NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More children were fatally shot in 2017 than on-duty police officers and active duty military, according to a new study.
The study, recently published by The American Journal of Medicine, says hundreds of more kids were shot dead by firearms in 2017 than on-duty police officers and active duty military.
Sadly, 144 police officers and 1,000 active duty military died in 2017. However, there were 2,462 school-age children killed by firearms the same year.
The research shows these children were killed in assaults, suicides, accidents and in some cases, it wasn't determined.
The study found the start of the gun death epidemic among 15 to 18-year-olds started in 2009, and it was later followed by a second among children 5 to 15.
NewsChannel 5 covered youth violence extensively in 2017. As of mid-December of that year, 25 of the victims killed in deadly shootings were under the age of 20.
