Unintentional deaths involving guns and children are on the rise, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit organization that works to end gun violence.
The organization says it analyzed media reports of children under 18 years old unintentionally shooting themselves or someone else.
Between Jan. 1, 2015, and Dec. 31, 2020, there were 765 unintentional deaths because of children who gained access to a gun, the organization states.
Unintentional deaths surged during the pandemic, according to the nonprofit.
"The number of unintentional shooting deaths by children was 31 percent higher from March through December 2020 than during the same period in 2019," Everytown for Gun Safety reports. It adds that 2021 is on pace to be even worse.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises people to keep guns out of places where children "live and play." However, it says if parents choose to keep a gun in the house, they advise that the gun be locked up and unloaded. They also recommended having ammunition stored in a separate area.
