Gun violence among youth in the United States has surged into the national spotlight following a tragic incident in Washington state. On October 21, a 15-year-old boy was charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder after allegedly using his father's firearm to kill his parents and three siblings, who were aged 7, 9, and 13.
Authorities revealed that the teenager had access to the gun through a lockbox, the code to which only he knew. His next court appearance is scheduled for January 8.
This heartbreaking event underscores alarming statistics about gun violence affecting young Americans. A September report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions identified gun violence as the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Moreover, legal actions have been taken against parents for providing access to firearms. For instance, the father of the suspect from Apalachee High School in Georgia faced charges for allowing his son to possess a weapon, and parents of a 2021 Oxford High School shooter in Michigan were convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Jennifer Dolan-Waldman, vice chair of Grandmothers Against Gun Violence, emphasized that the Washington shooting highlights the widespread availability of guns used in family killings across the nation.
Data from Everytown for Gun Safety reveals that approximately 40% of young Americans find it "somewhat easy" to access a gun, with 21% saying access is "very easy." Additionally, nearly 17% of youth plan to obtain a firearm in the future. The prevalence of firearms in teen homicides has also increased, with around 90% of teen homicides involving guns in 2019, up from 60% in 1980.
Advocates like Dolan-Waldman argue that stricter gun control measures are essential to prevent such tragedies, asserting, \"The bottom line is kids should not have guns.\"
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Concerns grow over teen gun access in U.S. after 15-year-old kills 5
cgtn.com
