I was curious about gun violence and children after yesterday’s tragedy. I did a bit of research and this is what I found.
Over 3,000 children are killed each year due to gun violence. (latest figures by National Health Information Network)
The number of preschoolers killed by gun violence is nearly double that of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. 88 preschoolers were killed compared to 41 law enforcement officers in 2008 and 85 preschoolers compared to 48 law enforcement officers in 2009. (The latest figures provided by the Children’s Defense Fund)
The number of children killed in gun violence in 2008-2009 would fill more than 229 public school classrooms of 25 students each. (Children’s Defense Fund)
More children are killed by gun violence ANNUALLY than people were killed in the 9/11 attack.
In 2008-2009 the number of children killed by gun violence was greater than the number of U.S. military personnel killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan (5,013) (Children’s Defense Fund)
Over 15,000 children under 15 are injured each year due to gun violence. (National Health Information Network)
Approximately 58 children are killed each week as a result of gun violence in the U.S. That means that each week we lose almost triple the amount of children who were killed in the tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on 12/14/12.
The rate of firearm-related homicides for U.S. children younger than 15 years of age is nearly 16 times greater than the rates in 25 other industrialized countries COMBINED. (National Health Information Network)
And sadly what speaks loudest to many:
100 BILLION DOLLARS is spent annually in the U.S.A. on gun related injury and death (Gun Violence: The Real Cost by Philip J. Cook and Jens Ludwig)
