Friend, 

Last Friday, participants on a Zoom call watched in horror as a Florida woman was killed on camera, shot in the head by her own toddler. The child had found a loaded gun, kept in the apartment unsecured.[1]

Each year, hundreds of innocent children die and others face lifelong guilt and trauma—all because adults in their lives did not lock up their firearms.[2] Pennsylvania is no exception: In February, a 10-year-old in Swatara Township accidentally shot and killed his 12-year-old brother.[3] This summer, two Philadelphia children died within a week of one another from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.[4] 

As Pennsylvania’s gun violence crisis rages and firearms sales soar, more children are in danger. Safe gun storage laws require gun owners to safely store firearms when not in use. But Pennsylvania is among a minority of states that have not enacted such laws to prevent children’s access to firearms. Tell your state senator: Support safe storage legislation SB 581.[5]

Studies show that having a gun in the house greatly ups the risk of accidental shootings (not to mention homicide and suicide), especially in houses with young people. Almost half (42%) of suicides among teenagers use a firearm. 4.6 million minors across the United States have access to at least one loaded and unlocked firearm in their house[6] and around 35-40% of homes with children have at least one firearm.

Fortunately, studies also show that gun storage laws work. For example, states with laws requiring safe gun storage have lower rates of suicide among adolescents,[7] and such laws effectively reduce accidental gun injuries in children and youths.[8]

Keeping kids away from guns should be a no-brainer, and the vast majority of gun owners agree. Tell your PA senator to take this crucial step and enact laws that protect children from getting hold of guns.

Thank you for helping keep Pennsylvania kids safe.

Adam Garber
Executive Director, CeaseFirePA 

 

[1] Police: Toddler picks up gun, fires at Central Florida mother, killing her during Zoom call.” WESH 2 News, August 12, 2021.
[2] “#NotAnAccident Index.” Everytown Research & Policy, accessed August 17, 2021.
[3] “Update: Swatara Twp. 12-year-old dies after 10-year-old brother accidentally shoots him in head.” ABC 27 News, February 26, 2021.
[4] “Another Philadelphia child dies in an accidental shooting.” The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 2, 2021.
[5] “Co-Sponsorship Memorandum: Safe Storage of Firearms.” Senate of Pennsylvania, Session of 2021-2022 Regular Session. December 2, 2020.
[6] “Firearm Storage in Gun-Owning Households with Children: Results of a 2015 National Survey.” Azrael, D, et al. Journal of Urban Health, June 2018.
[7] “Storage Practices of US Gun Owners in 2016.” Crifasi, CK, et al., American Journal of Public Health, April 2018.
[8] “Research Review: Effects of Child-Access Prevention Laws on Unintentional Injuries and Deaths.” Rand Corporation, April 22, 2020.

CeaseFirePA
P.O. Box 60095  | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102
215-923-3151

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