<p>A new analysis of data from&nbsp;the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) has shown that&nbsp;gun-related deaths among children in the United States&nbsp;reached a peak in 2021, claiming 4,752 young lives.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Out of those fatalities, 64.3 per cent&nbsp;were homicides, 29.9 per cent&nbsp;were suicides and 3.5 per cent&nbsp;resulted from unintentional injury, according to the analysis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dr&nbsp;Chethan Sathya, the lead author of the study and&nbsp;a pediatric trauma surgeon at Northwell Health in New York said the most likely reason someone's kid was to die from in the US was&nbsp;the use of a firearm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This is undoubtedly one of our chief public health crises in this country. The most likely reason that your child will die in this country is at the hands of a firearm. That’s not acceptable,” said Sathya, whose study was published Monday (August 21) in the journal Pediatrics.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/data-lab-alarming-stats-in-charts-us-has-more-gun-dealers-than-mcdonalds-starbucks-outlets-put-together-617139"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Data Lab | Alarming stats, in charts: US has more gun dealers than McDonald's, Starbucks outlets put together</strong></a></p>

<h2><b>Increase in deaths surprised researchers&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>The increase in gun-related deaths in 2021 surprised researchers&nbsp;who said they were expecting to see a decrease, following their sharp increase in 2020 when kids were forced to be confined to homes due to pandemic-induced lockdowns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“This was surprising to many of us,” said Sathya, adding that the US has&nbsp;potentially entered an “alarming new baseline”, where gun-related death among children may continue to rise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The report states that Black children continue to be disproportionately affected by gun-related deaths. They accounted for nearly 68 per cent of all gun-related homicides, which was a twofold increase from 2020 numbers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Structural inequity, structural racism, social determinants of health, food insecurity are all root drivers of violence.&nbsp;including gun violence," said Sathya when quizzed about the disparity in numbers.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-gun-violence-crisis-how-easy-is-it-to-buy-guns-wion-wideangle-582644"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;US gun violence crisis: How easy is it to buy guns? | WION Wideangle</strong></a></p>

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<p>Recent weeks have seen a flurry of cases where young kids have died by the use of firearms. A three-year-old in Florida shot himself with a handgun, while in California&nbsp;a three-year-old killed his one-year-old sister with the firearm. Last week, a six-year-old in Florida was fatally shot by a nine-year-old.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sathya's research is not the only one that points towards the growing trend of gun-related deaths among children. A Pew Research report&nbsp;released earlier this year stated that the number of children and teens killed by gunfire increased by 50 per cent between 2019 and 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US has long been associated with gun violence as mass shootings, especially in schools and colleges, have become a routine phenomenon. The data by Dr Sathya and Pew research, now, corroborates the anecdotal evidence.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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A new analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) has shown that gun-related deaths among children in the United States reached a peak in 2021, claiming 4,752 young lives.

A new analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) has shown that gun-related deaths among children in the United States reached a peak in 2021, claiming 4,752 young lives. Out of those fatalities, 64.3 per cent were homicides, 29.9 per cent were suicides and 3.5 per cent resulted from unintentional injury, according to the analysis. Dr Chethan Sathya, the lead author of the study and a pediatric trauma surgeon at Northwell Health in New York said the most likely reason someone's kid was to die from in the US was the use of a firearm. “This is undoubtedly one of our chief public health crises in this country. The most likely reason that your child will die in this country is at the hands of a firearm. That’s not acceptable,” said Sathya, whose study was published Monday (August 21) in the journal Pediatrics. Also read | Data Lab | Alarming stats, in charts: US has more gun dealers than McDonald's, Starbucks outlets put together Increase in deaths surprised researchers The increase in gun-related deaths in 2021 surprised researchers who said they were expecting to see a decrease, following their sharp increase in 2020 when kids were forced to be confined to homes due to pandemic-induced lockdowns. “This was surprising to many of us,” said Sathya, adding that the US has potentially entered an “alarming new baseline”, where gun-related death among children may continue to rise. The report states that Black children continue to be disproportionately affected by gun-related deaths. They accounted for nearly 68 per cent of all gun-related homicides, which was a twofold increase from 2020 numbers. “Structural inequity, structural racism, social determinants of health, food insecurity are all root drivers of violence. including gun violence," said Sathya when quizzed about the disparity in numbers. Watch | US gun violence crisis: How easy is it to buy guns? | WION Wideangle × Recent weeks have seen a flurry of cases where young kids have died by the use of firearms. A three-year-old in Florida shot himself with a handgun, while in California a three-year-old killed his one-year-old sister with the firearm. Last week, a six-year-old in Florida was fatally shot by a nine-year-old. Sathya's research is not the only one that points towards the growing trend of gun-related deaths among children. A Pew Research report released earlier this year stated that the number of children and teens killed by gunfire increased by 50 per cent between 2019 and 2021. The US has long been associated with gun violence as mass shootings, especially in schools and colleges, have become a routine phenomenon. The data by Dr Sathya and Pew research, now, corroborates the anecdotal evidence. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Kids in US most likely to die due to use of firearms, reveals study

