Guns kill more US children than other causes

Using statistical methods, the researchers calculated 6,029 excess deaths in the most permissive states between 2011 and 2023, compared with the number of deaths that would have been expected under the states' pre-McDonald rules. There were 1,424 excess deaths in the states in the middle category

- Nada Hassanein, Tribune News Service

More American children and teens die from firearms than any other cause, but there are more deaths — and wider racial disparities — in states with more permissive gun policies, according to a new study.

The study, published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics on June 9, analyses trends in state firearm policies and kids’ deaths since 2010, after the landmark US Supreme Court decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago. The ruling struck down the city's handgun ban, clearing the way for many states to make it easier for people to buy and carry guns. The study authors split states into three groups: “most permissive,” “permissive” and “strict,” based on the stringency of their firearm policies. Those policies include safe storage laws, background checks and so-called Stand Your Ground laws. The researchers analysed homicide and suicide rates and the children’s race. Using statistical methods, the researchers calculated 6,029 excess deaths in the most permissive states between 2011 and 2023, compared with the number of deaths that would have been expected under the states’ pre-McDonald rules. There were 1,424 excess deaths in the states in the middle category.