A child getting access to a parent’s gun is a worst-case scenario for many gun owners.
The latest example of how that can horribly wrong came Sunday in Durham, where a 4-year-old boy is in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself.
Patrick Daye stood in front of a judge on Monday as he faced accusations of leaving a 9mm pistol “in a condition that the firearm can be discharged” and easily accessible for the child without the parents’ permission causing injury.
A 2024 report from WRAL noted that North Carolina ranked 12th in the country for young lives lost to guns, well above the national average. Campaigns such as NC SAFE are centered around helping gun owners keep their weapons safe when not in use. NC SAFE said that firearms are the leading cause of injury-related death for children in North Carolina.
In recent years, Wake County Public School System has launched initiatives around giving parents ways to keep guns safely stored away from children. Gun owners are encouraged to store their guns in a locked enclosure, unloaded and separate from ammunition.
This is the fifth time this year that WRAL has covered an incidence of a child hurting themselves or someone else after getting ahold of a gun.
Going back further, Jenesis Dockery was shot and killed in 2023 at her babysitter’s home in Cumberland County. She was 8 years old.
Daye bonded out of jail and appeared in Durham County Court
on Monday morning. He was assigned a court-appointed attorney.
The shooting happened Sunday morning at a home on Linwood Avenue. Durham police said the boy shot himself with an unsecured gun inside a home. On Sunday, police said the boy was in critical condition but had stable vital signs. No other injuries were reported.
According to state data, almost one third of youth firearm
suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented through safe storage.
WRAL News has previously reported on gun violence being the leading cause of death for children in the country in the documentary UnSafe: North Carolina kids dying from gun violence.
Gun safety resources
Learn about how to store your firearms safely at home and on the go, how to talk to your children about gun safety and how to make sure that schools and playdates are a safe environment from NC S.A.F.E.
Download a free gun safety kit or request a free gun lock from Project Child Safe.
Durham County also offers the Be SMART program to help promote responsible gun ownership to help reduce the number of deaths, injuries and trauma caused when a child or teen is able to access a gun.
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