Tragedy struck a birthday party in Montgomery County, Texas, after the birthday boy found a gun and fatally shot himself by accident. The incident happened in a town called Porter, and family members are still reeling over what happened.
When police officers arrived at the home, friends and family members of the boy told them he was shot in the chest. The young victim has yet to be identified.
The police posted a press release on Facebook. "Family and friends had gathered earlier to celebrate the birthday of the three-year-old, and while playing cards, heard a gunshot," they wrote. "The child was located with a gunshot wound to the chest. During the investigation, it was learned the child found the pistol after it fell out of a family member's pocket. The child was rushed to the nearest fire station where he succumbed to his wounds."
This is yet another reminder that it's always important to talk about guns. While many of us are hoping for stricter laws to avoid such accidents, it's vitally important for adults to always know how to handle a gun safely. From the sounds of it, this gun was brought to the party by a family member who recklessly lost it.
You might wonder what a gun was even doing at a 3-year-old's birthday party. From the sounds of it, it was a small event with family and friends. When the adult realized the gun was missing from their pocket, they should have done everything in their power to try to locate it.
When a gun is present at an event, everyone has the right to know that it's there. With a little more insight, this boy's parents could have made sure that all of the children were safely watched over until the lost gun was found. Sadly, incidents like these are more common than you may realize.
Back in 2019, USA Today reported that firearm deaths of school-age children were at an all-time high. "It is sobering that in 2017, there were 144 police officers who died in the line of duty and about 1,000 active-duty military throughout the world who died, whereas 2,462 school-age children were killed by firearms," said Charles Hennekens from Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine.
To compare America with the rest of the world, here are the stats. Charles said that in comparison to 0ther developed nations, America has a six to nine times higher rate of child deaths due to firearms. That means that this continues to be an overlooked issue.
More people own guns than you may realize. Pew Research revealed that 30% of American adults have firearms in their home. Around 48% of those polled said they grew up with firearms in the house. And 29% of those with guns reportedly have more than five. That's a lot to keep track of.
For many, owning a gun is about having protection. Many people feel as if guns will be important in case an intruder enters the home. According to the Los Angeles Times, which did the research alongside the Violence Policy Center, 2012 had just one justifiable killing for every 32 suicides, murders, or accidental deaths involving a gun.
While many people buy guns as a way to feel like the "good guy" in a potentially criminal situation, it's been proven that guns in the home statistically do more harm than good. But for those who insist on having them in the home, they need to do everything they can to avoid accidental death — especially in a home with children.
This case in Texas was preventable, and that's why it's so shocking. There were so many factors that went wrong that led to the outcome it did. While the gun shouldn't have been brought in the first place, it was. And that means that the adult it was registered to should have done everything they could to make sure it was secure.
Oftentimes, gun owners may be a bit more lax with it comes to locking up their firearms. It's possible their gun safes are password-protected with a code that's very easy to figure out. Teens who feel the need to access these guns will likely try everything that would be easy for their parents to remember.
Pew Research writes that even the majority of gun owners feel as if gun laws should be more strict. Around 60% of owners, with more of them identifying as Democrat over Republican, feel as if laws should change. But 11% say they feel as if gun laws are already too strict, which is an odd point of view with the number of stories regarding gun violence.
As of now, it's unclear as to whether or not the family members of the Texas boy are choosing to investigate the death, but the reason behind it seems somewhat simple. The party-goer who brought the gun, identified as being a pistol, lost it when it fell from a pocket during the event. While we might have a ton of questions, the family may be more aware of why this person brought the pistol aong.
To help mourn the loss, the Montgomery County police sent their thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of the 3-year-old. For the gun owner, this is a life-changing and devastating incident that they'll likely think about for the rest of their lives. If that pistol wasn't at the party, things would have been much different.
It's also a warning to others who feel as if they have control over their guns. One small mistake can ruin someone else's life. You should think about whether or not the many risks are worth the reward. There are safer methods of self-defense out there.
This grieving family will never get their son back. But their story can help make others aware of the issue at hand. Regardless of whether or not a gun is bought for sport or to help protect the family home, loaded guns should never be in areas where there are small children.
