Accidental Gun Deaths Involving CA Kids Spike, Prompting Urgent Alert

CALIFORNIA — In early December, a toddler accidentally shot and killed his mother in their Fresno apartment. Days later, a 7-year-old boy accidentally shot and killed his baby brother in Rancho Cucamonga. The tragedies follow one in Los Angeles County in which a young boy was shot to death at his friend's house.

The sobering headlines have prompted a statewide consumer alert aimed at parents and guardians who keep guns in the home.

Increased gun-related accidents among adolescents have become "an urgent public safety concern," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Tuesday.

"In recent weeks, California has seen an uptick in deaths stemming from improper firearm storage. Most of the deaths were caused by parents or guardians of children not unloading their firearms properly or failing to securely lock and store them when not in use. As a result, the child had access to loaded firearms and fired them off accidentally, leading to the deaths of themselves or others," Bonta's office reported.

On Dec. 6, a 2-year-old boy fatally shot his 22-year-old mother, Jessinya Mina, in their Fresno apartment, police said.

" ... the toddler was able to manipulate the trigger, and it actually struck Mina as she was lying in bed," Lt. Paul Cervantes said during a Dec. 9 news conference.

The firearm belonged to Andrew Sanchez, Mina's boyfriend, police said. He left the loaded 9mm gun — which did not have an external safety feature — in an area accessible by the children. He was taken into custody and charged with child endangerment and criminal storage of a weapon, both felonies. He was later released on bail.

The tragedy occurred just four days after a similar incident in Southern California. Just before 4 p.m. Dec. 2, deputies with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department received a call about a shooting in a retail mall parking lot at 8250 Day Creek Boulevard in Rancho Cucamonga.

When deputies arrived, they found a gravely wounded toddler. The child was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Deputies determined the victim and his 7-year-old brother were inside a truck when the older sibling found a gun in the glove box, "resulting in the fatal shooting," the sheriff's department said.

Investigations are ongoing across the state. On Oct. 17, a 7-year-old boy was shot to death at his friend's house in Lancaster, and investigators said foul play was not suspected. Another child and an adult were at the home when the shooting occurred.

In late August, an 8-year-old girl was shot inside her San Francisco home. Police said all signs pointed to an accidental firing of a gun in the residence. The child's siblings were home at the time.

Approximately half of unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents in the United States occur at home. Playing with or showing the firearm to another person was the most common precipitator, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, firearms used in unintentional injury deaths were often stored both loaded and unlocked and were commonly accessed from nightstands and other sleeping areas, the CDC reports.

California law generally makes it a crime to store a firearm in a manner that makes the weapon accessible to an unsupervised minor.

"Unfortunately, there has been a rise in accidental and preventable deaths," Bonta said. "We are seeing reports weekly of children accessing guns that are not being properly stored. We respect responsible gun owners who take action to safeguard themselves and loved ones from these horrific tragedies. At the California Department of Justice, we strongly encourage gun owners to be cautious and properly store their firearms using our certified list of DOJ-approved safety devices. Safe and secure gun storage saves lives."

Unintentional shootings increase during major holidays due to more time spent in and around the home, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

"As we head into the holiday season, it is critical to remember the importance of safe gun storage in keeping our loved ones safe," the nonprofit reports.

While many shootings involving minors are unintentional, it's not always the case. In January, a 14-year-old boy was arrested in Sacramento following a shooting at Grant Union High School that left one student injured.

According to Bonta's office, data show that 75% of school shootings are carried out by children having access to unsecured or unsupervised firearms at home. Eighty-seven percent of children know where their parents' firearms are stored, and 60% of kids report that they have handled the weapons.

Unsafely stored firearms are also linked to adolescent suicides: Over 80% of teens who have died by suicide used a firearm that belonged to someone in their home, Bonta's office reported.

New laws aimed at curbing these tragedies will take effect in January 2026. Senate Bill 53 requires gun owners to safely secure firearms in their residences using a DOJ-certified firearm safety device or secure gun safe.

Additionally, Assembly Bill 3064 requires manufacturers of firearm safety devices to mark their products with make and model information to assist consumers in the event of a recall or theft. The devices are designed to lock and prevent unauthorized users from firing a weapon.