<p><meta charset="utf-8" />Gun violence took centre&nbsp;stage as the prevailing theme of the year in the United States from the very beginning of 2023. Six months in, and the country has reached a sombre milestone that nobody ever aspired for—the deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006.</p>

<p>From January 1 to June 30, the US went through a tough stretch. There were 28 mass killings during this time, and almost all of them involved guns, according to an analysis undertaken by the Associated Press.&nbsp;It seemed like every week the death toll went up, and it was a cycle of violence and sorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The milestone of 2023 has gone above and beyond, surpassing the previous record of 27 mass killings set in the second half of 2022.</p>

<p><strong>WION Data Lab </strong>brings you some staggering statistics&nbsp;on America's unique struggle with gun violence.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong><meta charset="utf-8" />American gun ownership rates are the highest in the world</strong></h2>

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<p>A 2018 report by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey discovered that US gun owners had 393.3 million firearms, which is more than the nation's current population of approximately 340&nbsp;million.</p>

<p>In a study by the&nbsp;<em>Annals of Internal Medicine</em>, it was discovered that between January 2019 and April 2021, 7.5 million Americans&nbsp;or slightly under three per cent of the population, became first-time gun owners.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/americans-respond-to-epidemic-of-gun-violence-by-buying-more-guns-616945">Americans respond to epidemic of gun violence by buying more guns</a></p>

<h2><strong>Disturbing Surge: Gun Deaths Among US Kids Soar by 50% Between 2019 and 2021</strong></h2>

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<p><em><strong>Note: This is an interactive data chart. Hover/click on the squares to get the figures.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>Between 2019 and 2021, there was a distressing 50 per cent&nbsp;surge in the number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-3-year-old-accidentally-kills-1-year-old-sibling-with-a-gun-in-a-bizarre-incident-616992">children</a> and teens fatally impacted by gunfire in the United States. This data comes from a comprehensive analysis by the Pew Research Center, which examined the latest annual mortality statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).</p>

<p>In 2019, a time before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of gun-related deaths among children and teenagers below the age of 18 in the United States stood at 1,732. However, by 2021, that figure had surged to an alarming&nbsp;2,590.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Gun deaths outpace car accidents as a greater threat to children's lives</strong></h2>

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<p><em><strong>Note: This is an interactive data chart. Hover/click on the points to get the figures.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>In 2021, firearms were responsible for approximately 19 per cent of all childhood deaths (ages 1-18), as revealed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database. Shockingly, nearly 3,600 children lost their lives in gun-related incidents that year. To put it into perspective, that's roughly five children lost for every 100,000 children in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Firearm frenzy: Outnumbering giants such as McDonald's, Starbucks in the US</strong></h2>

<p><strong><img alt="Chart" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fa37609-9eb6-4aeb-a45f-8e88be3f12db" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/The%20battle%20for%20Kyiv%20%2850%29.jpg" /></strong></p>

<p>The chart above demonstrates the remarkable accessibility of lethal weapons in the United States. Comparing the gun trade with the number of McDonald's, Starbucks, and Subway outlets, it becomes evident that the trading of firearms surpasses even the ubiquity of selling burgers or coffee. To put it into perspective, there were a staggering 52,799 federal firearm dealers scattered across the US in 2020.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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Gun violence took centre stage as the prevailing theme of the year in the United States from the very beginning of 2023. Six months in, and the country has reached a sombre milestone that nobody ever aspired for—the deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006.

