How frequently are charges brought?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 69 children under the age of 14 died from accidental firearms discharges in 2013. Of those, 30 were younger than 5.
The pro-gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety argues such deaths are undercounted, saying its analysis of publicly available reports of firearms deaths in 2013 found at least 100 such deaths that year.
Other cases involve children accidentally shooting adults, such as the 2013 death of a woman whose 4-year-old nephew accidentally killed her with a gun owned by her husband and a former soldier who died in Phoenix after being accidentally shot by his 4-year-old son, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
According to the group’s analysis, prosecutors brought charges in at least 88% of shooting incidents involving children and illegally purchased guns — such as the Illinois case. In shootings where a legally owned weapon was involved in the accidental death of a child, charges were brought in at least 29% of cases, according to the group.
Everytown for Gun Safety researchers said they were unable to determine whether charges were brought in 23% of cases involving legally owned weapons and 6% involving illegally acquired guns.