Elementary student finds loaded gun near UC Berkeley campus, brings it to school
This is not okay
I wasn’t ready to wake to the news that a child the same age as my own children found a gun laying around next to my campus and brought it to his local elementary school. At the same time, I’m eternally grateful that it turned out the way it did. No one was injured. This time.
The child reportedly found the gun while out with his cousins, and a child welfare check was conducted following the incident. He was determined to be “not at risk.”
“Police advised the boy about the dangers of guns, and told him to avoid touching weapons in the future and instead to let an adult know about any future discoveries.”
In this case, we can breathe a sigh of relief.
Unfortunately, this incident occurred just one day after the Washington Post reported that toddlers have shot 23 people so far this year in the US.
Toddlers. So far this year. It’s only the beginning of May.
Let that sink in.
The WP continued to remark that this is an increase from last year, stating, “There have been at least 23 toddler-involved shootings since Jan. 1, compared with 18 over the same period last year.”
These are cases of children aged 3 and under. Three and under.
This is not okay.
When the ages are increased to 18 and under, the article states that there have been 77 accidental shootings so far this year.
One such accidental shooting even involved a gun safety activist, who was shot in the neck by her 4-year-old son as she was driving.
Children with guns is becoming the new normal.
This is not okay.
I don’t want to worry that my own children may face this issue at school. I’m supposed to worry about scraped knees and upset tummies. About whether they will grow up to treat people kindly. I don’t want to have to worry about whether or not they will be able to grow up at all because of an increase in gun accidents among children. I don’t want to hear constant stories involving children and guns. I shouldn’t have to. But I’m at a loss. What do we do? How do we solve this problem? Can we?
I do not have an answer to this question.
I’m just a mother. I study environmental issues and literature, stopping frequently to remind children to wipe their noses, or ask them to play a little bit more quietly, or tuck them into bed. How can I keep them safe when this problem is so out of control?
I don’t know how to solve this problem. I am not qualified to do so. Yet, I am burdened by it nonetheless. We all are.
And it’s not okay.