Gun violence took centre stage as the prevailing theme of the year in the United States from the very beginning of 2023. Six months in, and the country has reached a sombre milestone that nobody ever aspired for—the deadliest six months of mass killings recorded since at least 2006. From January 1 to June 30, the US went through a tough stretch. There were 28 mass killings during this time, and almost all of them involved guns, according to an analysis undertaken by the Associated Press. It seemed like every week the death toll went up, and it was a cycle of violence and sorrow. The milestone of 2023 has gone above and beyond, surpassing the previous record of 27 mass killings set in the second half of 2022. WION Data Lab brings you some staggering statistics on America's unique struggle with gun violence. American gun ownership rates are the highest in the world × A 2018 report by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey discovered that US gun owners had 393.3 million firearms, which is more than the nation's current population of approximately 340 million. In a study by the Annals of Internal Medicine, it was discovered that between January 2019 and April 2021, 7.5 million Americans or slightly under three per cent of the population, became first-time gun owners. Also read | Americans respond to epidemic of gun violence by buying more guns Disturbing Surge: Gun Deaths Among US Kids Soar by 50% Between 2019 and 2021 × Note: This is an interactive data chart. Hover/click on the squares to get the figures. Between 2019 and 2021, there was a distressing 50 per cent surge in the number of children and teens fatally impacted by gunfire in the United States. This data comes from a comprehensive analysis by the Pew Research Center, which examined the latest annual mortality statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2019, a time before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the number of gun-related deaths among children and teenagers below the age of 18 in the United States stood at 1,732. However, by 2021, that figure had surged to an alarming 2,590. Gun deaths outpace car accidents as a greater threat to children's lives × Note: This is an interactive data chart. Hover/click on the points to get the figures. In 2021, firearms were responsible for approximately 19 per cent of all childhood deaths (ages 1-18), as revealed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wonder database. Shockingly, nearly 3,600 children lost their lives in gun-related incidents that year. To put it into perspective, that's roughly five children lost for every 100,000 children in the United States. Firearm frenzy: Outnumbering giants such as McDonald's, Starbucks in the US The chart above demonstrates the remarkable accessibility of lethal weapons in the United States. Comparing the gun trade with the number of McDonald's, Starbucks, and Subway outlets, it becomes evident that the trading of firearms surpasses even the ubiquity of selling burgers or coffee. To put it into perspective, there were a staggering 52,799 federal firearm dealers scattered across the US in 2020. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data Lab | Alarming stats, in charts: US has more gun dealers than McDonald's, Starbucks outlets put together

<p>The judge in Kyle Rittenhouse’s homicide trial on Monday dismissed the misdemeanour gun possession charge the teenager faced&nbsp;after defence lawyers argued that he did not violate the state statute in question because of his age and the length of the barrel of his semi-automatic rifle.</p>

<p>Judge Bruce Schroeder’s ruling, delivered shortly before closing statements, resolved a byzantine legal debate over a Wisconsin statute that began after Rittenhouse was charged last year with fatally shooting two men and wounding a third during chaotic demonstrations in Kenosha.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-shot-by-kyle-rittenhouse-calls-him-an-active-shooter-calls-use-of-gun-self-defence-427985">Man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse calls him an 'active shooter,' calls use of gun 'self-defence'</a></strong></p>

<p>Rittenhouse still faces five felony charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a potential life sentence. The jury will begin deliberating Tuesday morning.</p>

<p>The defence had long argued that the gun possession charge was invalid, saying that Wisconsin law did not bar Rittenhouse from carrying the military-style semi-automatic rifle on Aug. 25, 2020. Its successful argument hinged in part on the fact that the Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P 15 he had strapped around his shoulder has a 16-inch-long barrel.</p>

<p>The misdemeanour charge of illegally possessing a dangerous weapon as a minor was the least serious one Rittenhouse faced and carried a relatively short sentence. But jurors might have settled on the charge, said Steven Wright, a law professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, if they baulked at the more serious counts but wanted to convict Rittenhouse of something.</p>

<p>“A jury, perhaps inclined toward compromise, won’t have the gun charge as an option,” Wright wrote in an email.</p>

<p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kyle-rittenhouse-case-judge-makes-offensive-anti-asian-joke-during-homicide-trial-428719">Kyle Rittenhouse case: Judge makes offensive anti-Asian joke during homicide trial</a></p>

<p>Michael O’Hear, a law professor at Marquette University Law School, wrote in an email that the dismissal of the gun possession charge could make the jury perceive that the prosecution had generally overreached with its charges.</p>

<p>Schroeder told jurors Monday that they could consider some less serious charges than the ones Rittenhouse has faced all along. For instance, jurors could opt to convict him of second-degree intentional homicide instead of the higher charge of first-degree intentional homicide.</p>

<p>It is legal for adults to openly carry firearms in Wisconsin, but state law prohibits minors from possessing firearms except in limited circumstances.</p>

<p>Prosecutors argued it was clear that Rittenhouse’s possession of the gun was illegal and that the jury should be asked to decide on the charge. The defence lawyers argued that the statute barring “possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18” did not apply in this case.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Kyle Rittenhouse breakdown during the trial</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kyle-rittenhouse-breakdown-during-the-trial-428633/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The statute says it applies to minors carrying a rifle or shotgun only if they are not in compliance with at least one additional statute. These include the regulation of “hunting and use of firearms by persons under 16 years of age,” and the prohibition of rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long.</p>

<p>Rittenhouse was 17 at the time of the shootings. The judge threw out the charge after nobody in court disputed the length of the gun’s barrel.</p>


The judge in Kyle Rittenhouse’s homicide trial on Monday dismissed the misdemeanour gun possession charge the teenager faced after defence lawyers argued that he did not violate the state statute in question because of his age and the length of the barrel of his semi-automatic rifle.

