Firearm related deaths increase among Arizona children

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: BC-CNS-Child Gun Deaths. About 200 words.
  • Photo available (thumbnail and caption below)
  • Graphic available here.

By KAYTLIN MARTINO
Cronkite News

As the nation continues to grieve the loss of 17 high school students in the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, Cronkite News took a deeper look into just how many deaths among Arizona children involve firearms.

According to a 2017 report by the Arizona Child Fatality Review Program,  firearm-related fatalities increased by 29 percent from 2015 to 2016. Firearm-related deaths accounted for 5 percent of all child deaths in 2016, and the numbers have steadily increased since. Twelve firearms-related deaths were suicides;  24 were homicides.

A review team has determined that all firearms-related deaths are preventable, and they represent 11 percent of all preventable deaths.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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In 2016, firearms-related deaths accounted for 5 percent of all child deaths in Arizona. (Photo by Jim Tuttle/News21)