ALBUQUERQUE – Statistics show accidental shootings are on the rise in Albuquerque.
The Albuquerque Journal reports 37 accidental shootings reported in the city last year compared to 14 recorded in 2018.
The figure doesn’t include three suspected accidental shootings in which someone died. Two of those cases have been handed over to the District Attorney’s Office for a final determination and the third ended in prison time for a young man.
The rise in accidental shootings comes at a time when the topic of gun access and availability looms large in the eyes of local politicians and the community as a whole as homicide numbers in Albuquerque hit a record high last year.
Local concerns have sparked initiatives aimed at stemming gun violence, such as the so-called red flag bill that is awaiting the governor’s signature.
Local gun shop owners say there has been an increase in the purchase of guns in the past year, especially over the internet. They describe many as first-time buyers who want the guns for protection due to the high crime in Albuquerque.
