It DOES happen and it CAN be so easily avoided. We need to stop acting like we can't learn anything from others' mistakes.
Absolutely. Really. How is this arguable?
I grew up around firearms, as many Americans of my generation (baby-boomer). I recall being taught to shoot my first gun about age 5 years.
I started using a gun safe when my kids were toddlers.
When they were old enough they were each trained in gun safety, and not allowed to handle any firearm unless I was present to supervise it. I tried to satisfy their natural curiosity about firearms when I was present to supervise, but the guns remained secured the rest of the time.
In a similar vein, later on when we lived in a house with a pool, we didn't allow children in the pool area without adult supervision, and the pool area was fenced.
We didn't leave our first grand child alone in the bathroom when the bath tub was filled, whether or not she was even in it at the moment. Adult presence & supervision.
Anyway, one of my children grew to enjoy shooting firearms, and one didn't. Their choice. They both know enough to be safe around them, too.
The thing that really concerned me regarding the presence of children and
my firearms (meaning not having them secured) in our house was the possible presence of the children of other parents, either friends of our children over to visit/play, or children taking music lessons from my wife. My firearms were secured.
Things remain the same now that I have grandchildren. Unless a firearm is securely on my person, they're secured so little fingers can't get at them.
We've been seeing the children of LE involved in the same sort of tragic & horrific firearms injuries & deaths as the children of non-LE citizens.
This is a problem. Responsible owners (and users of issued weapons) ought to take those prudent stops to prevent unauthorized access to firearms. Specifically when it involves minors.
Some states have enacted laws in this regard.
This is a large enough problem that it's very likely we're going to see increasingly more laws occur at the level of the states.