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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Report ranks guns top killer of American children, teens

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Tuesday, October 17, 2023   

Gun deaths among children nationwide have increased by 87% over the past decade, while injuries and deaths from car accidents have decreased by nearly half, according to a new study. The data show more than 2,500 kids and teenagers died of firearm injuries in 2021.

Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician at Children's National Hospital, said while many households own guns for recreation or protection against intruders, guns in the home have consistently been linked to increased risk for homicides and suicides.

"Those of us who do this work, those of us who work in children's hospitals are not at all surprised to see these numbers. And the most frustrating thing about this as a pediatrician is that these deaths and injuries are preventable," Andrews explained.

In Kentucky, 91% of homicide deaths in 2020 occurred in children between ages 1 and 17, and around 66% of those cases involved firearms, according to Kentucky Youth Advocates.

Andrews added gun violence is worsening in the midst of a mental health crisis, especially among youths, and noted impulsive behavior among teens combined with high rates of depression and anxiety and easy access to firearms have driven fatality rates for firearm suicide among young people up by 85%.

"If they have a passing impulse to harm themselves, and in that moment of the passing impulse, they also have access to an unsecured firearm, that impulse can turn lethal in a matter of seconds," she continued.

Parents can find more information on how to prevent unintentional shootings through the
Be SMART For Kids secure storage campaign, which encourages families to normalize conversations about gun safety and take actions that can prevent gun injuries, deaths, and youth suicide.


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