The judge in Kyle Rittenhouse’s homicide trial on Monday dismissed the misdemeanour gun possession charge the teenager faced after defence lawyers argued that he did not violate the state statute in question because of his age and the length of the barrel of his semi-automatic rifle. Judge Bruce Schroeder’s ruling, delivered shortly before closing statements, resolved a byzantine legal debate over a Wisconsin statute that began after Rittenhouse was charged last year with fatally shooting two men and wounding a third during chaotic demonstrations in Kenosha. Also read | Man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse calls him an 'active shooter,' calls use of gun 'self-defence' Rittenhouse still faces five felony charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a potential life sentence. The jury will begin deliberating Tuesday morning. The defence had long argued that the gun possession charge was invalid, saying that Wisconsin law did not bar Rittenhouse from carrying the military-style semi-automatic rifle on Aug. 25, 2020. Its successful argument hinged in part on the fact that the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 he had strapped around his shoulder has a 16-inch-long barrel. The misdemeanour charge of illegally possessing a dangerous weapon as a minor was the least serious one Rittenhouse faced and carried a relatively short sentence. But jurors might have settled on the charge, said Steven Wright, a law professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, if they baulked at the more serious counts but wanted to convict Rittenhouse of something. “A jury, perhaps inclined toward compromise, won’t have the gun charge as an option,” Wright wrote in an email. Also read | Kyle Rittenhouse case: Judge makes offensive anti-Asian joke during homicide trial Michael O’Hear, a law professor at Marquette University Law School, wrote in an email that the dismissal of the gun possession charge could make the jury perceive that the prosecution had generally overreached with its charges. Schroeder told jurors Monday that they could consider some less serious charges than the ones Rittenhouse has faced all along. For instance, jurors could opt to convict him of second-degree intentional homicide instead of the higher charge of first-degree intentional homicide. It is legal for adults to openly carry firearms in Wisconsin, but state law prohibits minors from possessing firearms except in limited circumstances. Prosecutors argued it was clear that Rittenhouse’s possession of the gun was illegal and that the jury should be asked to decide on the charge. The defence lawyers argued that the statute barring “possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18” did not apply in this case. Watch | Kyle Rittenhouse breakdown during the trial The statute says it applies to minors carrying a rifle or shotgun only if they are not in compliance with at least one additional statute. These include the regulation of “hunting and use of firearms by persons under 16 years of age,” and the prohibition of rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long. Rittenhouse was 17 at the time of the shootings. The judge threw out the charge after nobody in court disputed the length of the gun’s barrel.

Why Kyle Rittenhouse no longer faces a gun possession charge

<p>US President Donald Trump put responsibility for raising the age limits on gun purchases to the courts and US states on Monday, saying he would wait for judicial rulings before acting.</p>

<p>&quot;On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly),&quot; he wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The proposal to raise the minimum age for buying guns from 18 to 21 was not part of a modest set of gun safety proposals announced on Sunday night by Trump administration officials, which included training teachers to carry guns in schools and improving background checks.</p>

<p>Trump has said he believes armed teachers would deter school shootings and better protect students when they happen. The idea, already in place in some states, is backed by the National Rifle Association gun lobby.</p>

<p>The Republican president, who championed gun rights during his 2016 campaign, vowed to take action to prevent school shootings after a gunman killed 17 students and faculty at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on February 14.</p>

<p>The modest fixes proposed by the White House stepped back from some of the more sweeping changes Trump had considered after the latest school shooting.</p>


"On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly)," he wrote on Twitter.

US President Donald Trump put responsibility for raising the age limits on gun purchases to the courts and US states on Monday, saying he would wait for judicial rulings before acting. "On 18 to 21 Age Limits, watching court cases and rulings before acting. States are making this decision. Things are moving rapidly on this, but not much political support (to put it mildly)," he wrote on Twitter. The proposal to raise the minimum age for buying guns from 18 to 21 was not part of a modest set of gun safety proposals announced on Sunday night by Trump administration officials, which included training teachers to carry guns in schools and improving background checks. Trump has said he believes armed teachers would deter school shootings and better protect students when they happen. The idea, already in place in some states, is backed by the National Rifle Association gun lobby. The Republican president, who championed gun rights during his 2016 campaign, vowed to take action to prevent school shootings after a gunman killed 17 students and faculty at a high school in Parkland, Florida, on February 14. The modest fixes proposed by the White House stepped back from some of the more sweeping changes Trump had considered after the latest school shooting.

Trump says watching courts before acting on gun age limits

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gun age-limits

Kids in US most likely to die due to use of firearms, reveals study

Data Lab | Alarming stats, in charts: US has more gun dealers than McDonald's, Starbucks outlets put together

Why Kyle Rittenhouse no longer faces a gun possession charge

Trump says watching courts before acting on gun age limits