STATISTICS

STATISTICS

Guns and Kids

“ One out of every three households in Washington state has firearms around the home. About 40 percent of these households have children under the age of 18 living in the home.

“ Approximately 10,000 homes in Spokane County with children have at least one unlocked firearm in them.

“ Every eight hours a child or teen was killed in a firearm related accident or suicide in the United States in 2001.

“ On average, four children died every day in nonhomicide firearm incidents from 1996-2001.

“ Between 1996 and 2001, 26 youths age 19 and under in Washington state were killed by firearm accidents. Suicide committed with guns claimed 175 youths in the same time period and homicides committed with guns claimed 154 youths.

“ In the 12 states that have passed safe storage legislation, the unintentional firearm deaths have dropped by 23 percent for children under 15 years of age.

SOURCES: Washington CeaseFire, Spokane Regional Health District, Commonsense About Kids and Guns and the Centers for Disease Control