Recently, I read an article on CNN about a fifteen-year-old boy in India who accidentally shot himself while taking a selfie. The boy was posing for the selfie with his father’s .32-caliber pistol when he accidentally pulled the trigger and shot himself in the head. There are a couple things that stood out to me in this story. For one thing, why was the boy taking selfies with the gun in the first place? Secondly, why did the father leave the gun where his fifteen-year-old son could have access to it? Finally, why did the father not put the safety on when it wasn’t being used? A similar death happened this past September when a 19-year-old from Houston accidentally shot himself in the throat while taking selfies.
Accidental deaths involving guns aren’t limited to young people taking selfies. In December 2014, March 2016, and April 2016, there were multiple instances where toddlers got a hold of their mothers’ firearms; two of which resulted in death. In both instances in 2016, the toddlers were in the backseat of the car when the gun slid back from under the driver’s seat. The toddlers picked up the guns and accidentally fired them through the driver’s seat. One of the instances resulted in death. In December 2014, a mother was carrying the gun in her purse. While shopping in Wal-Mart, her toddler was going through her purse, found the gun and fired it, killing the mother.
While any loss of life is saddening, these accidents could have been avoided. Higher-regulated gun control laws may seem a popular choice among government officials, but if people can become more highly educated on the safety precautions and responsibility standards that come with owning a firearm, many of these situations could have been prevented. Keeping firearms out of the reach of children, putting the safety on when the gun is not in use, and educating older children about gun safety could have saved precious lives.
Accidents like these may stir up controversy about how federal and state governments need to implement stricter gun control laws, but in this case, stricter laws are not going to solve the issue. Rather, gun safety education would be more effective.
In the case of taking selfies with guns, it should just be understood that it isn’t safe to do so. A gun is not a toy or a prop to be used when taking a selfie. A gun is a weapon and should be handled by properly trained individuals and used accordingly. You wouldn’t take a selfie with a grenade or any other potentially dangerous weapon, so why would you take one with a gun?
Creating a promise or pledge to respect and use firearms properly can be a way to help educate young shooters and gun enthusiasts. Gun owners have a duty and responsibility to not only keep themselves educated on gun safety, but to also keep those around them informed and educated, especially children and teenagers. Gun-owning parents should educate their children on the firearm and explain to them that it is not by any means a toy.
Other steps to take to prevent gun-related accidents involving children include: keeping your gun unloaded when it isn’t being used, storing the gun in a safe place out of the reach of children and storing your ammunition in a safe area separate from your firearm. Safety precautions such as leaving the safety on unless you are currently using the gun, keeping your finger away from the trigger unless you are intending to shoot the gun and keeping the muzzle of the gun pointed in a safe direction just in case accidental firing does occur are also critical steps to take to ensure no fatalities occur.
Gun safety education and gun safety practices can reduce the amount gun-related deaths in the country. Guns are not a threat to society; rather they are an important practice of the Second Amendment and when handled by responsible people, are a hobby and pastime of many people. Teaching gun owners to take the necessary steps in protecting themselves and their loved ones as well as implementing safe gun-handling practices can lead to a safer environment for gun owners across the country and the world.
