6 days ago
Las Vegas doctor warns of gun violence uptick during summer months
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Temperatures are heating up in the valley, and experts warn of a possible spike in gun violence during the summer months.
'I know with summer, the rates are going to go higher,' UNLV Pediatric Resident Anjali Agrawal told 8 News Now, regarding accidental shootings among juveniles. 'Kids aren't at school. They're at home, they're hanging out with their friends, and they're often not as supervised as they should be.'
According to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, so far this year, there have been four accidental shootings involving juveniles. One of those was a death. Meanwhile, in 2024, there were five accidental shootings the whole year, with one of those being a death.
Research published by the American Medical Association found a link between high temperatures and an increase in shootings. According to a 2022 investigation by the JAMA network, nearly 7 percent of all shootings are associated with above-average temperatures.
Right before Memorial Day weekend, an AutoZone shooting in downtown Las Vegas left 21-year-old David Carcamo dead, after he was shot and killed with his own gun. The victim's aunt, Reina Urriola, issued a message to the community on firearms.
'We want the young people to know out there, that if they are going to carry a gun, be careful, be mindful of what's going on around you,' she told 8 News Now.
Meanwhile, Agrawal called gun violence a 'public health emergency.'
'It is only increasing with time, which is why it is the #1 cause of death for children, nationwide,' she said.
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