People hoping to protect kids from accidental gun injuries, deaths push for stronger safety laws

Florida authorities found themselves locked in a gunfight this week with a 14-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy who they say ran away from a group home, broke into a house and found an AK-47, a shotgun and a handgun in a bedroom. This incident is one of thousands that illustrate the complexities of gun violence in the U.S., and experts say guns are too accessible to kids, who could put themselves at risk of accidental injuries, if not death. “[It’s the] second leading cause of death among kids, unsecured guns,” said Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at the Rhode Island Hospital. “We’re kidding ourselves if we don’t think kids know where guns are stored.” Although gun owners living in homes with children are slightly more likely than other gun owners to store firearms safely, as many as 4.6 million minors live in homes where there are loaded, unlocked firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center. Just this year, there have been more than 90 unintentional shootings by children, which resulted in at least 62 injuries and 36 deaths.