Cook Children's sees spike in gun injuries, urges parents to lock up firearms
So far, in the first six months of 2025, Cook Children's has treated 40 firearm injuries. That's compared to 62 total for all last year.
"That's a lot," said Eric Gonzalez, the program coordinator at Cook Children's. "And that's probably more than we've seen in the three years prior to that as well."
Gonzalez said the increase likely stems from the number of firearms in homes, especially in Texas, and the fact that many of them aren't stored safely.
"I think it's just because there are more guns out there every day," he said. "Guns are very prevalent here in our community, especially in Texas, and when we don't lock our guns up, we open that door."
Doctors say it's not just handguns they're concerned about. BB guns, airsoft guns and even paintball guns have sent children to the emergency room.
"I think what we hear all the time is, 'It will never happen to me,' or 'My child knows better,'" Gonzalez said. "But a child is still a child. They're always curious and getting into things."
The injuries can be serious. Gonzalez said an airsoft gun can cause two to three inches of penetration, and a 9mm handgun can do far worse...both with the potential to be fatal or cause lifelong injuries.
To help prevent that, Cook Children's encourages parents to follow the "Three T's":
Talk to your kids
Teach them about gun safety
Take action by locking up firearms.
In the emergency room, they hand out free cable locks to families as part of a push to turn moments of crisis into teachable ones.
"Since we started this last year, we've given out close to 1,000 cable locks, just in the emergency department," Gonzalez said.
He emphasized that the message isn't political, it's about protection.
"At the end of the day, they're kids, and they're going to do what comes to their minds. Sometimes it's impulsive," he said. "So, if we lock them up, we really minimize that risk of them unintentionally hurting themselves."
Gun Violence Awareness Day is Friday, June 6. Supporters across the country will wear orange to honor those impacted by gun violence and promote education around gun safety.
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