Tennessee has a problem with unintentional shootings. Many of these involve children. There is no federal database tracking these incidents and even organizations that do try to track them by searching news stories and police reports understand that accidental shootings are under reported. Although the term most commonly used to describe these types of shooting is “accidental” we do not
Read moreMonday afternoon, Timea Batts was shot and killed by her father. Although he initially said she’d been shot after getting off the school bus, her father later admitted that he was the one who pulled the trigger. He said he was asleep and was startled by a noise and fired his weapon at her. He has been charged with reckless
Read moreA 3-year-old toddler fatally shot himself in the face .40 caliber pistol Friday afternoon in Clarksville. The child was visiting from Fort Riley, Kansas, with his family. The gun belonged to the homeowner. This is the 13th incident of a child in our state gaining access to a loaded gun and shooting themselves or someone else this year. Already in
Read moreIn a recent news story, Rep. Glen Casada said that the majority of gun deaths in the U.S. are ‘self-defense.” This statement is factually incorrect. “As someone who studies gun violence and is familiar with the available research on the subject, I can say with confidence that Rep. Casada is wrong,” said Beth Joslin Roth, policy director for The Safe Tennessee
Read moreWHEN ADULTS ACCIDENTALLY SHOOT ANOTHER PERSON, MOST OFTEN THE VICTIM IS A CHILD In less than a week, three Tennessee adults unintentionally shot themselves or another person. In the most recent incident, a handgun dropped from a man’s pants and discharged, injuring a 4-year-old child. “Unintentional shootings continue to be a serious problem in our state,” said Beth Joslin Roth,
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