Guns are great way for fathers and sons to bond, says the NRA. But having a gun in the home increases your risk of death…
Guns can kill you in three ways: homicide, suicide, and by accident. Owning a gun or having one readily accessible makes all three more likely. One meta-analysis “found strong evidence for increased odds of suicide among persons with access to firearms compared with those without access and moderate evidence for an attenuated increased odds of homicide victimization when persons with and without access to firearms were compared.” The latter finding is stronger for women, a reminder that guns are also a risk factor for domestic violence. The same thing is true for accidents. States with more guns see more accidental deaths from firearms, and children ages 5 to 14 are 11 times more likely to be killed with a gun in the US compared to other developed countries, where gun ownership is much less common.
Meanwhile in Texas…
The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office announced late Sunday that a a 53-year-old father has died after he was accidentally shot by his son during a shooting lesson. Daniel Boor from Garland, Texas, was shot in the head by his 12-year-old son Friday afternoon while teaching the boy how to shoot. Many in the community were shocked and saddened by the news, News4 San Antonio reported. The two were on a 10-acre private property in Bulverde when deputies were called. Local gun expert Jaime Correa explained that in Texas it isn’t unusual for a child to learn at an early age how to handle a gun.
That poor kid.