Toddlers are shooting themselves or their parents at an accelerated rate this year, The Washington Post reports, and have shot at least 23 people this year alone.
The analysis says that in 2015, over the same period of time, young children were shooting people once a week, reporting 18 toddler-involved shootings.
In most cases, children have accidentally shot themselves, and in nine of the 18 reported shootings, the toddlers have died from their wounds.
At least seven shootings by 1, 2 and 3-year-olds were reported in April, the report found. The state of Georgia has reported the highest number of shootings in the country with eight since January 2015.
"Texas and Missouri are tied for second place with seven shootings each, while Florida and Michigan are tied for fourth, with six shootings apiece," according to WashPo.
Everytown For Gun Safety, the gun control advocacy group, has found 77 instances where children younger than 18-years-old has accidentally shot someone.
Congress has prevented studies from being conducted on how guns affect Americans, so reasons for why the uptick in toddler-involved shooting can really only be examined on a case-by-case basis.
