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2h ago

Preliminary Study Finds Parent-Owned Guns Most Often Used in Child Firearm Suicides

Researchers report frequent access to unlocked, loaded firearms in cases across nine states.

Guns left unlocked and loaded create a dangerous environment for children in mental health crisis, experts say.
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Overview

  • Preliminary findings presented at the AAP 2025 conference analyzed 1,021 firearm suicides among people ages 10–24 using CDC NVDRS data from nine states for 2018–2021.
  • In deaths among 10–17-year-olds, the firearm was 10 times more likely to be owned by a parent than in cases involving 20–24-year-olds.
  • Where storage status was known, 67% of firearms were unlocked and 78% were loaded, while only 9% were both locked and unloaded.
  • Among 18–24-year-olds, 69% used their own firearm and 14% used a parent’s gun, and about 70% of all suicides occurred in a home or apartment.
  • The Children’s Hospital Association and its CHARGE Collaborative supported the analysis, which researchers say will inform secure-storage counseling for families and at-risk youth.