Ohio has seen 11 shootings involving children this year, prompting calls for stricter gun safety laws and education in schools.
Akron: This year, Ohio has had at least 11 shootings involving kids, which is pretty alarming. Many folks are saying it’s time for the state to step up and create stricter gun storage laws and include gun safety education in schools starting in seventh grade.
Most of these shootings were accidental, and it’s all because Ohio’s gun laws are pretty lax. The Giffords Law Center points out that Ohio ranks 25th in terms of gun law strength. Meanwhile, California, with the strongest laws, has seen a 44% drop in shootings.
When you compare the two states, it’s clear that California has much stricter rules. They have laws about how guns should be stored, age limits, and regulations on carrying guns openly. Ohio, on the flip side, has no such storage laws and lower age restrictions, making it easier for kids to access guns.
A study from Ohio State University earlier this year looked into how to help kids understand gun safety. They showed two groups of kids videos about gun safety and car safety. The kids who watched the gun safety video were more likely to tell a trusted adult if they found a gun compared to those who didn’t see it.
It’s clear that Ohio needs to pass better laws to keep guns away from kids. If they do, we might finally see a drop in these unintentional shootings and improve their gun law ranking like California.
Emily Contos, Madden Lutz, Nick Lombardo, University of Akron students
