Mike Levin: “two separate accidental shootings in Detroit on April 22 of this year left one 13-year-old boy dead and a 9- year-old…”

“two separate accidental shootings in Detroit on April 22 of this year left one 13-year-old boy dead and a 9- year-old boy critically wounded. These tragedies should remind us again that much more must be done to prevent access to guns by children. According to published reports, both of these shootings involved children playing with guns inside their own homes. In both cases, the guns accidentally discharged and shot the victim in the head. In reference to the accidental shooting of the 9-year-old boy, Lieutenant James Tolbert of the Detroit Police Department commented, ``This is an unfortunate and needless incident that would have been prevented if people would make sure that a weapon in the home is secure and out of reach.'' In addition, Lieutenant Tolbert suggested that similar shootings could be prevented through the use of trigger locks or the storage of ammunition separate from the gun. Recent research supports Lieutenant Tolbert's suggestions. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the application of responsible gun storage measures can significantly reduce the risk of unintentional shooting or suicide by minors using a gun. According to the study, when ammunition in the home is locked up, the risk of such injuries is reduced by 61 percent. Simply storing ammunition separately from the gun reduces such occurrences by more than 50 percent.…”