WAVE Educational Fund urges state action as new study shows surge in pediatric gun deaths

Milwaukee, WI — A new national study published in JAMA Pediatrics confirms a tragic reality: children in states with weaker gun laws are dying at significantly higher rates. Wisconsin leaders must act now to protect children from preventable firearm deaths.

“Gun violence is the leading cause of death of children and teenagers in our country,” said Nick Matuszewski, Associate Executive Director at WAVE Educational Fund. “We cannot accept that harsh reality as normal. This study provides dramatic evidence that when lawmakers step up and take action, they can save young lives.”

The study, published on June 9th in JAMA Pediatrics, examined the 13-year period after the June 2010 Supreme Court ruling that limited the ability of state and local governments to regulate firearms. Many states acted to loosen their gun policies in the wake of this ruling, providing comparison data for before and after the decision.

Nationally, researchers found that 7,400 more children died from firearm injuries than expected in the 13 years after the ruling. In the states with the weakest gun policies, the largest spike in gun deaths was among Black children.

In Wisconsin, where gun laws are categorized as “weak,” rates of child firearm deaths have surged by 15%. But in the nine states with the strongest gun laws, youth firearm deaths did not increase. In four of those states — California, Maryland, New York and Rhode Island — they dropped significantly.

Now, with the Trump Administration actively dismantling federal investments and oversight in gun violence prevention — including the shutdown of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention — state action is more urgent than ever.

“What could possibly be more important to our lawmakers than keeping children safe – than keeping children alive? There are actions they can take right now, and, if they have any sense of decency, they will,” stated Kaylee Bahr, WAVE Educational Fund’s Program Assistant and recent high school graduate.

WAVE Educational Fund is calling on Wisconsin’s lawmakers to support the recently introduced Safe Summer package, which includes:

• Background checks on all gun sales – because Wisconsin must keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of already-prohibited people.
• An extreme risk law – because those closest to someone in a crisis must be empowered to stop a tragedy.
• Reinstatement of the 48-hour waiting period, which Republicans rescinded – because rage and despair should never pull the trigger.
• Ghost gun prohibition – because untraceable firearms keep showing up at crime scenes.

“When it comes to protecting the lives of children, there is no room for excuses or political games,” Matuszewski added. “Wisconsin legislators must take action now.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.