In a startling revelation, more than 31,000 children have been impacted by school shootings during school hours in the United States this year, according to a recent report by The Washington Post’s School Shooting Tracker. This alarming figure highlights the growing concern over student safety in American schools.
Despite school shootings being relatively rare events, the presence of firearms on school premises is a daily occurrence. The report notes that guns are brought to schools nearly every day, posing a constant threat to students and educators alike.
Since the beginning of the year, 13 individuals have lost their lives due to school shootings, including a teenage student and a teacher who were tragically killed at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday. Additionally, almost 50 others have been injured but survived these incidents.
School shootings have affected 21 states across the nation this year. Looking back over two decades, there have been 426 school shootings since the tragic Columbine High School massacre on April 20, 1999, where 12 students and a teacher were killed. In total, 215 people have lost their lives, and nearly 500 have been wounded in such incidents since Columbine.
One of the critical issues highlighted in the report is the accessibility of firearms to minors. In cases where the source of the gun was determined, 86% of the weapons used in school shootings originated from the homes of friends, relatives, or parents. The report states, “More than half of school shootings in the United States were carried out by children, none of which would be possible if those children didn’t have access to firearms.”
The ongoing concerns about school safety have prompted calls for stricter gun control measures and increased security in educational institutions to protect the lives of students and educators.
Reference(s):
31,000 children affected by 2024 U.S. school shootings in 21 states
cgtn.com
