Using Google alerts and The Gun Violence Archive, we track all unintentional shootings involving Tennessee children and adults reported in the media as well as any child-involved shooting related to an unsecured, loaded firearm. Incident detail and links to the news stories are input into our searchable Google Fusion database.

By using filters, users can easily create counts and identify specific information. For example, to determine how many unintentional shooting incidents involved permit holders, simply go to Filter and select “Permit Holder?” from the drop down. menu.
Or, to determine how many children were shot by a sibling in 2015, go to Filter and select “Dates” and enter date range, then “Victim’s relationship to shooter.”

Users and site visitors can search the database, download data, or use filters to create specific reports. However, the database is “read-only” and cannot be edited by end users.

Most of the incident detail categories are self-explanatory. However, here is more information on a few categories.

Type - the type of unintentional shooting. “Unintentional” = unintentional shooting not related to gun storage. “Storage-related” = a shooting related to a child gaining access to an unsecured, loaded firearm.

Adult or Child - was the victim of the unintentional shooting an adult or child (under 18)

Result - the result of the unintentional discharge. There are three possible options: fatality, injury, or no injury (when a gun is unintentionally fired but no one is injured or killed.)

Shooter’s age - age of the person who pulled the trigger. If the age is not specified, it will be entered as “Unknown - adult”, “Unknown - teen”, or “Unknown - child.”

Victim’s age - the age of the person who was injured or killed. If the injury was self-inflicted, the entry will be “Self.” If there was no injury, the entry will be “No victim.”

Circumstances - what occurred, or specifically, who (adult or child) injured or killed who (adult or child)?

Victim’s relationship to shooter - the relationship of the shooter to the victim.

Incident location - where the shooting took place.

Incident detail - specific details related to the shooting incident.

Sex - gender of the victim.

Permit holder? - was the gun owner a valid permit holder? (in “storage” incidents, “permit holder?” refers to the status of the gun’s owner. Because of a 2013 law passed in Tennessee, permit holder information is confidential. Occasionally, permit holder status is discovered in the course of reporting a story. If the gun owner is a known felon or prohibited purchaser, we know they cannot hold a valid permit. Otherwise, their permit holder status is considered “Unknown.”

Type of gun - the type of firearm involved in the unintentional shooting.

Charges - were any charges filed and if so, against whom?