The recent shooting in Washington State, where a 15-year-old boy killed five members of his family, has once again brought the issue of teen access to guns into the national spotlight. The teenager, who has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, allegedly used his father's gun, stored in a lockbox, to carry out the horrific act. He was the only family member who knew the lockbox code, according to court filings.
This incident underscores the alarming trend of gun violence among youth in the United States. A report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions revealed that gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in the country.
The Washington tragedy follows a series of similar cases where parents have faced legal consequences for failing to secure their firearms. In Georgia, the father of a suspected school shooter was charged with involuntary manslaughter and other offenses for allowing his son access to a weapon. Similarly, in Michigan, the parents of a mass school shooter were convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths at Oxford High School in 2021.
Jennifer Dolan-Waldman, vice chair of Grandmothers against Gun Violence, emphasizes that the Washington shooting highlights the widespread issue of unfettered access to guns by young people. Data from Every town for Gun Safety reveals that nearly 40% of young Americans report having at least "somewhat easy" access to a gun, with 21% stating they have "very easy" access. Furthermore, almost 17% of youth anticipate having access to a firearm in the future.
The Public Broadcasting Service, citing FBI data, reports that firearms were involved in approximately 90% of homicides committed by teenagers aged 15 to 17 in 2019, a significant increase from around 60% in 1980.
Dolan-Waldman succinctly summarizes the growing concern: "The bottom line is kids should not have guns."
source: CGTN