Children have a uniquely high risk of being shot. The most common scenario for unintentional shooting is for one child to shoot another at home with a gun kept by the parents, for the family safety. The fact is, a gun in the home is much more likely to kill a family member than an intruder.

Children cannot be trusted to handle a gun safely, even though they quickly acquire the mechanical skill and strength to fire one. 

Prevention

Guns and children should be nowhere near each other.

If you as a parent choose to use guns, they should be locked away, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.

If you choose to allow older children to learn to shoot, it should be under the strictest training and supervision.

Trigger locks are available and inexpensive.

Remove all firearms / ammunition from your home if you have a suicidal adolescent.