Guns were No. 1 killer of children and adolescents in 2020, CDC data shows

Startling new data from the CDC found that more children and teens are dying at the hands of guns than ever before.

Firearms surpassed car accidents as the No. 1 killer among children and teens, according to startling new data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Friday.

As firearm deaths for all Americans reached a new peak in 2020 -- 45,222 -- researchers said the numbers were particularly troubling among people under 19 years old.

Gun deaths in that age group saw a 29.5% jump from 2019 to 2020, which was more than twice as high as the relative increase in firearm deaths seen in the general population, according to the CDC.

For the last 21 years, gun deaths were second to motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, however, the gap between the two categories has been narrowing since 2016, the CDC said.