New York City and other places would have had their handgun laws struck down.

Your logic is in error. Thus far the Supreme Court has not fully enforced the Second Amendment. Just because a law stands now does not mean it will stand once the courts start enforcing the Constitution.

Blickers wrote:

Wow, not even toddlers shooting can sway you gun guys. You're not capable of being swayed, no matter what the cost.

No one has demonstrated any cost thus far.

But yes. Freedom is more important than life.

2 Replies

@Linkat,

It isn't bad parenting, it is not teaching your kids about guns. There are 2 main rules about guns...

1- Always treat a gun as if it is loaded.
2- The first thing you do when picking up a gun is make sure it's empty. If you suspect that it isn't, either leave it alone and find someone who knows what they are doing or just report it.

Teaching these 2 simple steps to kids would save a lot of lives both children and adults. If you can teach them to look both ways before crossing the street, then you can teach them this.

1 Reply

Toddlers Have Already Shot 23 People This Year And It’s Only May

natural selection at work

1 Reply

@oralloy,

Here is an interesting article about why these comparisons do not make sense -- the comparisons of US murder rates and so forth - basically saying how these stats and comparisons are biased.

https://mises.org/blog/mistake-only-comparing-us-murder-rates-developed-countries

1 Reply

@Baldimo,

Really? A toddler? You keep guns away from toddlers --- period. Toddlers are not old enough to be shown how to handle a gun.

Do you also show a sharp knife to a toddler and explain the correct way of handling a knife --- no you keep sharp objects out of a toddler's reach. They are too young to fully understand this. Do you also show them how to handle matches? Or how to drive a car?

No toddlers are too young --- end of story.

I am not against explaining guns and the danger and seriousness of them --- but a toddler is too young to fully understand the true implications of them.

There is a reason you do not leave dangerous things out with a toddler no matter how many times you have explained the danger -- there was the temptation and they do not fully understand no matter how many times you tell them.

As far as explaining them to look both ways to cross the street - toddlers are too young for this as well. Yes, you teach them that....but then when they go outside and they see something across the street they want --- they just run. That is what toddlers do - just speak with my neighbor when I was a kid he thought the same thing until his 3 year old got hit by a car.

I agree you need to teach your children these things even at the age of 3, but that doesn't mean they are capable of handling this responsibility. Easy keep them locked and out of reach.

0 Replies

Just think: a good baby with a gun could have prevented some of those murders.

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Toddlers Have Already Shot 23 People This Year And It’s Only May

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