Toddlers have shot someone at least once a week for the last two years

According to the Gun Violence Archive, last year saw 14,994 people who died as the result of gun violence in the United States. That number excludes suicides. 2015 saw toddlers getting their patriotic hands on guns and shooting someone or themselves more than once every week. 

Last year, toddlers (children one, two, or three years of age) were shooting people, either themselves or others, at a rate of about one per week. The Washington Post reports that the pace has since picked up. In the first five months of 2016, there have been at least 23 reported shootings by toddlers, as compared to 18 in the same time period last year.

By October of last year, that number was at 50.

Since Jan. 1, there have been 51 shootings involving toddlers in the United States. By this date last year, there had been 47 toddler-involved shootings.

In the majority of this year's cases, the child picked up a gun and shot himself or herself. (The overwhelming majority of toddler shooters are male.) In 16 of the 39 self-shooting incidents, the child's injuries proved fatal.

Meaningful gun safety laws are not even on the table right now, so if you have children, be vigilant in asking other parents about whether or not they own guns.