CeaseFire Maryland Urges "Get Guns Out of Homes Now!"
Press Release
CeaseFire Maryland
3000 Chestnut Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.hgabuse.org
Contact:
Leah Barrett
Phone: 410-889-1477
Four MD children hit in two shootings, 5-year-old girl dies, 7-year-old
boy in critical condition
Baltimore, MD - CeaseFire Maryland called on parents to remove guns from
their homes following two tragic shootings in Prince George's County just
hours apart yesterday. In the fatal shooting, a four- or five-year-old
child fired a 45-calibre semiautomatic handgun at the five-year-old girl
and seven-year-old boy as they stood inside the front door of their house.
Leah Barrett, Executive Director, said: "CeaseFire Maryland is saddened
and deeply troubled by the shootings, especially of a child shooting other
children. When will people realize that it is time for parents to remove
guns from their homes to prevent more tragedies such as this? The
five-year-old child has to live with the consequences of what he did.
How did his parents allow him to get his small hands on this lethal
weapon? They should be held accountable."
"The gun lobby has worked hard to convince Americans that they need guns
in their homes for protection. As a result, too many parents have guns in
their homes because they believe they will be safer. The reality is
they're putting their families, their friends, their neighbors and, as
this tragedy so vividly shows, even innocent people outside the home at
greater risk of gun violence," said Matt Fenton, President of CeaseFire
Maryland.
Leah Barrett continued: "The sad fact is no matter how much care parents
take to store their guns, it is impossible to store them so that even
small children, who are notoriously curious and determined, cannot get
their hands on them. So, until firearms manufacturers improve their
products to prevent unauthorized use, the only truly safe solution is to
keep guns out of homes."
Leah Barrett said: "Some unanswered questions still exist, such as where
were the parents of the children involved and how were the guns stored, if
at all. But, more than any legal or legislative point, CeaseFire Maryland
believes that public attention should be directed to the fact that, if
there had not been loaded guns in the home for these children to take,
this senseless tragedy would not have happened."
A recent study showed 22 suicides (attempted or completed), homicides or
unintentional shootings for every justifiable shooting of an assailant or
intruder. Kellerman, AL, Somes G, Rivara F, et al, Injuries and deaths
due to firearms in the home. Journal of Trauma 45: 263-267, 1998
Date of Release: September 28th, 2003
Press Release
CeaseFire Maryland
3000 Chestnut Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.hgabuse.org
Contact:
Leah Barrett
Phone: 410-889-1477
Four MD children hit in two shootings, 5-year-old girl dies, 7-year-old
boy in critical condition
Baltimore, MD - CeaseFire Maryland called on parents to remove guns from
their homes following two tragic shootings in Prince George's County just
hours apart yesterday. In the fatal shooting, a four- or five-year-old
child fired a 45-calibre semiautomatic handgun at the five-year-old girl
and seven-year-old boy as they stood inside the front door of their house.
Leah Barrett, Executive Director, said: "CeaseFire Maryland is saddened
and deeply troubled by the shootings, especially of a child shooting other
children. When will people realize that it is time for parents to remove
guns from their homes to prevent more tragedies such as this? The
five-year-old child has to live with the consequences of what he did.
How did his parents allow him to get his small hands on this lethal
weapon? They should be held accountable."
"The gun lobby has worked hard to convince Americans that they need guns
in their homes for protection. As a result, too many parents have guns in
their homes because they believe they will be safer. The reality is
they're putting their families, their friends, their neighbors and, as
this tragedy so vividly shows, even innocent people outside the home at
greater risk of gun violence," said Matt Fenton, President of CeaseFire
Maryland.
Leah Barrett continued: "The sad fact is no matter how much care parents
take to store their guns, it is impossible to store them so that even
small children, who are notoriously curious and determined, cannot get
their hands on them. So, until firearms manufacturers improve their
products to prevent unauthorized use, the only truly safe solution is to
keep guns out of homes."
Leah Barrett said: "Some unanswered questions still exist, such as where
were the parents of the children involved and how were the guns stored, if
at all. But, more than any legal or legislative point, CeaseFire Maryland
believes that public attention should be directed to the fact that, if
there had not been loaded guns in the home for these children to take,
this senseless tragedy would not have happened."
A recent study showed 22 suicides (attempted or completed), homicides or
unintentional shootings for every justifiable shooting of an assailant or
intruder. Kellerman, AL, Somes G, Rivara F, et al, Injuries and deaths
due to firearms in the home. Journal of Trauma 45: 263-267, 1998
Date of Release: September 28th, 2003
